Liberty Mounds to Hotchkiss Boarding School

Team Oklahoma's 6'11" center Monty Brown considered transferring to Holland Hall Prep School, about 12 minutes away from Liberty Mounds HS where Brown studied and played basketball last year. He also thought about Cascia Hall & Bishop Kelley. Tulsa's three private schools with quality basketball programs were discussed and looked at. But through the contacts of Ted Owens, former Kansas University coach who led the Jayhawks to the Final Four two different times, Brown now runs the hardcourt of Hotchkiss Prep.

Hotchkiss? Is it a disease? No. A new game? Nope. Try a boarding school that is estimated by Mapquest to be about 23 hours 22 minutes from Monty's home in Liberty Mounds. Approximately 1461.47 miles away from Green Country, right here in the heartlands.

So instead of seeking a {local} different coach to influence and help Monty develop his god given "long" assets [see picture above!], and grow on the hardwood, instead, the college hoop prospect decided to head to Connecticut and attend Hotchkiss Boarding School. Monty said they are scheduled to play Oak Hill Academy, a perennial Top 10 team. His coach is former NBA center Fred Benjamin.

With several top prospects on his team, Hotchkiss practices have included coaches from Boston College, Syracuse [head coach Jim Boeheim himself!], and Stanford.

Monte is a top student and enjoyed being a "supervisor" while working at Sutherland's this summer. With a coach that has been there, not to mention is larger than Brown and able to bang him around in practice when necessary, it will be interesting to follow Monte and how he fares in the land of the giants. It wouldn't surprise to see Brown on the next level. Exactly what division is yet to be seen.

Good Luck Montego!!

Team Oklahoma - Summer 2008 - AAU

Team Oklahoma is made up of players from the Tulsa area. Jenks is represented by power forward Marshall Morris #33, Doug McKnight #12 & Ross Erickson #3. Ross is actually moving to Oregon after the AAU summer season is complete. Post Monty Brown #32, all 6'11" attended Liberty last year but will be attending the Hodgkiss Prep School in Connecticut for his senior year. Bartlesville is well represented with Nate Jones #23[middle, back row], Marquise Jackson #44, and Heath Deaton #15. Joe Randall from Edison, Bear Hawkins of Cascia Hall, Chris Collins #21 of Broken Arrow, and Brock Morton #10 of Holland Hall round out the team.

Don Calvert Jr. is head coach, while Oklahoma Hall of Fame coach Don Calvert Sr. assists.

The squad enters the prestigious Jerry Mullens Invitational July 6th, 7th and 8th against some of the top AAU teams from around the country. It is an NCAA certified event and many coaches will be in attendance.

Team Oklahoma traveled to Houston for the prestigious KINGSWOOD Classic April 18-20th. The Kingswood Classic drew 275 teams in the 17 yr old division, and Team Oklahoma made it to the ELITE 8 of the TOP DIVISION. They were ousted by Team Canada, who ultimately won the tournament. The elite 8 games were shown live on the internet and hundreds of NCAA college coaches attended the event.

Team Oklahoma won the Hardwood Productions Memorial Day Masters tournament May 23-25th. The following weekend they won an MAYB tournament.

Team Oklahoma is shown below after winning the Del City MAYB Tournament that ended June 29, 2008. With 8 players 6'4" or taller, the quickness and 1/2 court defensive pressure this squad displays catches some teams off guard.