April 18, 2012

CHICAGO - After signing National Letters of Intent to attend Loyola University Chicago during the early signing period in November, a trio of head men's basketball coach Porter Moser's recruits experienced highly successful 2011-12 seasons this winter as they closed out their high school careers. All three players earned at least honorable mention all-state recognition, among other accolades.

Nick Osborne, a 6-foot-8 forward who helped Muncie Central High School in Muncie, Ind., reach the Sweet 16 of the IHSAA Class 3A Tournament, averaged 15.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game and was named to the prestigious Indiana All-Star Team, marking the second straight season a Loyola recruit has been selected to that squad. Last season, Joe Crisman was tabbed to the Indiana All-Star Team, and this year, Osborne was joined on the team by notables such as Gary Harris (Michigan State), Yogi Ferrell (Indiana), Kellen Dunham (Butler), Ron Patterson (Indiana), Austin Burgett (Notre Dame), Jeremy Hollowell (Indiana), Ronnie Johnson (Purdue) and Patrick Ingram (Iowa) among others.

Osborne collected a plethora of honors this season, earning Muncie Star Press Athlete of the Year accolades, along with First Team Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (IBCA) All-State, First Team All-North Central Conference and Associated Press Indiana All-State Honorable Mention recognition.

Matt O'Leary, who had a strong season for Terre Haute North Vigo High School, was selected First Team Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, AP Indiana All-State Honorable Mention, IBCA All-State Honorable Mention, IBCA Academic All-State Honorable Mention, and was the Terre Haute North Gold Medal Award recipient as his team's most valuable player. Along with Osborne, O'Leary was chosen for the North-South Indiana All-Star Game.

During the 2011-12 campaign, O'Leary helped Terre Haute North Vigo advance to the Elite 8 in the IHSAA Class 4A Tournament by contributing 17.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.3 bpg and 1.0 spg, while shooting 50 percent (156 for 312) from the field and 37 percent (56 for 151) from three-point territory.

Six-foot-one guard Jeff "Keke" White posted 15.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.4 apg and shot 51 percent (181 for 353) from the field and 72 percent (73 for 101) from the foul line for Manual High School in Peoria, Ill. An AP First Team All-State pick, White also was an all-area and Pontiac All-Tournament Team honoree. He helped Manual finish the season ranked No. 2 in Class 3A and to a share of the Mid-State 6 Conference title. In a victory over Peoria Central, White collected his first career double-double, going for 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Loyola also welcomes Jeremy King (Houston, Texas/St. Thomas) and Devon Turk (Houston, Texas/Westbury Christian), who last week signed to play for the Ramblers, to the mix next season, along with junior guard Cully Payne (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg/Iowa), who sat out the 2011-12 season after transferring from the University of Iowa.