Ohio State's Hunter doing big things on court
The Othello Hunter story is
definitely one worth telling.
In Hunter's story , he didn't
play organized basketball until
his senior year at Reynolds.
Then, he almost recorded a
triple-double during his first
game with the Demons. Let me
remind you that he never did
start,
despite
possess
ing obvi
ous skills
on the
court.
Hunter
still found
J a way to
contribute
Hunter in major
ways
when he did get into the game.
Hunter and Reynolds fin
ished one win aw.ay from a state
basketball championship that
year. Then. Othello found a way
to sign with Hillsborough
Community College (Tampa,
Fla.), where he helped the team
finish with a 19-14 record in
2004-05 and a 24-6 record last
year. His team lost in the opening
round of the 2006 Florida
Community College Activities
Association state tournament .
Hunter scored 22 points, grabbed
17 rebounds and blocked six
shots in the loss.
Now Hunter is doing big
things at Ohio State University,
where he started the first few
games at center. Othello was the
OSU student athlete of the week
this past week after he recorded
his first career double-double
with 17 points and II rebounds
in a recent win against Cleveland
State. Hunter, who's a junior, has
three games this year with 10 or
more boards and has scored in
double figures twice.
I talked with Othello last
week, to discuss how things have
been since he arrived at OSU. I
also wanfed to ask him how he
does when he and Greg Oden go
one-on-one in practice. Take a
look at our conversation from
last week, before his Buckeyes
blasted Cincinnati.
Anthony: What's going on,
O'?
Othello: Nothing much. I'm
just chilling.
Anthony: I hear that. Hey.
you're doing big things at Ohio
State.
Othello: Yeah. I'm trying to
do a little bit.
Anthony: You kind of came
out of nowhere. You didn't play
at Reynolds until your senior
year and then kind of blew up
after you went off to junior col
lege in Florida. Tell me how
things progressed for you .
Othello: When I wias in
Winston-Salem, at Reynolds, I
knew I wanted to play basketball
after my senior year. I guess my
coach (Howard West) kind of
touched basis with nhe coach
down in Hillsborough (Derrick
Worrels). 1 went down there and
he wanted to sign me. 1 went
down there and he just worked
me real hard. Now, here I am.
Anthony: Why did you wait
so long before you got on the
Reynolds team?
Othello: Well. I had a job at
first. Then my grades weren't up
to par afterwards. I really wasn't
thinking about playing basketball
at that point. 1 was just like,
whatever. Thenjny friends kept
pushing me to play. Then, I was
like, "Yeah, I'jji gonna play." ?
Anthonyr (Uaughs.) OK.
AJ. (Highsmith) was telling me
about that the other day. He said
he had to basically talk you into
getting on the team.
Othello: Yeah
Anthony: How crazy is it
around there with Troy Smith
bringing home the Heisman
Trophy? I imagine the campus
and the entire city of Columbus
are pretty crazy right about now.
45
Ohio Stale ptoirto
Ohio State junior Othello Hunter played only one year of high school hall at Reynolds before starting his college career.
Othello: It's pretty crazy.
Everybody is happy for him.
We're just waiting to sec what
we're going to do in the national
(championship game).
Anthony: Let me ask you
what your focus is for this year. I
mean, are you trying get better?
Is it all about the team this year?
Just tell me where your focus is
right now.
Othello: (Laughs.) It's
everything, man. I'm trying to
help us get better. I'm trying to
win the national title. I'm trying
to work hard and get better at the
same time.
Anthony: It was good to see
you g(?t the start in the Carolina
game. (Smiles.) 1 know you guys
would've loved to have gotten
that win in Chapel Hill .
Othello: Yeah, we could've
be leaving to go somewhere in
December.
Anthony: When do you plan
on coming to Winston?
Othello? I'll be in Winston
on the 24th (Sunday).
Anthony: Cool. Hey. I still
remember that team some of you
formed after you graduated. It
was like a throwback Reynolds
team.
Othello: (Laughs.) Yeah.
Anthony: You all got
smashed by One-and-Done that
year too.
Othello: (Laughs.) You did
n't have to say all of that. But,
yeah we did get beat pretty bad.
Anthony: Tell me what you
thought after seeing the Ohio
State University campus for the
first time.
Othello: "Dang." I thought I
One-on-One
willi Anthony 1 1 ill
won that game. There were real
ly just three critical plays that
stomped us. That made me want
to step my defense up after that
one.
Anthony: I bet. Hey, do you
and Greg (Oden) go at it in prac
tice?
Othello: Oh, we got at it in
practice everydqy.
Anthony: Oh yeah?
Othello: Yeah.
Anthony: Does he win all of
the battles?
Othello: It's like 50-50 now,
man.
Anthony: (Smiles.) OK.
Othello: At first, he used to
kill me. Now we go at each other
everyday.
Anthony: That's what's up.
What's your boy, Rah Davis
(Former East player that played
JUCO ball with Hunter) up to?
Othello: I don't know. The
last I heard, he was supposed to
was going to be late tor class all
of the time. Luckily, my classes
are close together
Anthony: What do you do
dunng your down time'.'
Othello: I stay in my room
and talk to my girlfriend. Or. I
just chill and watch TV.
Anthony: What is your
favorite movie right now?
Othello: Right now, it's
probahl) HGIory Road."
Anthony: If you weren't
playing basketball what do you
think you'd probably be doing?
Othello: I don't know. I'd
probably he working somewhere.
Anthony: (Both laugh.) Well,
I'm glad you're playing basket
ball.
Othello: I am too.
Anthony: What kind of
nicknames are they calling you
down there?
Othello: They call me "O"
and Doc. My mom calls me Doife
Anthony : Were you named
after the Shakespeare play?
Othello: No. 1 was named
after my dad.
Anthony: Who would you
like to play against, one-on-one?
Othello: KG (Kevin
Garnett) I don't know if I'd beat
him. but I'd give him a couple
buckets.
Anthony: OK. Let's close
out with free association.
Othello.
Othello: Hunter.
Anthony: Joe Fulp (Former
Reynolds teammate.)
Othello: The coolest dude.
Anthony: Howard West.
Othello: Coach. Good man.
Anthony: Andre Gould.
Othello: Cool.
Anthony: The Ohio State
University.
Othello: Oft the hook.
Former Spartan has
career-high for
Charleston Southern
CHRONICLE STAFF RfcPOKT
?
Former Ml. Tabor Spitan
standout Natalie Caldwell lo} her
Charleston Southern squad l}-6)
U) a much-needed viclory over the
weekend. Caldwell's 20-point per
formance tied her career high in
points and led CSU to a 66-56 vic
tor) over Kennesaw State last
Saturday.
Caldwell definitely paced the
Buc.s offense, but il was - the
defense that set the tone early, as
Charleston Southern allowed a
season-low 20 points in the first
naii.
Caldwell
sparked
t h e
offense
with her
solid play
in the sec
ond half.
She
dropped
14 of her
Caldwell
20 points
in the second half alone. She
helped the Lady Bucs shoot an
aina/.ing 50 percent from the floor
in the final half of play.
CSU senior Keena Wicker
added 19, while sophomore Pain
Tolbert scored 13 to help propel
CSU to the victory.
The Lady Bucs took the lead
at 1 9- 1 7 with 6:20 to go in the first
half, and never gave it up as they
used a 7-0 run to distance them
selves from the Owls. A layup by
Caldwell with 1:42 remaining in
the gamQ gave CSU a 15-point
lead, their largest of the game.
For the first time this se;?on.
the Lady Bucs won the turnover
battle, turning it over 15 times,
while forcing 23 Kennesaw State
turnovers.
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