Leah Rush

[NormanGlenn]

James Hale just announced on KREF that Rush has committed to the Sooners. Her coach says she is a good inside player comparable to Caton Hill but does not have the 3 point shot yet, but is working on it.

[Press]

Great player, sorry she chose OU over Tech, but I had heard it was most likely going to happen. She's very Caton Hill-ish, maybe a little more athletic and a little quicker.

[CYNIC]

Big commit for OU. I watched several of her games at the OU team camp this past summer. Was very impressed when I learned she put the team together herself because of Texas rules not allowing hs coaches to take their teams to team camps. I thought at the time that OU probably had a good chance of getting her if she went to all that trouble. Her team won the camp tournment beating several very good Oklahoma teams. Will be interesting to see how her team does this year down in Texas. She is what I would call a blue collar Superstar, much in the mold of a Caton Hill. Not as good an offensive player as Caton was at the same stage but I think she has an excellient chance of being a four year starter at OU just like Caton.

Rush was big because OU was down to very few players on their board. Next target is Bales, I give OU very little chance of signing her but just shows how far OU has come just to be on the visit list of top national players.

[swok34]

I like everything I've heard about Leah Rush; and I agree about Bales.....I think I've heard she likes Notre Dame and Ohio State.
I saw Elizabeth Sherwood's name on one OU list, though I think she's no longer considering OU....haven't seen OU on her list in a couple of weeks.....and I really think these are the two prime post players available. Also think that Sherwood's commitment might depend on what Bales does....I've read somewhere that they both like Notre Dame.....

[sooner64]

James' interview,

LEAH RUSH, PF, 6’1, AMARILLO, TEXAS:

JH: You committed to Oklahoma this weekend, why did you choose the Sooners?

LR: “Oklahoma has always been a school that I have considered. At the beginning of the recruiting process Oklahoma and Texas Tech were my two favorite schools and it ended up that way as well. OU has a beautiful campus, great girls on the team and super coaching staff. I feel that the program is one of the up and coming programs in the country. I just wanted to be a part of the continued growth of the program.”

JH: Was it a tough decision?

LR: “Yes, it was a definitely. It was one of the toughtest decisions that I have ever had to make. I have a ton of respect for coach Sharp and the great program that she has built. Both OU and Texas Tech have great programs and I waited as long as I could before making a decision. I just felt in the end that OU was the best fit for me.”

JH: What were your statistics last season?

LR: “I averaged about 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. That is an average, because I really don’t keep up with that stuff. I think I averaged about three blocks per game and two steals as well. I think those numbers would be a pretty good guess.”

JH: Describe your style of play?

LR: “I think I am pretty athletic for my size. I can get up and down the court pretty well. I can play with the big players, yet run with the smaller players. I can bang inside, but move outside and play the guard position. I would say that I am a versatile player and that I could play different positions depending on the situation. I have confidence in my shooting. At school I play center, because I am the biggest player on our team. In AAU ball I play outside some and I think in college I will play outside some. I think I can play outside for sure. I have been working on that a lot this offseason, because I wasn’t sure if I would have to move outside in college.”

JH: Do you have an outside game and what are your favorite moves on the block?

LR: “I can shoot the three, but I don’t get the chance so much with the teams that I have played with thus far. My favorite shot is the free throw. No, I am just kidding. I don’t really know about a favorite shot, but I have several outstanding low post moves that I like to use and I can hit the medium range jumper.”

JH: OU loves to run ,so how will you fit into their style of play?

LR: “I love to run. One of the biggest parts of all the teams that I have been on is the fast break aspect of our offense. I look forward to that at Oklahoma.”



------------------
http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/okla/galleries/okla-big12whoops-celebration/trophy-pres-3-lg.jpg

[Jennifer]

And here's what she had to say about visiting the Pediatric Unit of a Colorado Springs Hospital, while there for the Youth Development Festival.

Leah Rush
6-1 forward from Amarillo High School in Amarillo, Texas
"I really enjoyed it. I love children, I love kids. When I was little I looked up to people
and it would have meant so much if they had just come by and said `hi' or something,
so I feel that it's a responsibility of mine to do these kinds of things. I enjoyed it, I
really liked it. I thank God every day for my health and there's no other word besides
blessed because there's nothing that can describe that. Knowing that you're healthy
and doing what you love. I like going out into my community. I'm coaching a Kids, Inc.
basketball team next year and I enjoy that. I like interaction with people and I like
being able to help people out. If I am in a role to be able to do something like that, I
want to do it. I'm also doing Pals next year. It's a senior class that I'm taking where we
go into elementary schools and work with disadvantaged kids. We tutor and mentor
them, everything. Going and helping the kids, I think it's going to be a neat
experience."

[TXSNOS]

LR: "My favorite shot is the free throw." http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

You gotta love this kid.

TXs N Os

[Sternvogel]

Add me to the list of people who've had the pleasure of talking to Leah. I interviewed her at this past summer's Nike Camp in Indianapolis, where I also watched her play. Scroll down to #20 on the page linked below to see my comments, and feel free to check out the rest of the reports on the site.
http://www.mrhoops.com/recruiting/News/020730nike1.shtml

[Jimi]

Originally posted by TXSNOS:
LR: "My favorite shot is the free throw." http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

You gotta love this kid.

TXs N Os

Great Comment! Especially for a post player. Somehow this young lady sounds like my kind of player. Congrats to her and OU.

[DblT81]

Quite a bit of talent on this team .....

2001 Star Hawks 16 under "AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONS"
Brooke Baughman (Texas Tech)
Jennifer Brock (West Texas A&M)
Kalee Cary (Texas)
Haley Hobson (Midwestern University)
Abbie Letz (New Mexico)
Alesha Robertson (Texas Tech)
Leah Rush (Oklahoma)
Chelsi Welch (Oklahoma)

Coaches: Betsy Baughman
David Jackson

Reminds me a bit of the West Texas Flyers, AAU NCs three years in a row.

[metromaniac]

Reminds me of the Flyers??????? That was truly a special team.

Winning three in a row puts a group of girls far ahead of winning one. Great young ladies on this team, but believe me, until this team, which never will win three in a row does so, comparisons are a bit overreaching.

The Flyers and Tim Ritchie are Legends in AAU.

[swok34]

Thank you, sternvogel.....we check your site on occasion, as you seem to be one of the few who not only offers your information free of charge, but you have pictures http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif

Welcome to Hoopscoop.

I check the Hawks website on occasion, looking for photo's......
but those folks need some organization......I'm not always positive who I'm looking at in their photo's.

Here's the Amarillo article on Rush:
http://www.panhandlesports.com/stories/100902/bas_hsbb100902-1.shtml

[This message has been edited by swok34 (edited 10-09-2002).]

[DblT81]

Originally posted by metromaniac:
Reminds me of the Flyers??????? That was truly a special team. Winning three in a row puts a group of girls far ahead of winning one. Great young ladies on this team, but believe me, until this team, which never will win three in a row does so, comparisons are a bit overreaching.

The Flyers and Tim Ritchie are Legends in AAU.

I didn't say the Star Hawks were as great as the Flyers. I said they reminded me of the Flyers. Not because of their record but because of the amount of DI talent on the team. Ritchie (Tech), Ayers (Tech), Jackson (Tech), Valek (Purdue), Thiel (Stanford), Moore (UNM), Holmes, Morgan and another Thiel were a special group of West Texas players, no doubt. They not only won a record 24 consecutive AAU national tournament games for the 16U, 15U & 14U titles, they finished as runners up the two years before in the 13U & 12U divisions.

The Star Hawks had a shot at a second NC this summer in the 17U tournament but came up just short after having to fight back through the losers bracket. Who knows, if Rush and Carey had not taken some time off to go to the Nike tournament, perhaps the Hawks would have had the easier winners bracket road to the championship game. Regardless of the number of championships, the Star Hawks had outstanding talent and represented West Texas girls hoops in a top notch fashion. Kinda like the Flyers. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/smile.gif