CC’s Cooper Craggs commits to play at OU
NOVI » The “Coop-a-loop slams,” 3-bombs and baseline-to-baseline finishes at the rim will be rocking the O’rena in Rochester Hills before long.
Novi Detroit Catholic Central senior forward Cooper Craggs committed to Oakland University this week becoming the first Shamrocks hoopster to earn a Division I scholarship in almost two decades.
“It’s an amazing offer, the history of basketball under this coaching staff is something I want to be a part of,” he said. “I play hard on both ends of the floor and like to think of myself as an effort guy, so I hope to keep that reputation going for myself at the college level.”
The 6-8 Craggs goes “insideout” from the frontcourt as well as any player in the state. He averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds per game last season and competed with deadly efficiency. From the field, he shot 60 percent and from beyond the arc, he connected on 40 percent of his 3-point attempts.
“It’s a great fit for Coop and Coach Kampe’s system and style
of play at OU,” said Catholic Central head coach Brandon Sinawi of the commitment. “We’re talking about a kid that can stretch the floor, defend both the post and perimeter and rebounds the heck out of the ball on the glass.”
Sinawi, known for cultivating DI talent, is most impressed with Craggs’ intangibles.
“The best thing about Cooper is that everybody loves him, his teammates love playing with him, his classmates love going to school with him and we love coaching him,” Sinawi said. “He’s just a tireless worker. He’ll run through a wall for his team.”
The last Shamrocks basketball star to go DI was Catholic Central assistant coach Dan Waterstradt,
who signed with Rutgers out of high school in 2004 and ended his college career at Oakland playing for Golden Grizzlies sideline wizard Greg Kampe. Sinawi got to Catholic Central three years ago, just two months removed from taking Novi to a spot in the 2018 Class A final four.
When Sinawi was at Novi, he sent Kampe, Novi all-time great, Trayvon Maddox. Sinawi was also responsible for getting Novi alums the Hankerson brothers (Trendon to Northern Illinois, Kam to UW-Green Bay) and Jiovanni Miles (UW-Green Bay) into the the Division I ranks. Maddox started for Kampe at OU as a freshman and sophomore, however transferred to Cal St.-Fullerton in 2020.