Calloo set for homecoming with W. Virginia trip
STILLWATER — One homecoming already has boosted the play of Oklahoma State freshman Maurice Calloo. He’s excited about the possibility of what another could do for him.
Saturday’s 11 a.m. game at West Virginia allows Calloo to return to a state where he played some of his high school basketball. Although he grew up in Ontario, Canada, Calloo also attended Huntington Prep, a basketball-focused school about three hours southwest of Morgantown where he played with fellow Cowboy Curtis Jones. Calloo’s host parents, brother and “Nana” from his time there will be in WVU Coliseum cheering for OSU.
“It’s kind of like a homecoming for me,” Calloo said. “It’s gonna be fun.”
Only the second Canadian in program history, Calloo spent the Cowboys’ recent holiday break at home in Windsor. The time off provided a renewed focus, seeing what his mother, Nadine Bent, was going through working two jobs.
That drive has led to on-court improvement and increased effort on defense and rebounding. As a result, Calloo has posted three of his four highest minute totals this season among the Cowboys’ four games since returning from break.
“I’m just starting to get used to it, so I’m just starting to bring my effort every day,” Calloo said. “Just going back home and seeing what my family’s going through, I gotta come back here are just play harder.
"Coming out of high school and playing at a good program, you think you know it all, you think you’re gonna go here and be the man, but it’s a different beast in college.”
Of Calloo’s 13 3-point attempts in the Cowboys’ first nine games, only one fell, providing no consolation for his iffy defense.
In the past five games, Calloo has attempted only two 3-pointers, and although neither was a make, he’s shown an increased emphasis on driving to the basket rather than settling for jump shots. His defense, too, has been loaded with hustle plays.
OSU coach Mike Boynton said stubbornness likely slowed Calloo’s improvement early, but conversations about “progress over pride” have helped the freshman forward carve out a path a path for himself.
“Early on, and it’s natural, in their minds, this is gonna be easy, no matter how many times I try to tell ’em that it’s gonna be hard,” Boynton said. “In their minds, until they get out there and struggle, they don’t believe you, and he struggled.
“He’s starting to understand that there’s more ways to be valuable to your team than just shooting basketballs.”
The benefits could continue to take form Saturday.
“I'm just waiting on my time, being patient,” Calloo said. “I know my time will come when it's needed.” two games in Morgantown and the only Big 12 team with a winning road record against the Mountaineers.
• West Virginia leads the Big 12 in rebounding margin and offensive rebounds per game, but the Mountaineers also rank last in the conference in turnover margin.
• OSU coach Mike Boynton said Thursday that freshman forward Kentrevious Jones will “have more opportunities to see minutes” Saturday because of the Mountaineers’ size and high volume of fouls. Jones has sat the past eight games, including the past five for disciplinary reasons.
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