There will be an overhaul in the Ohio University Southern Campus basketball program.

Wednesday, June 07, 2000

There will be an overhaul in the Ohio University Southern Campus basketball program.

Gone is career leading scorer 3-point goal record holder Andrew Stevens, now with the College of Charleston.

Gone is Momir Gajic the team’s second leading scorer and top rebounder, now with the University of Rio Grande.

Gone is point guard C. J. Captain, the team leader in assists, now with Shawnee State University.

Gone is head coach Ed Fry who guided the team to a 17-15 record and runner-up spot in the state branch campus tournament despite dismissing star center Carlos Henderson for disciplinary reasons before the season began.

To fill those voids, Ohio Southern had to begin with naming a new head coach, and the man taking over the program is Ron Reed.

A veteran coach in the Kentucky area at schools such as Russell, Raceland, and Rose Hill, as well as Minford, Reed plans to utilize his local ties in order to recruit talent.

"I’m going to try like everything to the local players. My main priority will be to get the kids from southern Ohio, northern Kentucky (15th and 16th regions), and the Huntington (W.Va.) area," said Reed.

Reed has the recruiting experience for a college coach having been at Mississippi, Milligan College in Tennessee, and then serving as an assistant at Kentucky Christian College in Grayson last season.

"This area gets overlooked," Reed said.

Known as a disciplinarian, Reed plans to emphasize defense and use a disciplined offense against opponents.

"We’re gong to play as hard as any other program in the country. I expect the same kind of effort from our players as what we had at Ole Miss."

The Trail Blazers currently play their games in the Ironton High School Sports Center, but the university is constructing a new fitness facility that will house a basketball arena for the team.

"My goal is to build a sound program that will give local kids the chance to play and develop," said Reed, the third coach in four seasons at the school. "We’re going to have fun."