'Blake Griffin Day' Today

If you’re an Oklahoma City resident, you might want to take the day off and play some basketball, or watch some basketball, or maybe even just ponder the meaning of basketball.

Why? Well, today is Blake Griffin Day of course.

Blake Griffin, a former OU basketball player and current top NBA prospect, has been honored with a proclamation from the Oklahoma City Council naming today in his honor.

Griffin is the AP player of the year and the only unanimous All-American of 2009.

Griffin, a sophomore, is the first Oklahoma City resident to win the Naismith Trophy for the Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year, the most prestigious national honor awarded in college basketball.

He announced his plans to conclude his college career and enter the NBA draft two weeks ago.“Blake’s achievements are a true testament to the tenacity and determination that define Oklahoma City and its citizens,” said Mayor Mick Cornett, in a release a week ago. “We wish him continued success and are proud to call him one of our own.”

As well as the AP Player of the year and All-American awards Griffin has also garnered the Wooden Award,the NABC Player of the Year Award, the Rupp Trophy, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Chevrolet Player of the Year and the Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award.

Griffin was born and raised in Oklahoma City and graduated from Oklahoma Christian School.

Mayor Mick Cornett presented Griffin with his resolution during the April 21 City Council meeting.

OU quarterback Sam Bradford was similarly presented his own day in January, also by Mayor Mick Cornett.

Mere Formality, Griffin Goes Pro

Sophomore standout Blake Griffin, who absolutely ran away with the national player of the year race, has decided to turn pro.

"This past week I have been going over in my mind what I should do," Griffin said.  "I sat down with Coach Capel and my family and I think it is time for me to move on and take my game to the next level." 

Griffin, who at times has looked other-worldly and was famously compared to the terminator by Texas Tech coach Pat Knight, averaged 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds a game this year.

"It was tough.  I love playing here, this is my home state," Griffin said.  "It is tough to walk away from something like this, but at the same time this is a big opportunity.  I felt like I was ready for it this year as opposed to last year."

As a freshman, Griffin shocked many by returning for his sophomore year, despite being named first team All-Big 12 and averaging 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

"This is the right decision.  In my mind, it was a no-brainer," said head coach Jeff Capel. "It wasn't a decision to really debate because it is the right one.  It is the best thing for Blake, it is the best thing for the University of Oklahoma and the best thing for our program."

Capel also was not shy to heap praise on Griffin.

"He is the best player I have ever been around and coached, and he is probably one of the top two people I have ever been around and coached," Capel said.  "That is why I know he is going to be incredibly successful."

Many speculate that Griffin will be the top pick in this year's draft, which is scheduled for June 25 at Madison Square Garden.

"It is a great day -- a really, really great day -- when you have a chance to know that a kid has worked his butt off in something that he has wanted to do his whole life and he is going to have a chance to pursue it," Capel said.  "And not only pursue it, but to be very successful."

Inches Away, Sooners Season Ends

Nyeshia Stevenson's 3-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer, and Louisville advanced to its first national championship game ever with a 61-59 win over Oklahoma, despite trailing by 12 at halftime.

The Sooners leaped out to a 16-2 lead after only seven and half minutes of play, behind the presence of Whitney Hand.

Hand's matchup with Louisville All-American Angel McCoughtry would define the game, with Hand dominating the first half, but paling in the second as McCoughtry simply took over.

"I thought she really made some things happen defensively, not just containing Angel, but made some plays happen, deflections, steals, that sort of thing.  And then obviously knock down the open 3s," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said.  "But in the second half, you know, Angel McCoughtry is going to be rabid.  You know she's going to do that and go after everything off the rim, and she did.  And we had a hard time containing her when she did that."

McCoughtry was 0-8 from the field in the first half, only scoring 4 points, but came out in the second period and simply had her way shooting 6-9 from the field, with 14 points.

"I just felt like they came out with a lot more energy than we did.  And we were relaxed," Courtney Paris said.  "We just didn't execute as well as we should have."

Many of the Sooners problems seemed to stem from their inability to knock down easy shots inside and at the free throw line.

"We got some great passes from D-Rob and the other girls and some of them just didn't drop and we missed some chippies," Ashley Paris said.

As a team the Sooners were less than stellar at the line shooting 14-21, and only shot 26 percent in the second half.

As for the guarantee made by Courtney Paris to her soon-to-be alma mater in February, well she says she won't welch.

"I do make good on the guarantee," said Paris. "Not today, though. Obviously, I don't have $64,000 waiting, but I do make good on it."