Tulsa World: Wright ready to pitch in

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Wright ready to pitch in

By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
Published: 8/4/2008 2:06 AM
Last Modified: 8/4/2008 3:06 AM

NORMAN — The other day, Ryan Wright caught a bounce pass, turned about 12 feet out near the baseline, and dropped in a smooth jumper over Orlando Allen. The only people who saw it were Wright's Oklahoma teammates and a couple student managers in attendance at the pick-up session in the Sooners' practice gym. The only reaction was to turn and head back down the floor.

A fleeting moment to help pass the summertime? Don't try selling that to Wright, finally eligible after sitting out the NCAA-mandated year after transferring from UCLA.

"It was hard. It was really hard," said the 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward who will suit up the next two seasons for OU. "I didn't really realize how long it was until we were midway through the season. I was like, 'Man, I can't play. I can't do anything.'"

Well, there was the scout team. Wright took pride in doing his best to imitate the opponent's best big man.

He also had the two daily workout sessions he attended outside of practice and cheerleading from the bench during games everyone else played. And he had the NCAA Tournament experiences coach Jeff Capel asked him to share with the Sooners began their regional in Birmingham, Ala.

"If I was doing my job those ways," Wright said, "time went by faster."

Now, at last, Longar Longar has graduated, leaving a starting vacancy on OU's front line. It's what Wright craves.

"That was my reason for coming here, to be a big part of this," he said. "Looking at my situation at UCLA, the playing time wasn't there."

Wright averaged eight minutes and two points in two years. OU offered the chance for more production, plus a friendlier inside-out offensive philosophy, evident by the focus on Longar and Blake and Taylor Griffin last season.

On the surface, of course, it was nothing more than that — a chance. And so since the end of last season, Wright has been doing whatever necessary to seize his opportunity.

He began by calling Frank Matrisciano, a hardcore trainer from the Bay Area he knew of from his days at UCLA.

"I was in San Francisco in May and June," Wright said. "I was doing a lot of stuff on the beach, running, push-ups, carrying sand weights. Also, there were college guys from USF, Stanford, Cal and Washington State working out at USF, so I was getting in the gym pretty much every day. I definitely felt like I got a lot better from that experience, and from the time I've put in back here."

For instance, he says he's quicker.

"...especially my lateral quickness," he said. "My shot has improved. My game around the basket has definitely improved, my explosiveness and my finishing with contact. My ballhandling has improved also."

It's a checklist Capel prepared for Wright during their exit interview from the 2007-08 season. The two will meet again this fall for a progress report — the NCAA restricts offseason contact between players and full-time staff — and then it will be down to '08-'09 business.

"I can't wait," Wright said. "Until then, I've just got to work. I feel there's a lot I can bring to the table, but it takes work."

Guerin Emig 581-8355
guerin.emig@tulsaworld.com By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer

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