Tulsa World: Optimism voiced by 66ers

TULSA WORLD HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

OU | OSU | TU | ORU | HIGH SCHOOLS | COLLEGE FOOTBALL | COLLEGE BASKETBALL | NFL | FANTASY | OUTDOORS | GOLF | PROS | ALL

HOMEPAGES

SPORTS EXTRA BLOGS

		Sports Editor Mike Strain
		Sports Columnist Dave Sittler
		The Picker Entertaining & Infuriating

LOCAL PROS

ALL SPORTS

PHOTOS & VIDEOS

OUTDOORS

FIND A STORY

Search the World's archives

EMAIL ALERTS

SOCIAL MEDIA

RSS FEEDS

CONTACT US

BUY PHOTOS & PAGES

Buy a published photo by clicking the "Order this Picture" link on the photo. For a full-color page reprint, call 732-8198 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday or order online.

TULSA WORLD

ADVERTISE ON SPORTS EXTRA

Learn more about the site.

Newspaper View Print this story

Bookmark

Optimism voiced by 66ers
New facility, new faces among the changes this year.

Local players on the 66ers roster are, from left to right: Larry Owens (ORU), Yemi Ogunoye (ORU), Byron Eaton (OSU), Steven Hill (Arkansas), Moses Ehambe (ORU), Marcus Lewis (ORU) and Keith Clark (OU). CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World

By KEVIN HENRY World Correspondent
Published: 11/20/2009 2:19 AM
Last Modified: 11/20/2009 7:12 AM

The Tulsa 66ers met the media on Thursday morning, showed off their new home at the Tulsa Convention Center and sliced their roster on a busy day for the NBA Development League franchise.

With the roster now at 12 players before the final cuts early next week, Tulsa players and coaches met the media with smiles on their faces. Those smiles come from a renewed optimism about the upcoming season and a new overall philosophy that mirrors the parent club Oklahoma City Thunder.

"Last year was a challenge for all of us," said forward Keith Clark, who led Tulsa in rebounds and blocked shots last season as the 66ers endured a 15-35 campaign.

"This year, it all feels good being in a new facility and with a group of guys who are young and like to run."

Clark is one of seven players on the current 66ers roster with local college basketball ties. The University of Oklahoma player is joined by guard Byron Eaton (Oklahoma State), center Steven Hill (Arkansas), and former ORU players Moses Ehambe, Marcus Lewis, Yemi Ogunoye and Larry Owens.

"It's good to have local guys on the roster, but we're not just going to take local guys because they're local. We're going to take them because they can help us win," said Tulsa head coach Nate Tibbetts.

Tibbetts is pleased with what he has seen from the 66ers thus far in preseason drills.

"I think we have a very athletically gifted team with some big-time defenders," he said. "We have some D-League veterans on this team, and I think that's very important. We're pushing defense this year and we've made it very clear that if you're not playing defense, you're not playing much."

Earlier in the day, the 66ers released center Jeral Davis, forward Tim Parham and guards Keena Young, Adam McCoy and Mitch Johnson. The players released included four of Tulsa's final five 2009 draft picks and a player acquired through open tryouts.

The 66ers start their inaugural season at the newly renovated Convention Center with consecutive home games on Nov. 27-28 against Utah.

66ERS SCHEDULE

Nov. 27 UTAH 7 p.m.

Nov. 28 UTAH 7 p.m.

Dec. 1 Austin 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 2 Austin 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 4 Rio Grande Valley 7 p.m.

Dec. 5 RIO GRANDE VALLEY 7 p.m.

Dec. 10 Springfield 6 p.m.

Dec. 12 Springfield 11 a.m.

Dec. 13 Maine 6 p.m.

Dec. 18 RIO GRANDE VALLEY 7 p.m.

Dec. 19 RIO GRANDE VALLEY 7 p.m.

Dec. 26 Reno 9 p.m.

Dec. 27 Reno 5 p.m.

Jan. 2 SIOUX FALLS 7 p.m.

Jan. 3 SIOUX FALLS 4 p.m.

Jan. 5 Utah 2:45 p.m.

Jan. 7 Albuquerque Noon

Jan. 14 AUSTIN 7 p.m.

Jan. 16 ERIE 7 p.m.

Jan 17 ERIE 4 p.m.

Jan. 22 Sioux Falls 7 p.m.

Jan. 24 Dakota 3 p.m.

Jan. 28 IOWA 7 p.m.

Jan. 29 IOWA 7 p.m.

Jan. 31 SIOUX FALLS 4 p.m.

Feb. 3 Utah 8 p.m.

Feb. 5 Utah 8 p.m.

Feb. 6 Bakersfield 9 p.m.

Feb. 8 Los Angeles 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 10 Los Angeles 5:30 p.m.

Feb. 18 MAINE 11 a.m.

Feb. 25 SPRINGFIELD 7 p.m.

Feb. 27 Reno 9 p.m.

Feb. 28 Reno 5 p.m.

March 2 Austin 7:30 p.m.

March 4 AUSTIN 7 p.m.

March 5 DAKOTA 7 p.m.

March 7 FORT WAYNE 4 p.m.

March 8 FORT WAYNE 7 p.m.

March 13 Rio Grande Valley 7:30 p.m.

March 14 Rio Grande Valley 5 p.m.

March 19 Idaho 8 p.m.

March 20 Idaho 8 p.m.

March 25 BAKERSFIELD 7 p.m.

March 26 ALBUQUERQUE 7 p.m.

March 28 ALBUQUERQUE 4 p.m.

March 29 Reno 9 p.m.

March 31 Austin 7:30 p.m.

April 2 IOWA 7 p.m.

April 3 IOWA 7 p.m.

By KEVIN HENRY World Correspondent

Newspaper View Print this story

Bookmark

COMMENTS

Add your comment

Show: Most Recent Comment First

1 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Report Comment

shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (11/20/2009 6:51:02 AM)

Local guys will help draw fans which will be needed at the Convention Center.

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.