After Oregon’s 99-46 exhibition win against Warner Pacific last week, Gonzaga Prep coach Mike Arte grabbed his phone for a quick text message.
Addressed to freshman Oti Gildon, it read something like, “Congrats. Looks like you had a great game and you shot 2-of-5 from 3-point range. That’s five more attempts and makes than you had a Gonzaga Prep.”
Gildon, who usually played the post in high school, is adapting to Kelly Graves’s system as one of three freshman on the Oregon women’s basketball team.
Gildon keeps a part of her Gonzaga Prep days with her every step of the way. Maggie Crockett, who Gildon became became friends with in her freshman year Spanish class at Gonzaga Prep, is a manager for the team and also lives with Gildon and the two other freshmen on the team — Maite Cazorla and Lauren Yearwood. Crockett played basketball for three years at Gonzaga Prep before deciding to be the team’s manager her senior year, so the transition to Oregon seems natural.
“I think it’s going to be fantastic for both of them,” Arte said. “I have to really thank Kelly [Graves] for going out on a limb for Maggie, to have her be a manager there.”
Gildon said she can always count on Crockett, who is interested in marine biology, for help both with basketball and in the transitional period to college; they usually study for their Psychology 202 class together.
“It makes me comfortable knowing that I have people [from] where I’m from,” Gildon, the highest-ranked recruit to enroll at Oregon, said. “I feel more at home.”
Gravess’ three boys attended Gonzaga Prep when his family lived in Spokane, Washington, so Gildon and Crockett have even more familiar faces around. Arte said Crockett first met Graves when he and assistant Jodie Berry went to watch Gildon play in the Washington girl’s basketball state championship game last March. Arte told Graves of Crockett’s outgoing personality and likable demeanor. When Graves suggested she be a part of the program, she jumped on it.
“It has been comforting starting a new chapter in my life with someone who reminds me so much of home,” Crockett said in a text message. “I’m glad to experience this opportunity with her.”
For Gildon, the two-way street with her support team has helped her adjust to collegiate basketball and Gonzaga Prep, where she dominated other post players, while averaging 15.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. This year, she hopes to improve her ball handling and continue to develop her shooting ability, which she always nagged Arte to let her showcase at the high school level.
“Oti is a basketball player. Her team is her family,” Graves said. “She’s jumped all-in. She’s very well liked.”
Gildon moved to Spokane from Gary, Indiana in seventh grade and caught the eye of Graves and his staff at Gonzaga. When Graves took the job at Oregon, it was her existing relationship that led her to Eugene.
“We knew Oti would be successful no matter where she went,” Arte said. “But her relationship with Kelly was the deciding factor.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne
Oti Gildon and Maggie Crockett continue high school friendship at Oregon
Jonathan Hawthorne
November 16, 2015
Steven Ahn
Freshman Oti Gildon works a on a drill during a practice at Matthew Knight Arena on October 8, 2015.(Jonathan Hawthorne/Emerald)
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