Recruiting Report: Daniel Ogele (2016)

Scott Burgess October 15, 2015 @ 05:00 PM

St. Ignatius 2016 small forward Daniel Ogele is one of the more undervalued prospects in the senior class. Ogele is a physically built small forward that is powerful around the hoop. The 6’5” forward is making the transition to the perimeter and showed flashes of it with an explosive first step when we saw him in the summer. Good rebounder, potential on mid-range shot, and should develop into solid defender.We caught up with the top 30 prospect to discuss his final July on the circuit with the Illinois Celtics. “Well the July live period went alright as a team. We played good competition and won a good amount of games. First week at NY2LA we started off slow going 1-3. Then the second week at NY2LA we picked it up and finished 2-2. We had a great game against EYBL All-Ohio Red only losing to them by about 9 or 10 points. The last week we were down in Louisville and finished 1-3. Overall it wasn’t the summer we had planned winning wise, but we had a great experience playing against great competition.” Ogele saw his game take the next step. “Personally I think my game really evolved this summer. I think I was able to showcase my outside shot a lot better and my perimeter defense. Really transitioned into that three position and showed the ability to play it at the next level. My game improved and I was awarded a few scholarships because of it. Worked a lot of my lower body and I feel quicker especially now that I’m not wearing the brace anymore.” Where does his recruitment stand? “Right now I have two offers from Ferris State and Northern Michigan. I have growing interest from Navy, Marist, St. Louis, Western Illinois, Grand Valley State, Quincy, UW-Parkside, and Spring Hill.” He chatted with us about what he sees in Ferris State’s program. “They have a winning program. Coach Bronkema and Coach Lake text me every day. Finding out how I’m doing and stuff. They’ve been really upfront with me in how bad they want me to become a Bulldog.” What impresses about Northern Michigan? “Coach Sall and Coach Belt have been recruiting me for a while. They are very friendly and charismatic. They came by September 26th for an in-home visit. Their program is really on the come up.” Ogele spoke about the next step in the recruiting process for him. “I have an official scheduled October 16-17 with Ferris State. I’m looking to schedule more visits for the rest of the month and into November. Most likely looking to make a decision during the high school season.” The St. Ignatius senior knows what he is looking for in his future home. “I want to commit to a school that values three things: academics, basketball, and student interaction. I want to be able to get a great education, develop and grow as a player and a person, and be able to enjoy life on campus.”