Sooners still in the mix for juco big man

Hernol Hall, a 6-foot-10 center from Lon Morris Junior College, may be the best big man still left on the board. Last season, Hall averaged over 17 points and 10 rebounds per game en route to earning first and second team Juco All-American honors.

Hall was all set to play for Duquesne before a coaching change that prompted him to ask out of his scholarship and open up recruiting for him once again. After a quick return to his native Costa Rica to play for the home country, Hall is now going on his magical recruiting tour trying to decide where to play his next two years of college basketball.

Today, Hall was on Sports Morning with Bob Barry Jr. and I to talk about his game and recruiting plans.

JH: How long have you been playing basketball?

HH: “I haven’t been play all that long. It wasn’t until I was about 11 and some older guys in our neighborhood started to play basketball. Watching them I said, you know what, I am going to give it a try. I was really tall when I was 11-years old, and since that time I have really started to like the game. Now I just love playing basketball.”

BB: Tell us what happened when you graduated from Lon Morris and then signed with Duquesne, but since then you have asked out of that LOI. What happened?

HH: "The situation with Duquesne was about loyalty. The people at Duquesne really helped me a lot to come over to the United State to play basketball. An assistant coach at Duquesne helped me so I was trying to return the favor, which I did. Finally, I have my release so that I take my next shot to see who will be my new team.”

BB: Did you ask for your release because Danny Nee is no longer there?

HH: “I think I did what I was supposed to do the first time. They wanted me to play at Duquesne and that was cool, because they helped me. Then once coach got fired, I felt it was time to move on. It was time to look out for myself, to see what is out there to come through for me. I have some good opportunities I think.”

JH: What are you doing with that opportunity and who are you considering now? Didn’t you recently take a visit?

HH: “Yeah, I recently took a visit to the University of Cincinnati. This next weekend I will be going to the University of Gonzaga, and then my last visit is going to be to the University of Oklahoma.”

BB: Give us your impressions on those programs, including your impressions of Oklahoma with new Head Coach Jeff Capel?

HH: “I want to take these visits. I don’t want anybody calling me and telling me about these places. I just want to go and see for myself and get used to the coaches and my future teammates, then finally make a decision.”

JH: Have you been interested in Oklahoma for some time? If I remember correctly, you considered OU before you signed with Duquesne, didn’t you?

HH: “I have always been interested in OU. Most of all it began when I played against OU my junior year when I was in Costa Rica. I saw that they were a good team and I have always been impressed by their program. That is why I have made them one of my three teams that I want to visit.”

BB: Have you talked to Jeff Capel yet or met him? And if so, what are your impressions of Oklahoma’s new coach?

HH: “He is young and seems like a good person. I really like talking to him. He calls me up sometimes. I really have fun talking to him. He is always being honest and is someone that I can call when I really need somebody to talk to. I really appreciate that.”

JH: What were your impressions of your visit to Cincinnati?

HH: “I like the school. The university here is really small, and any university that I visit is going to make a big impression on me because of where I am coming from and where I am at right now. Lon Morris is really small, so I really liked it. I like the city, I like the school and I like the people.”

BB: What about Gonzaga? What attracts you to the Zags?

HH: “They made a good run last year and if I make a decision to go to Gonzaga it would be because I would like to be a part of it. They have a good team that is capable of going to the Final Four and play for a National Championship.”

JH: What are some of the key things that you are looking for in recruiting?

HH: “This is what I have been telling all the coaches, and I am going to tell you now. What I am looking for is gametime. Coming from a juco, it is kind of hard to sit on the bench. I would like to play right away. I also want to play for people that I can trust. That is the most important thing.”

BB: Talk about your style of play?

HH: “I am a big guy at 6-10. My style of play is inside-out. I will play with power inside and then if I get this opportunity I will take a couple of shots.”

JH: How good is your team in Costa Rica?

HH: “I would say that we are OK. We didn’t have a lot of time to practice together. The couple of weeks that I was back in my county we played against Belize and Mexico. We beat Belize two times and beat Mexico one game. We qualified for the next round where I hope I will be there for my team.”