Nov. 12, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio University head men's basketball coach John Groce has announced the signing of D.J. Cooper (Chicago, Ill.), Marquis Horne (Cincinnati, Ohio), Reggie Keely (University Heights, Ohio) and James Kinney (Champaign, Ill.) to National Letters of Intent. The quartet will begin competing for the Bobcats in the 2009-10 season.

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to coach and develop our 2009 recruiting class," Groce said. "Our staff feels like all four young men are tremendous fits for Ohio University and our basketball program."

A three-star recruit out of Seton Academy, Cooper was ranked 21st nationally among point guards by Scout.com, and also placed 30th on ESPN.com's rating. He is also the second-ranked point guard prospect in Illinois, as well as the state's No. 12 overall recruit, according to ChicagoHoops.com, and has been named a candidate for the 2009 McDonald's All-America Game.

While at Hales Franciscan High School in 2007-08, the 5-9, 165-pound Cooper enjoyed a breakout junior season that saw him garner honorable mention Class 2A all-state honors from the Associated Press. He also was also a third-team Illinois Small School All-State pick and collected honorable mention all-area accolades from Northwest Indiana Times during his junior campaign. In May of 2008, Cooper finished as the second-leading scorer at the prestigious Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions, earning a spot on the all-tournament team alongside several top prospects from across the country.

"We are thrilled to have D.J. in our program," Groce said. "His abilities to run a basketball team and make great decisions with the basketball have our staff very excited to coach him."

Horne, a 6-6, 185-pound three-star prospect from Princeton High School, averaged 12 points and seven rebounds per game as a small forward in 2007-08, leading the school to a district title and its first conference title in eight years. For his efforts as a junior, Horne was recognized with Cincinnati Enquirer honorable mention All-Division I and first-team All-Greater Miami Conference honors. He is rated the 10th-best overall prospect in Ohio by Rivals.com, and All-Ohio Basketball listed him at No. 14 on its ranking of Class of 2009 recruits.

"Marquis has extraordinary athleticism," Groce said. "We love his ability to make athletic plays at both ends of the floor. In addition to his athleticism, he is also a tremendous passer and can score both inside and out."

Keely, a two-star prospect out of Cleveland Heights High School, averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks per game as a junior en route to earning Division I honorable mention and Hoop Scoop Online all-state honors. Named a top-100 power forward prospect, the 6-8, 230-pound Keely was also ranked the No. 8 prospect in Ohio by Rivals.com, as well as the ninth-best player in the state by both All-Ohio Basketball and Hoop Scoop Online. In 2007, he was one of just 135 players from across the nation to garner an invitation to the lauded Reebok U Basketball Camp.

"Reggie fits our system very well with his ability to play inside, as well as facing the basket," Groce said. "He has very good hands, and understands how to use his body to score and rebound the basketball."

A two-star guard, the 6-1, 150-pound Kinney posted averages of 16 points and more than six assists per game as a junior at Centennial High School in 2007-08, earning honorable mention all-state accolades from the Champaign News-Gazette. The same publication has also included Kinney on its first-team all-area and All-Big 12 Conference squads in each of the last two seasons. Prior to the beginning of his senior year, he was also selected to the 6-3 Club for elite high school guards by MidStateHoops.com.

An articulate writer, Kinney also penned a diary chronicling his recruitment process for the Champaign News-Gazette.

"James has a chance to be a very good basketball player for us," Groce said. "He loves the game and has the versatility to play with the ball in his hands, as well as off the ball. That ability will bring an added dimension to our team."

Ohio will open the 2008-09 season on Sunday, when it welcomes William & Mary to the Convocation Center. The contest will be the first-ever matchup between the two schools on the hardwood, and will mark the first of the Bobcats' three games against teams from the Colonial Athletic Association this season. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. ET, and live stats will be available via www.ohiobobcats.com.