California senior chooses Hurricane

By ERIC BAILEY World Sports Writer
10/30/2007

Joseph Richard, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound power forward from San Bernardino, Calif., has given an oral commitment to play basketball at the University of Tulsa.

Richard, who drew interest from UC-Santa Barbara, UC Riverside and Lehigh, made his nonbinding decision after visiting TU over the weekend.

“It was a mixture between the coaches and the players,” Richard said when asked why he chose Tulsa.

Richard (pronounced Reeshard) is a three-year captain at Arroyo Valley High School. He averaged 12.4 points and 11.5 rebounds last season for the Hawks, who finished 26-7.

“He’s a physical specimen,” said Gerry Freitas, a national recruiting analyst based in California. “He’s a strong-bodied, hard-nosed player. He’s not your glamour type of player, but every team needs that kind of kid.”

Hawks coach Scott Smith said Richard is a tenacious defender and rebounder. He said the player is also humble, but has leadership qualities on the court.

“He’s the first kid to ever get a full-ride basketball scholarship from our school,” Smith said. “When I told one of our teachers today, they said that there has not been a kid on our campus that was ever as talented athletically and held his kind of character.”

Richard already has orders from TU coach Doug Wojcik.

“He said he needs me to knock down the open shot and grab rebounds, mainly the ones that it doesn’t seem like I’m supposed to get,” Richard said. “And he wants me to have a motor that never quits.”