Conference call. (College Basketball: Insider).(Oklahoma's Ebi Ere and St. John's Marcus Hatton)(Brief Article)

SG Ebi Ere, Oklahoma

There were two Oklahoma-related surprises at the league's preseason media day:

* Coach Kelvin Sampson said his team would be very strong, despite massive turnover.

* Ebi Ere (EBB-ee EAR-ee) was the pick for preseason Newcomer of the Year, though Texas' T.J. Ford, Colorado's David Harrison and Kansas' Aaron Miles and Wayne Simien arrived with more fanfare.

Both, though, appear to be dead on. The Sooners are 10-1, including a thumping of Maryland, and Ere, who is averaging 15.9 points and 6.5 rebounds, is perhaps the top junior college newcomer around. Ere is a creative scorer with an eclectic repertoire. He is at his best driving to the basket, and he is nearly automatic from the free-throw line.

Most junior college players adjust slowly to Division I, especially when going to a structured system like Sampson's, but Ere, a 6-5 wing who committed to OU out of high school before spending two years at Barton County (Kan.) CC for academic reasons, has adapted. Work ethic and character are the reasons, Sampson says.

"You can't tell a difference in how Ebi plays in a game versus practice" Sampson says. "You can watch anyone in a game. A light comes on, people are in the stands, and it is time to play hard. But you can tell a lot about a kid's soul by watching him when no one else is around."