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DORON LAMB HAS BIG EAST OFFERS

2010 Native New Yorker has a long list from Big East while sharpening game at Oak Hill

by Matt Whitfield

Following in the wake of the ‘Born Ready’ hype machine, Doron Lamb found himself being labeled by some as New York City’s next great player. Lamb now finds himself 568 miles to the south of the Big Apple at prep juggernaut Oak Hill Academy. Now living miles away from city life, Lamb finds himself playing basketball harder and more than ever. NBE caught up with Lamb after Oak Hill’s impressive victory over St. Patrick’s in the recently completed 2009 Primetime Shootout in Trenton (NJ). Lamb discussed many things from the reasons he left Bishop Loughlin, to his recruitment, to what it’s like playing basketball at Oak Hill Academy.

Anyone that knows basketball knows that not just anyone plays basketball at Oak Hill. Hanging as a reminder in the gymnasium is around 50 jerseys from former Oak Hill hoopsters that have taken their game to the next level, and in some cases beyond. In less than thirty years Oak Hill has produced 20 NBA players and countless other players on the high-major collegiate level. This is what helped spur Lamb’s decision to transfer from Bishop Loughlin of the prestigious CHSAA on NYC.

“I wanted to play for a good coach that had a lot of players in the NBA, [and also] got you better, [while] focusing on my grades,” Lamb told NBE.

While Steve Smith should get Lamb better playing in nearly 50 basketball games a year versus 25 or so, according to Lamb, the extra competition in games and practice should have him plenty battle tested to compete day in and day out in college.

“We play harder teams; we always got to come [play]. Every time we play it’s like a game seven,” says Lamb.

Living in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, a town of reportedly only 1,428 people, Lamb has
undoubtedly sacrificed city life for at the least the time being. However, playing at Oak Hill and spending a lot more time on his game has undoubtedly helped Lamb better showcase himself to coaches at the next level and beyond.

When Oak Hill took on St. Patrick’s it was dubbed the unofficial main event of the 2009 Primetime Shootout. The game, which perhaps was the best high school basketball matchup of the year, didn’t just feature tons of future college players, but Bob Huggins and Jay Wright certainly made themselves very visible to the players sitting within a couple feet of the court as well.

West Virginia, along with Kansas, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Louisville, Syracuse, St. John’s and Marquette all have offered scholarships, according to Lamb, already. However, despite the great interest Lamb stated to NBE that he still is pretty much open in the recruitment process saying that, “as long it’s the system for me, [and they] play my game, I’ll go there.” Lamb however did state his three biggest things he was looking for in his recruitment process were playing for a good team that has a good coach, albeit it at a winning program.

Lamb will get bombarded with college questions until the day he signs his letter of intent, but college is still a little over a year and a half away. For now the 6-foot-4 junior is still a high schooler that wakes up at 5:00 AM everyday spending thirty minutes on his shot, then thirty minutes on lifting weights before going to class. Lamb still feels he needs to work on his defense, and three-point shot before he gets to the next level, but being at the basketball equivalent of Julia Art and practicing for around three hours a day should help Lamb get better in no time.