Tag: Jeremiah Fears

Takeaways from Oklahoma’s win over Northwestern State

Oklahoma got off to a sluggish start in the first half but turned it around after the break to beat Northwestern State 73-57.

The Oklahoma Sooners moved to 2-0 on the season with a 73-67 win over Northwestern State. It didn’t go as easy as expected as the Sooners trailed by six at halftime.

Northwestern State’s length gave them trouble in the paint but ultimately the Sooners talent came through down the stretch. It was a two-point game at 46-44 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the contest. From that point on, OU outscored the Demons 27 to 13 to close the game and earn the decisive victory.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the game.

1. Jalon Moore season

Oklahoma Sooners Jalon Moore had a fantastic game. He was 7 of 14 from the field, 2 of 5 from three and hit 7 of 8 free throws while pulling down seven rebounds and recording a pair of assists. 19 of his 23 points came in the second half of the game after the Sooners trailed Northwestern State.

After shooting just 2 of 7 from the field in the first half, Moore turned it around and took over the ball game to lead the Sooners in scoring.

Moore has a chance to become a household name this season and is showing an expanded element to his game with his expanded range from three. Moore was 2 of 5 from three, with both makes coming after halftime.

If Moore can play like he did in the second half for a full 40 minutes, the Sooners will be hard to beat this year.

2. Start the True Freshman

Through two games in 2024-2025, Jeremiah Fears has played in a reserve role for the Sooners. But through two games, it’s clear he’s got a lot of talent.

He led the Sooners in +/- with a plus-22 and finished second on the evening in scoring with 15.

Though he had six turnovers in the game, he’s showing off his ability to be a playmaker for the Sooners offense. He was on the floor a lot in the final ten minutes, showing Moser’s trust in the true freshman point guard.

3. Second Half Turnaround

The Sooners went into halftime trailing Northwestern State by six. They proceeded to outscore their opponent by 22 points in the second half. Whatever Moser and his assistants said at halftime got the team going and they ran away with the win.

You never want to shoot under 40% for a half like they did in the first, but Oklahoma came back in the second half and shot far better at 53% in the second. They also made four more trips to the free throw line after halftime.

The Oklahoma Sooners can’t afford to have sluggish starts like they did Monday night. They’ll face much better teams down the road, and getting off to a slow start like that could bury them before halftime.

Still, the Sooners are 2-0 on the season with a pair of double-digit wins. They’ll face Stetson on Saturday at the Lloyd Noble Center. Tip off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT.

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Oklahoma Sooners roll Lindenwood in season opener 93-60

Takeaways from the Oklahoma Sooners 36-point win over Lindenwood in the 2024-2025 season opener.

Basketball season is officially underway in Norman as Porter Moser and the Oklahoma Sooners started their first season as SEC members with a dominant 93-60 win over Lindenwood.

Oklahoma has been searching for that elusive return to the NCAA tournament, and while they narrowly missed it last year, the Sooners have almost a completely new look.

The Sooners hit the transfer portal and recruiting trail hard for the second straight year and revamped their roster. Monday night, we saw the fruits of the coaching staff’s recruiting efforts.

Oklahoma never trailed in this game and finished with five different players tallying double-digit points. As a team, the Sooners shot over 40 percent from three and just a tick under 65 percent from the field.

Jalon Moore, the team’s best returning player from last year, was dynamic and led all scorers with 22 points on 8 of 13 shooting from the field.

Here are our takeaways from the Sooners win.

Jalon Moore is the guy

For all the talk about Oklahoma and their prospects as a team this year, one thing repeatedly is mentioned: Jalon Moore needs to be a big part of whatever the Sooners plan to do. After Monday night’s performance, it’s hard to disagree.

Moore entered his name into the NBA Draft this past summer to get feedback, and on Monday, he showcased the work he put into his game. What stood out the most was his shooting. Moore went 3 of 5 from long range.

Sure, the opponent wasn’t the best but he shot every jumper with much more confidence than he did a season ago.

It’ll be fun to see how much his offseason work is displayed in the nonconference schedule.

Jeremiah Fears is the real deal

It wouldn’t be right to talk about OU basketball and not mention the play of Oklahoma’s highest-rated recruit since Trae Young. Jeremiah Fears, a true combo guard, is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands. His upside is tremendous, and at Oklahoma, he should have the floor to play his game.

On Monday, he showcased a few of the traits that make him a potential pro. His quickness showed in the half court and in transition. His vision led him to six assists, with his first coming on a beautiful set play that led to an alley-oop to Jalon Moore.

Fears made the game easier for his teammates with his ability to score (16 points), but also by finding guys in their spots and making crisp passes and the right decisions.

If he continues playing like this, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be starting by January at this rate.

Oklahoma’s transfers looked solid

The bulk of Oklahoma’s scoring had to be replaced via the transfer portal, so the Sooners went out and added names like Duke Miles, Brycen Goodine, Mohamed Wague, and Kobe Elvis.

On Monday they combined for 36 points and 12 assists to just 2 turnovers. The early returns on the new veterans were extremely positive.

Oklahoma starts the season 1-0 and will be back in action next Monday night at the Lloyd Noble Center when they take on Northwestern State.

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OU Men’s Basketball included in top 9 for four-star forward

The Oklahoma Sooners were included in the top 9 schools for 2025 small forward out of Oregon.

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team have had a strong offseason on the recruiting trail. In addition to their transfer portal additions, [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag] has picked up commitments from 2025 top-100 small forward [autotag]Alec Blair[/autotag] and 2024 top-100 point guard [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag]. The Sooners are in pursuit of another top-100 prospect, this time 2025 four-star small forward [autotag]Winters Grady[/autotag].

Grady is the No. 66 player in the On3 Industry Ranking and the No. 15 small forward in the 2025 recruiting class. The Lake Oswego, Oregon native included the Oklahoma Sooners in his top nine along with Oregon, New Mexico, Michigan, Arizona State, Colorado, Creighton, Iowa and USC.

“I really like Coach (Porter) Moser. My dad and I both really like him,” Winters told On3’s Joe Tipton. “He’s a basketball mind. We sat on our last Zoom call for about 30 minutes after it ended just talking basketball. That was a great thing to see because I’m a basketball junkie too. I just love watching it and playing it, it’s kind of my whole life. So seeing someone else like that, knowing they are as invested as I am and do things like I do, is good to see.

“Coach Moser sees me as a three-level scorer and that my game is really translatable to college and beyond. He thinks I fit well in their freestyle type of system.”

The Oklahoma Sooners are still looking for their first tournament berth in the Porter Moser era, but he’s proven to be successful at previous stops. As he continues to build the roster, adding top-100 players like Grady will give him a better shot to take Oklahoma deep into the NCAA tournament.

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MSU target, four-star CG Jeremiah Fears commits to Oklahoma

The brother of a Spartans guard has committed to Oklahoma

The brother of a Spartans guard has committed to Oklahoma.

Four-star combo guard Jeremiah Fears committed to Oklahoma on Saturday. He is the brother of Spartans point guard Jeremy Fears.

Fears is ranked as the No. 6 combo guard in 247Sports’ composite rankings for the 2025 class. He’s also listed as the No. 32 overall prospect in the class.

Fears held an offer from the Spartans along with a number of other big-name programs.

Fears was previously committed to Illinois but recently decommitted and also reclassified to the 2025 class instead of 2026. After he reopened up his recruitment, some thought he may join his brother in East Lansing, Mich. but that will not be the case.

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Oklahoma lands commitment from point guard Jeremiah Fears

Porter Moser landed four-star point guard Jeremiah Fears, who will join the 2024-2025 Sooners.

After missing the [autotag]NCAA Tournament[/autotag] each of the past three years, the Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team will be under a great deal of pressure when the 2024-2025 season rolls around. Head coach [autotag]Porter Moser[/autotag] knows this after failing to make the tourney in each of his first three seasons at OU. He’s trying to ensure that his team has enough talent to take a step forward into the postseason next year.

Moser and the Sooners got a big boost in the form of high school recruiting on Saturday, as they landed four-star point guard [autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag] out of Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.

Fears is the second-highest-rated recruit that Oklahoma has added in the modern era. In-state prospect [autotag]Trae Young[/autotag] is the only higher-ranked player to commit to the Sooners.

Fears decommitted from Illinois on July 1, opening the door for the OU staff to swoop in a make their big move. Fears took to social media to announce that he’ll be coming to Norman.

In addition, the four-star will be reclassifying to the 2024 class, meaning he’ll join the team this upcoming season.

The pledge of Fears is a big get for Porter Moser, whose seat is a bit warm heading into this winter. He’s the highest-rated recruit Moser has signed since coming to Norman, and he gives the team a scorer at the lead guard spot. While the Trae Young comparisons are probably a bit too lofty, it can’t be understated that Saturday’s commitment was huge for the program, and for its head coach.

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Former Illinois basketball commit now hearing from Ohio State

Multiple Big Ten schools are after the former Illini commit

Basketball runs in the Fears family, and what was a loss for the University of Illinois, could ultimately be Ohio State’s gain.

[autotag]Jeremiah Fears[/autotag], brother of Michigan State guard Jeremy, at one point was committed to his home state school, Illinois. On July 1, the 6-foot, 3-inch, 175-pound combo guard decided to reopen his recruitment. Unlike his brother, Jeremiah has left the state of Illinois to finish his high school career at Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.

Since the nation’s No. 32 overall prospect according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings has decommitted from the Illini, he has heard from multiple schools, with the Buckeyes being one of them.

Ohio State recently got its first commitment from a 2025 class prospect as in-state guard Dorian Jones verballed to the Buckeyes on the same day Fears changed his mind. It seems like OSU will be looking to add more than a few more players to join Jones in the class, with the hope that the former Illini commit could join him.

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Michigan State basketball ‘in contact’ with elite combo guard Jeremiah Fears

Michigan State basketball ‘in contact’ with elite guard Jeremiah Fears, brother of Jeremy Fears Jr.

Jeremiah Fears is one of the most interesting names to watch in college basketball recruiting right now. The 5-star combo guard and brother of Michigan State basketball point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. recently rescinded his commitment to Illinois to explore other opportunities, and now teams across the company will compete to earn his talents.

According to Fears himself, MSU has been in contact with him since he re-opened his recruitment.

Fears is the No. 32 ranked player in the country by 247Sports.

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Four-star 2025 Illinois decommit contacted by Kentucky basketball

Kentucky basketball has contacted top 50 recruit Jereiah Fears.

Kentucky basketball currently has filled 12 of its available 13 scholarships for the 2024-25 season, and nearly has a complete roster. However, Mark Pope is still looking to fill that final spot, and might do so with Jeremiah Fears, who was originally a member of the 2025 class.

Fears is ranked as the 38th player in the 2025 class by 247sports, and the number seven combo guard. He committed to Illinois back in January over teams like Kansas, Tennessee, and Arizona, among others.

Related: Current 2025 Kentucky basketball targets

On Monday, Fears announced that he was decommitting from the Illini, and reopening his recruitment. He also declared that he was reclassifying to the 2024 class, which is big for Kentucky.

The Wildcats had tried to recruit Will Riley as a reclassify to 2024 previously, but he wound up committing to Illinois. Now, they’ll try to add Fears, who was previously an Illinois recruit. They contacted him quickly after decommitting.

If Fears were to choose Kentucky, he would likely be the backup point guard to start the season. The Wildcats need more depth at that spot, and the 6’3″, 175 lb Fears would be an incredible talent to add. Big Blue Nation will be watching closely.

4-star guard decommits from Illinois, might reclassify to 2024

2025 four-star guard Jeremiah Fears has reopened his recruitment and could reclassify to 2024 after initially committing to Illinois.

Guard Jeremiah Fears, among the top players in the 2025 recruiting class, announced on social media he is decommitting from Illinois and reopening his recruitment.

Fears is a 6’3 four-star guard who comes in at No. 32 in 247Sports composite class rankings. Initially from Joliet, IL, Fears is playing at Compass Prep High School in Arizona, and told reporters back in May he was still undecided about staying in the 2025 class or attempting to reclassify to start college in 2024.

The Illini have an open scholarship but a crowded guard rotation that includes Ty Rodgers, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, and Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell. If Fears is wanting to play big minutes right away in the 2024-25 season, reopening his recruitment is a logical decision.

Fears chose Illinois out of a top five that included Kansas, Ole Miss, Providence, and Michigan, although the 6’3 guard indicated his recruitment at this time is wide open.

It is also worth pointing out that Fears’ older brother, Jeremy, plays for Tom Izzo and Michigan State.

2025 CG Jeremiah Fears lists Alabama in top 10

2025 combo guard Jeremiah Fears recently narrowed his list of finalists down to 10 schools. One of the schools that made the cut was Alabama.

The Alabama men’s basketball program continues to receive good news on and off the court. Recently, 2025 combo guard Jeremiah Fears narrowed his list of finalists down to 10 schools. One of the programs that made the cut was Alabama.

Fears hails from Joliet, Illinois but currently plays high school ball at Compass Prep in Chandler, Arizona.

Jeremiah is the younger brother of Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears. However, the two have different styles of play according to 247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins.

Jenkins had the following to say about Jeremiah Fears as a prospect:

“Fears is the younger brother of Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears but plays an entirely different brand of basketball. He is a smooth and confident scorer who has no problem finding his own offense within the flow of a game. A combination guard with a score-first mindset, Fears is at his best in a secondary ball-handling role where he can primarily focus on making shots and creating for himself off the bounce. He is talented with the ball in his hands and has a creative enough handle to break defenders down to get to his pull-up game.”

Alabama offered Fears less than a month ago. It will be interesting to see if Fears gets on campus for either an unofficial or official visit.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down Jeremiah Fears’ recruiting profile.