Ogbeide sees interest rise
It's been quite a journey for Derek Ogbeide to get to where he is today. The now highly-recruited post player was born in Nigeria and spent the early part of his life there. He left Nigeria when he was nine years old and spent time living in England, Sweden and Canada before eventually moving to the metro Atlanta area last summer and enrolling at Pebblebrook High School.
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He came to the United States as a very raw post player, but had the body type and athleticism that intrigued college coaches. A year later, his game has come a long way and he's now become one of more sought-after post players in the Southeast with several high-major programs extending scholarship offers.
"Houston, Virginia Tech, Murray State and Kansas State are the four I'm talking to the most right now," Ogbeide said. "Georgia, Georgia Tech, Memphis, Vanderbilt and a few others are still calling too. I haven't set up any official visits yet. I'll be taking some unofficial visits soon though."
Houston jumped on Ogbeide early and has probably put in the most work to date with the three-star prospect.
"It's a really good school. I like it a lot. It seems like the coaching staff is extremely knowledgeable and competent. I have a pretty good relationship with them."
Like Houston, Murray State finds themselves as a serious player in a battle with high-majors in large part due to putting in work early with Ogbeide.
"Murray State is also a really good school as far as what they have done the past few years. I usually talk to the head coach, Coach (Steve) Prohm. He thinks it's a really good fit. He thinks I would be a really good asset to the team."
Virginia Tech started recruiting Ogbeide after he played very well during the July recruiting periods.
"As far as Virginia Tech goes, I like how real they are with me. They don't beat around the bush, especially the head coach. One of their assistant coaches is from where I'm from, so we can relate in different ways. We're really building a relationship."
Ogbeide seems to like the consistency that Kansas State has shown in the recruiting process.
"I like Kansas State a lot. I like the head coach and the assistant coach there. The assistant coach, Coach (Chester) Frazier, calls or texts me every day and the head coach calls me a lot too. I think they are a really good program."
Ogbeide visited Athens for an unofficial visit to Georgia for the opening weekend of college football season.
"I like Georgia's program a lot, too. I like the way they handle themselves and their reputation. I talk to Coach (Jonas) Hayes a lot and I've talked to Coach (Mark) Fox too. I like them. They want me to come up there for a visit and we're just trying to build a relationship still."
The recruiting process is still relatively new for Ogbeide, so he's in no rush to start making cuts to his list or taking official visits.
"We've talked about setting up official visits, but that's going to happen at a later time. It will probably be during or after the season."
Whenever the 6-foot-9 post player does begin to start taking a closer look at each school, he's got a pretty good idea of what he wants in a school.
"I'm not looking for a lot in a school. I'm looking to get a good degree and a good education. That's what my dad is really pushing for. I'm looking for a chance to play and a chance to learn and develop more as a player."
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