Oglesby officially commits to Iowa (w/video)

This message was for you, Adam Woodbury. Were you listening, too, Marcus Paige?Cedar Rapids Washington's Josh Oglesby did the expected Wednesday and announced his commitment to play college basketball for the University of Iowa. It's a dream come true for the 6-foot-6 senior shooter, who has always lived and died with the Hawkeyes."Growing up watching Dean Oliver and Jeff Horner," Oglesby said. "I used to get really mad when Iowa lost."He's the first in-state recruit for new head coach Fran McCaffery, though he won't be the last, if Oglesby has anything to say about it. He made a challenge to other preps from the state to stop seeking out-of-state schools and help get the excitement - and wins - back at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.Woodbury, by the way, is a 6-foot-11 junior center from Sioux City and Paige an outstanding junior point guard from Linn-Mar. Iowa has offered both."I want to get this thing started," Oglesby said. "All the Iowa players, like Adam Woodbury and kids like those, I want them to stay in state and get Carver back to where it was before."An exceptional summer playing AAU ball helped Oglesby get his Iowa scholarship. He averaged 16.2 points per game and shot 40 percent from 3-point range last season for Washington, but like AAU teammate Jarrod Uthoff of Cedar Rapids Jefferson, his recruiting picked up significantly when he showed he could play against the nation's top talent.Uthoff spurned Iowa in the early summer and committed to Wisconsin. Oglesby - who was never recruited by previous coach Todd Lickliter - finally got his offer from Iowa, picking the Hawkeyes over Arizona State and Minnesota, where he also made official visits.Oglesby is ranked 118th in the senior class by rivals.com."He can shoot the basketball from anywhere, and it's totally unstressed," said Washington Coach Brad Metzger. "That's something for him that he's going to love doing, and I think Hawkeye fans are going to love it, too."(But) he is far more than just a shooter. The things that he can do from an IQ standpoint, we're talking about cutting down angles and what not. He is deceivingly quick. Athletically he can do things on the court and get by people. He did so all summer against some of the top competition in the country. He can get a shot off (against) the zone. He can do just about anything he wants except a 360 (dunk)."Metzger said Oglesby has grown an inch and added 22 pounds of muscle in the past five months. Washington made it to the Class 4A state tournament last season and should have a tremendous team again with Oglesby and guard Wes Washpun, who also will be a Division I college player."Right now, I feel good. I feel like a piano has been lifted off my back," Oglesby said. "I had 37 text messages this morning, my phone has been blowing up. It just feels so good to get it over with."I just kept thinking Iowa in the back of my head. When I flew back (from Arizona State) on Sunday, I just knew that Iowa was the place for me. I feel that Coach McCaffery will do a very good job at Iowa, and I'm excited to have him be my coach."

Here is video of Oglesby's press conference: