Orr will play for dad at BG

Bobcat was All-Ohio; won't require a scholarship

5/26/2011
BY JOHN WAGNER
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
Chauncey Orr, right, led Bowling Green to a Northern Lakes League championship last season and was named The Blade's player of the year. He averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Chauncey Orr, right, led Bowling Green to a Northern Lakes League championship last season and was named The Blade's player of the year. He averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

BOWLING GREEN -- Bowling Green High School standout Chauncey Orr will be united with his father on the basketball court next season.

Orr, The Blade's boys basketball player of the year last season, has committed to join the program at Bowling Green State University where his father, Louis Orr, is the head coach.

BG High School coach Von Graffin confirmed that Orr has decided to join the Falcons. Chauncey Orr did not return calls for comment.

The younger Orr will not sign a national letter of intent, though. Instead he will receive the tuition waiver afforded the children of all university employees.

But the 6-foot-4 guard/forward is much more than a "walk-on." Last season he averaged 20.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game and was named All-Ohio first team in Division I.

Orr made 150-of-277 shots (57 percent) from the floor, including 22-of-52 (42 percent) from behind the 3-point arc and connected on 110-of-135 (82 pecent) in leading the Bobcats to a 17-4 overall record and a Northern Lakes League title with a 14-0 mark.

He also was the district player of the year and was named All-NLL first team for the second consecutive season.

Since Chauncey Orr has not signed a national letter of intent, NCAA rules prohibit his father from commenting on his commitment.

But his high school coach had plenty of praise for his senior standout.

"He's a coach's son, and that kind of defines a lot of things," Graffin said. "For kids to be successful, in sports or anything, they have to do more than the coach or the mentor asks. The morning after our loss [to Perrysburg in the sectional final], he was in the weight room and in the gym again. He wants to get better.

"About a year and a half ago, he started realizing how good of a player he could be. He's young for his class [at 17 years old]. When he hits another growth spurt, he's going to be a real special player."

WNBA's Storm releases Prochaska

Former BGSU women's basketball standout Lauren Prochaska was waived Sunday by the Seattle Storm, the defending WNBA champions.

Prochaska, who finished her career as the school's all-time leading scorer, signed with the Storm as a free agent following the WNBA draft.

Last season she led the Falcons to a 28-5 record, the Mid-American Conference tournament title and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Prochaska told the Seattle Times that she hopes to sign a professional contract to play basketball overseas.

Contact John Wagner at: jwagner@theblade.com or 419-724-6481.