• Capel, Castiglione still discussing recruits

Oklahoma officials have yet to decide whether they will grant three members of its incoming basketball recruiting class releases from the national letters of intent they signed to play with the Sooners.

Guard Scottie Reynolds, forward Damion James and forward Jeremy Mayfield have each asked to be freed from the national letters of intent, according to newspaper reports.

“Any time you have a change like this this late in the year, it’s tough. But we’re going to survive it,” said OU coach Jeff Capel, who was hired two weeks ago to replace former coach Kelvin Sampson. “We’re going to survive it and we’re going to come out a better program because of it. I’m a big believer that you learn a lot through adversity. You learn a lot from everything. Everything’s a chance to learn and get better.”

Capel and athletic director Joe Castiglione must decide whether to grant a full or partial release to the players or no release at all.

“We haven’t decided,” Capel said. “We’ll get together and talk and figure out a decision, whatever it is, that’s best for everyone involved.”

Capel said he had met with all five of OU’s signees, including forward Keith Clark and guard Tony Crocker, but would not talk about any of their individual situations.

“They’re recruitable student athletes now,” Capel said. “I’m not going to comment on any of that, anything that’s going on. It’s always been my philosophy in life — what’s supposed to happen will happen And whatever happens will be the best thing for us, and our program will go forward.”

Capel has to be careful with the number of recruiting trips he uses to contact the signees because of sanctions OU imposed on itself due to an NCAA investigation into 550 impermissible recruiting phone calls by Sampson and his staff.

OU officials appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions last Friday in Park City, Utah. The comittee is expected to announce whether the Sooners will face additional sanctions in four to six weeks.

“Obviously, some of the restrictions I’ve had, I haven’t been able to get out as much as I’d like to, as frequently, but I have been able to contact and meet in person all of those guys (signees). And we’ll see what happens.”

If any of the players decide to attend another school, Capel said he might offer the open scholarships to other players.

“My job is to do everything I can to make sure our program is as strong as it possibly can be. And sometimes that requires you to make tough and hard decisions. That’s what I have to do,” Capel said. “I have to look out for the University of Oklahoma men’s basketball program. And that’s what I intend to do. Whatever you want to take out of that, that’s what I intend to do.

“This program was given to me in very good shape and I intend to keep it in very good shape and improve it.”