Men’s basketball

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Corvallis Gazette-Times

It didn’t take long for the Oregon State men’s basketball team to address its needs for the 2007-08 season in recruiting.

The Beavers are after big men, and their first commitment came from Ilija Milutinovic, a 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward.

Milutinovic, 18, verbally committed Saturday, the first day coaches can visit players. He was impressed with OSU, and how coach Jay John and assistant Jeff Reinert recruited him.

“I decided to go to Oregon State after seeing how the coaches work, and their style of play,” Milutinovic said. “It was the best place for me. I’m just happy everything is going fine. I can’t wait to visit Oregon State. I’m excited. It’s good to have someone waiting for me. My goals when I get there are to finish college and have fun playing basketball.”

OSU coaches can’t comment on him until he signs his letter-of-intent on Nov 8. Until then his commitment is not binding.

Milutinovic is originally from Belgrade, Serbia, but will play at Worcester Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts, this school year. He’ll finish his academic requirements there, fine-tune his game and adjust to a new country.

“He’s such an easy going kid, he fits in and adapts,” Worcester coach Ed Riley said. “He has some worldliness to him playing over in Europe. He’s very comfortable with what he’s seen and heard about Oregon State. He’s willing to do what it takes, and he’s a bright young kid. He understands what’s ahead.”

Milutinovic hasn’t been to Corvallis, yet, but has done research on the program. And it helped that the Beavers have been after him all summer.

They started recruiting Milutinovic while he was in Europe. He played on the same KK Smederevo club as recently signed point guard Vojin Sivlar, but at the junior level. OSU has been looking into Europe for their big men lately, and have found some success with Sasa Cuic.

“He has a good body with good structure,” Riley said. “He’s long and lean and could put on weight. He carries his body well, and has long arms.”

Milutinovic moves well for his size and has a strong outside shot, Riley said. Those attributes will help him fit into OSU’s system. Riley described him as someone who can play many roles.

“This is an important kid for Jay,” Riley said. “He’s eager to help them win the Pac-10. I congratulate them in finding a personality like him. He’s an engaging young kid. He’s been around only a week, but people like being around him.”