Draft experts had it right when it came to Porter

Otto Porter, as expected, didn't have to wait long to hear his name called during Thursday night's NBA draft in Brooklyn.

The Scott County Central High School graduate widely was considered a consensus top-three selection.

That was right on the money as Porter went third to the Washington Wizards, which he couldn't have minded because the 6-foot-8 small forward played his college basketball in the city.

Porter earned Big East Conference player of the year honors this year as a sophomore at Georgetown, which is located in Washington, D.C.

Thursday was a monumental night for the soft-spoken young man and his family, who joined Porter in attending the draft festivities.

And wasn't it cool when ESPN interviewed his father Otto Sr., also a Scott County Central basketball legend who starred at Southeast Missouri State.

Now it's on to the next phase of Porter's life as he is officially an NBA player.

I know I join all area basketball fans, or anybody who has ever met the classy, humble Porter, in wishing him a long and successful NBA career -- which I fully expect him to have.

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Porter wasn't the only player who area basketball fans have become familiar with over the past few years to be drafted Thursday.

Murray State senior guard Isaiah Canaan was taken by the Houston Rockets with the fourth pick of the second round -- the 34th overall selection -- as he became the Racers' first draft choice since 1996.

Many mock drafts had Canaan going in the first round. Even though he fell a bit, don't be surprised if he turns out to be a solid NBA player -- if not a very good one.

By the way, the Ohio Valley Conference has now had at least one player drafted in four of the last five years (Lester Hudson in 2009, Kenneth Faried in 2010 and Kevin Murphy in 2012 being the others). Both Faried and Murphy were on NBA rosters this past season.

And a few more of this past season's top OVC players, although not drafted, will have the opportunity to battle for NBA roster spots.

Murray State senior forward Ed Daniel signed with the Rockets as an undrafted free agent.

Tennessee State senior forward Robert Covington also signed with the Rockets as an undrafted free agent, while Belmont senior guard Ian Clark will play for the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors' summer league teams.

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I basically had one thought about last week's news that NCAA women's college basketball was getting a 10-second backcourt rule beginning with the 2013-14 season.

It's about time.

I always considered it odd that in all other levels of basketball -- even high school girls -- teams were required to advance the ball past midcourt within 10 seconds.

Not NCAA women's hoops, where squads could take as much time off the 30-second shot clock as they wanted before crossing the midcourt line.

Now that's going to change after the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the 10-second backcourt rule that will be implemented for the first time since the NCAA began administering women's championships in 1981-82.

Again, it's about time.

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Former Southeast assistant football coach Jay Thomas has returned to the head coaching ranks at Northwestern State in Louisiana. The Demons compete in the FCS Southland Conference.

Thomas spent the 2012 season as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Division II Missouri Southern, following two years as Northwestern State's defensive line coach and assistant head coach.

Thomas directed the program at Nicholls State in Louisiana from 2004 through 2009. He had a six-year record of 27-35, highlighted by a Southland Conference title in 2005 as the Colonels made their first playoff appearance since 1996.

Thomas was Southeast's defensive line coach from 1993 through 1998.

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The rich just got richer as far as the quarterback position at an OVC football program is concerned.

Defending OVC champion Eastern Illinois, which already boasts record-setting senior Jimmy Garappolo, has added an accomplished signal caller from the FBS ranks.

Andrew Manley, a transfer from New Mexico State, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining with the Panthers. So even if he doesn't beat out Garappolo this year, he should be able to step right in for the 2014 season.

Manley played parts of three seasons at New Mexico State and started all 12 games last year when he passed for 2,764 yards and 18 touchdowns. He had a pair of 300-yard games, with a season-high 367 yards against UTEP.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.