Center of attention

By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ERENCE DIALS HAS A SPECIAL feeling about the Ohio State basketball team this season, a sense of optimism that he never had before in his five years in Columbus.
Dials, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound senior center and team captain in his second straight year as a starter for the Buckeyes, believes that the team has a good chance to win the Big Ten Conference championship and make it to the NCAA Final Four.
The Buckeyes already have a 14-2 record, including 4-2 in the Big Ten. They're in third place behind co-leaders Indiana and Wisconsin (both 4-1), and are ranked No. 16 in the latest Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Top-25 national polls.
"We're winning and that's something that was lacking here," said Dials, who is one of the main reasons that success is coming to OSU again. "I just feel good winning. We have never been ranked this high this early in the season. It feels good to get some national recognition.
"I honestly think that we have a chance to get to the Final Four. That's our goal. At the start of the season, we were not so sure of that."
Dials, who bounced back from knee and lower-back injuries that interrupted his playing career, is putting it all together this season and enjoying an outstanding campaign.
Has top scoring average
He leads Ohio State in scoring average (14.5), field goal percentage (56.7 on 89 of 157) and blocks (0.9 pegame), and is second in rebounding (6.9) just 0.2 behind J.S. Sullinger (7.1).
In the Big Ten, Dials ranks No. 13 in scoring, No. 9 in blocks, No. 8 in rebounding and No. 7 in FG percentage.
Dials, who was an All-Big Ten second-team selection last season, said he hasn't had such an optimistic feeling about the team since he was a sophomore in 2002-03. But that promise was short-lived because he suffered a lower-back injury after six games to weaken the team's prospects.
However, he got a medical redshirt to give him an extra year to play.
Dials also recalls all of OSU's success when he was a freshman in 2001-02, and thinks that it could he happening again.
As a freshman, Dials, who recovered from knee surgery that he had before his senior year at Boardman (2000-01), helped the Buckeyes win the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in Albuquerque, N.M., where they lost in the second round to Missouri.
Boardman strategy worked
Dials played three years at Boardman High under coach Dan Gorski, but spent the first half of his senior season recovering from a right knee injury before returning to play. This strategy helped him to heal and win the OSU scholarship.
Then he continued his knee rehabilitation for two summers at OSU, and has had no problems with the knee ever since.
Dials believes he is having a good season because he is in better shape and has been getting quality relief from the bench.
"I think my conditioning has got a lot better last year," said Dials, who has been the team's high scorer and rebounder in six games and shared scoring honors in another game and rebounding laurels in two games.
"Last year, I was doing a lot of scoring and rebounding [but] I had no backup [support] and I was playing 35 minutes a game and got tired and I wasn't as productive as I could have been.
"So I made sure that I would be in good condition [this season] by working out and doing a lot of running last summer. I have been able to run the floor a lot better."
He also has a good backup in Matt Terwilliger.
"If I need relief I have it," said Dials, who is playing around 26-27 minutes this year.
Guards getting the ball to him
Dials, in his second straight year as team captain, said OSU has "a lot of depth" this year, and that guards on the team "are looking to get the ball inside to me."
"I have a great couple of guards and they make the game a lot easier for me," said Dials, referring to Je'Kel Foster, Jamar Butler, Matt Sylvester and Ron Lewis. "But, actually all of our [players] have helped me."
The Buckeyes' other scoring leaders are Foster (14.2), Lewis (12.8), J.J. Sullinger (9.6), Butler (9.3) and Sylvester (8.1), while Foster is third in rebounding (5.0).
But college basketball isn't the only objective on Dials' agenda. The son of Judith Kimbrough of Boardman and Terence Dials Sr. of Detroit, Terence is looking forward to graduation in March and a possible NBA career, with further education also a possibility down the road.
"This is my last quarter. I will be graduating on March 19 with a degree in sociology," said Dials, who has a 2.7 grade-point average.
After college, "My plans are to play professional basketball definitely. I want to play in the NBA. I am confident enough that I can be there playing. It is a tough league but I think I can play. My faith in God will help me."
The Buckeyes' next game is at Iowa Saturday at 8 p.m.
kovach@vindy.com