OAK HILL — Oak Hill basketball player Ryan Borden is standing tall and taking his game and winning ways to the next level. Borden signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Rio Grande Monday afternoon at Oak Hill High School.

Borden is the second player from the Oaks' state championship team to sign the play with the Red Storm. Earlier in the spring, Oaks post player J.D. Hale also signed to play at Rio Grande.

Borden was impressed and pleased with the coaches and mode of operation of URG basketball program.

"I like the coaching staff and the way they run their program," Borden said. "It was close to home and I liked the way the Oak Hill community treated me."

The Red Storm is coming off a 20 win season, but lose five seniors to graduation and move from the American Mideast Conference and Division II NAIA ball to the Mid-South Conference and Division I NAIA ball.

Borden's high school coach Norm Persin thinks Borden has a lot to offer to the Red Storm's program.

"The big thing is (Borden) comes from a winning program," Persin said. "At this point in time he should be booming with confidence the way he finished the season and with the way things went for him in the state tournament."

With the Oaks trailing by three at the end of regulation and at the end of the first overtime, in the Division IV state championship game, March 28, Borden made clutch 3's to keep his team alive.

The Oaks went on to defeat Kalida 48-43 and bring a title home to the Southern Ohio Conference.

Persin thinks that Borden's stand-up shooting, his upper body strength, and his rebounding are the strengths of his game along with taking care of the ball. Persin thinks Borden can make improvements by putting the ball on the floor and by putting the ball on the floor he can contribute.

"He's got an opportunity now, that is what we tell out kids," Persin said. "When you leave and go to the next level you have to get better."

URG coach Ken French is excited to have Borden coming to his program .

French echoed Coach Persin's sentiments about coming from a successful program.

"The big thing is and the most important thing is he's a winner," French said. French also mentioned Borden's play in the Oaks' state championship tournament run.

"We're dealing with somebody who should have a lot of confidence based on hoe played in the post-season and given the shots he hit in the state tournament finals," French said. "We're trying to recruit kids that come out of winning programs, because there has to be some characteristic traits out of that that provided them to win at the high school level. We hope to build on that character and build on their work ethic to play at the next level to improve. I think he will answer it fine that's why we're signing him."

French said it comes down to how hard Borden is willing to work.

"I'll probably start out playing," Borden said. "I plan to work hard, get on varsity and help the team win."

French said that URG is very excited to have Borden in their program and they looking forward to it.

Borden plans to pursue a major in Radiology.