Ohio State Basketball Official Thread

• namod65

  

  Terry_Tate;1598933 wrote:There's probably been worse that I don't know about because they didn't play for Ohio State but is Amir Williams the worst McDonald's AA of all time? Shannon Scott hasn't been very good but he's had a unique situation of an established PG one year ahead of him so we'll find out this year if he really does suck, but there is no hope that Amir is even serviceable next year.

  Only looking at OSU McD's AA's, I think Ivan "Microwave" Harris was a pretty big bust. He did however have a solid senior season as a role player with Oden, Conley, etc...
• Terry_Tate

  

  namod65;1599112 wrote:Only looking at OSU McD's AA's, I think Ivan "Microwave" Harris was a pretty big bust. He did however have a solid senior season as a role player with Oden, Conley, etc...

  Lol, great call with the Microwave. Totally forgot about him. That was before I really followed recruiting and I remember hearing they got a McDs AA that went to a top basketball high school and was so excited about him, then he started playing and it was like WTF? No idea how he got an invite to that.
• se-alum

  

  I'll go with Amir being the worst McDonald's AA OSU has ever had. He legitimately is bad in every phase of the game. Harris was at least a legitimate shooter, and Shannon Scott(as much as I hate his ability to miss layups at an alarming rate) can at least give you something on the defensive end.
  
  Russell has been playing a lot of PG recently. Wonder if there's any chance he will play some PG at OSU?
• Mulva

  

  The microwave was great.
• wkfan

  se-alum;1599309 wrote:I'll go with Amir being the worst OSU has ever had.

  FIFY
• centralbucksfan

  Automatik;1598999 wrote:I've seen enough of Williams and Scott to realize they won't get much better, but I've been wrong before.
  
  The thought of Scott running the point for all of next season makes me cringe. Does Kam Williams have a shot to take his spot?

  I think they will get better. As hard as it is to watch them both, they have improved. But with the expectations both had coming in, its hard to watch, swallow what they have done the past 3 seasons. My hope is that Scott, without Craft around, will play move loose. But not overly hopeful he will give more more on the offensive end. Defensively he is very good though.
  Amir...well, he is what he is. He has ability IMO. But has nothing above the shoulders.
  Word is that Williams will definately help. Supposedly can really shoot the ball.
  
  Dont' be surprised to see Russel play the PG position at times as well. Last word I heard, after Matta watched him play a few weeks ago...Matta made comment that Russel was better than Mike Conley at same stage. We'll see.
  
  Lee is HUGE get for next year. I was NO Ross fan. But not stupid enough to know he wouldn't have helped. But Lee is certainly an upgrade IMO.
  
  Matta is stil after another BIG yet as well.
• se-alum

  

  centralbucksfan;1599381 wrote:I think they will get better. As hard as it is to watch them both, they have improved. But with the expectations both had coming in, its hard to watch, swallow what they have done the past 3 seasons. My hope is that Scott, without Craft around, will play move loose. But not overly hopeful he will give more more on the offensive end. Defensively he is very good though.
  Amir...well, he is what he is. He has ability IMO. But has nothing above the shoulders.
  Word is that Williams will definately help. Supposedly can really shoot the ball.
  
  Dont' be surprised to see Russel play the PG position at times as well. Last word I heard, after Matta watched him play a few weeks ago...Matta made comment that Russel was better than Mike Conley at same stage. We'll see.
  
  Lee is HUGE get for next year. I was NO Ross fan. But not stupid enough to know he wouldn't have helped. But Lee is certainly an upgrade IMO.
  
  Matta is stil after another BIG yet as well.

  I agree that Scott can be serviceable, just needs to run constant layup drills over the offseason. I don't agree that Williams has the ability. When he signed, I watched his "highlight" videos, and nothing I saw made me think he would be an impact player at OSU.
• vball10set

  http://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-basketball/2014/04/34795/craft-named-national-defensive-player-year
  

  Ohio State guard Aaron Craft has added to an already overflowing trophy case. On Thursday, the National Association of Basketball Coaches named Craft the National Defensive Player of the Year. Craft joins Greg Oden as the only Buckeyes to ever receive the award.
  “The NABC National Defensive Player of the Year award culminates one of the most extraordinary careers I’ve experienced in all my years associated the college basketball,” head coach Thad Matta said in a statement. “From the first practice through his final game, Aaron Craft utilized every ounce of his ability on the basketball court, particularly on the defensive end. Aaron and his family certainly deserve this recognition.”
  Craft will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Dallas Sunday.
  During a decorated four-year career, Craft broke numerous program and Big Ten records. His 337 steals are the most in conference history and his 98 steals as a sophomore established a new single-season school record.
  Mike Krzyzewski, Billy Donovan, Bill Self, Tom Izzo and Bo Ryan are just a handful of coaches who lauded Craft’s defensive prowess the past four years. Kansas was the lone school out of those five that Ohio State didn’t beat during Craft’s career. Still, he managed to tally six steals in three games.
  Craft is a two-time recipient of the Big Ten’s defensive player of the year award and four-time member of the conference’s all-defensive team.

• Classyposter58

  

  Next year Nationwide Arena is hosting first and second rounds and Midwest Regional is in Cleveland. Buckeyes if they can be good will basically have a home following the whole way, even the title is in Indy
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Classyposter58;1600339 wrote:Next year Nationwide Arena is hosting first and second rounds and Midwest Regional is in Cleveland. Buckeyes if they can be good will basically have a home following the whole way, even the title is in Indy

  Ain't gonna happen.
• Midstate01

  

  Osu can't play in the games at nationwide. They're the host school.
• wildcats20

  

  Midstate01;1600478 wrote:Osu can't play in the games at nationwide. They're the host school.

  All of this.
  
  Unless it is the B1G hosting it.
• Terry_Tate

  

  Best case for Ohio State next year is first and second rounds in Pittsburgh or Louisville and being in the Midwest Region which has the semifinals and finals in Cleveland.
• SportsAndLady

  

  Good ol' classy
• Classyposter58

  

  Terry_Tate;1600518 wrote:Best case for Ohio State next year is first and second rounds in Pittsburgh or Louisville and being in the Midwest Region which has the semifinals and finals in Cleveland.

  I guess the ville wouldn't be bad in March
• vball10set

  http://btn.com/2014/04/09/dienhart-heres-my-top-5-incoming-freshmen/
  

  Freshmen often are expected to contribute the moment they hit campus. Look at what guys like Wisconsin’s Nigel Hayes, Michigan’s Derrick Walton Jr., and Indiana’s Noah Vonleh—among others–meant to their teams last season.
  As we continue to turn the page toward next season, here’s a look at five incoming freshmen I think will have the best shot to make an instant and significant impact next season—and probably will need to if their respective teams expect to have a good season.
  1. James Blackmon Jr., Indiana. If you watched the Hoosiers this past season, you saw the shooting deficiency. Indiana just couldn’t consistently shoot well from the perimeter without the likes of Jordy Hulls, Victor Oladipo and Christian Watford. And only one player who shot over 28 percent from three-point range last season is back in Yogi Ferrell. Well, Blackmon should solve that conundrum. The 6-2 Blackmon won the three-point shooting contest at the McDonald’s All-American game. Blackmon, whose father played at Kentucky and also coached him at Marion High in Indiana, is a transcendent talent who had offers from Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan and Michigan State, among others. He could be a one-and-done player. Yes, he’s that good.
  2. Keita Bates-Diop, Ohio State. The Buckeyes lost a lot of talent in Aaron Craft and LaQuinton Ross. Enter Diop, part of an impressive array of incoming players to Columbus. A product of University High in Normal, Ill., the 6-7 Bates-Diop is an athletic player on the wing who will add a much-needed scoring dimension to an Ohio State squad that often struggled on the offensive end last season. Bates-Diop has off-the-charts athletic ability and can score inside or outside. Once he adds muscle and strength, he will be the total package.
  3. D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State. Some consider Russell to be the top incoming player to the Big Ten. He could be. A 6-4 native of Louisville, Ky., Russell was a McDonald’s All-American who will have a just-add-water impact in Columbus for a Buckeye team that’s in desperate need of firepower. Russell is a quick point guard who is equally adept at scoring off the dribble as he is at pulling up for a jumper. He has uncanny vision and an unselfish knack in finding teammates with deft passes. Russell could be OSU’s go-to man next season and should from a nice lead guard tandem with Shannon Scott.
  4. Jae’Sean Tate, Ohio State. The 6-5 product of Pickerington, Ohio, Tate is a quick and dynamic small forward who is relentless on the glass from his small forward spot. Tate also has an array of offensive moves, excelling mostly as a slasher and post player. He’s continuing to refine his ball skills off the dribble and ability to shoot from long range. His father is 6-9, so Tate could grow into a power forward, but he still figures to possess the requisite skills to work on the wing with quickness, agility, energy and toughness.
  5. Romelo Trimble, Maryland. The 6-2 Trimble is a classic point guard who will run the show for the Terrapins as Mark Turgeon’s program transitions to the Big Ten. An Upper Marlboro, Md., product, Trimble is a scoring lead guard who has an explosive first step to go along with a smooth jumper. He’s also a deft ball handler and distributor who makes those around him better.

• wildcats20

  

  @GoodmanESPN: Ohio State just added 7-foot Virginia Tech transfer Trevor Thompson. Told ESPN that he just committed to Thad Matta and Buckeyes on visit.
• gport_tennis

  wildcats20;1604539 wrote:@GoodmanESPN: Ohio State just added 7-foot Virginia Tech transfer Trevor Thompson. Told ESPN that he just committed to Thad Matta and Buckeyes on visit.

  Tell me about this guy...
• Terry_Tate

  

  gport_tennis;1604540 wrote:Tell me about this guy...

  Averaged 5 points and 4.7 rebounds a game as a true freshman. Only real notable good game was 15 and 6 at Duke but that's it.
• gport_tennis

  Terry_Tate;1604546 wrote:Averaged 5 points and 4.7 rebounds a game as a true freshman. Only real notable good game was 15 and 6 at Duke but that's it.

  Eligible immediately?
• ohiobucks1

  

  gport_tennis;1604555 wrote:Eligible immediately?

  No. He has to sit out a year. It's really perfect for us. Let him work on his game and add weight while the other transfer comes in and helps right away.
• Fly4Fun

  

  ohiobucks1;1604562 wrote:No. He has to sit out a year. It's really perfect for us. Let him work on his game and add weight while the other transfer comes in and helps right away.

  I read that he could apply for a waiver as it's closer to home and his dad has medical conditions (still didn't sound that likely).
• Hamler Bulldogs

  

  Maybe this is the route too go,recruiting Mickey D all-americans isn't working very well.
• vball10set

  wildcats20;1604539 wrote:@GoodmanESPN: Ohio State just added 7-foot Virginia Tech transfer Trevor Thompson. Told ESPN that he just committed to Thad Matta and Buckeyes on visit.

  Matta getting it done for 2015 and beyond.
• Laley23

  

  vball10set;1604620 wrote:Marta getting it done for 2015 and beyond.

  Wont be able to play next year, and I dont think he will help much the next year.
  
  But, he has the potential to be good his last 2 years. Pretty raw right now.
  
  I wanted IU to get him, but not to upset they didnt. More pissed OSU got Lee lol.
  
  I think Thompson will be a presence, but he has to develop a good bit to be any kind of force in the paint, despite his gifted size.