Basketball Recruiting Projections/General Discussions

[LitlBuck]

Harrellson would be a very nice addition for 08 if KK decides to leave when I get the impression that Indiana is all over this guy and what does this say about the Dumes recruiting. We are really stretching our scholarships for 09 if Moore is going to come on board.

[jimotis4heisman]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I will take your positive evaluation on Moore but this must mean that the staff does not think their chances with Dumes are very good because that would really cut into the number of scholarships available for '10. I don't know about Buford leaving after his sophomore year. I know that he is highly ranked and maybe I am just grasping for three years of him.

On a separate issue, I wonder if we can get a sticky post similar to the one that OBJ had posted that broke down the rosters for the next 3-4 years with the possibilities of the number of scholarships that might be available.

or maybe we can get mili or someone else who knows how to do a database...

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Harrellson would be a very nice addition for 08 if KK decides to leave when I get the impression that Indiana is all over this guy and what does this say about the Dumes recruiting. We are really stretching our scholarships for 09 if Moore is going to come on board.

I am honestly not sure what is going on...Trying to make sense of it is kinda hard to do...

I like Moore, but he kills the opportunity to pull in two big guys in the 09' class, and if we do take two in 09' that kills the chances on Payne in 10'...

A juco big man would be ideal for this class, but I don't want to reach just to have someone...Then we could go with Moore next year and a guy like Riley...

I would like to see make a push for Harrellson, but we will see where that gets us...Not sure we really need another guard/wing type like Dumes...Even tho his shooting would be nice to have...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Riley needs some work on the offensive end.....he is farther behind Dallas Lauderdale at the same stage......I am not sold on him. We need an impact player in the froncourt in 2009.

Harrellson would be a very nice addition for 08 if KK decides to leave

Not good that he has just one official visit left and we have not made the list as of yet....

[LitlBuck]

I think with the APR reports that are coming out Matta might have to be a little more careful with regard to the type of player he does recruit. I don't know how he can do it but if he goes after a couple more one and dones he really needs to get some type of guarantee that they will stay through Spring quarter of their freshman year. It's either that or he is going to have to stay away from that type of player IMO

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

Riley needs some work on the offensive end.....he is farther behind Dallas Lauderdale at the same stage......I am not sold on him. We need an impact player in the froncourt in 2009.

I don't think he is farther behind Lauderdale in terms of offense, but he is just lazy from what I have gathered and really surprised to see him still ranked at 15 in the new scout rankings...Maybe we will see some improvement in the spring AAU...

Not good that he has just one official visit left and we have not made the list as of yet....

Agreed, but we will see how hard Matta pushes for him...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I don't think he is farther behind Lauderdale in terms of offense, but he is just lazy from what I have gathered and really surprised to see him still ranked at 15 in the new scout rankings...Maybe we will see some improvement in the spring AAU...

I just do not see his ranking at this time.....I am not sold on him at this point in his development in terms of being an impact player when he hits the D-1 level......good player....yes......instant impact.....no and that is what we need in the 2009 class.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Looking to fill Koufos' void?

Coach Thad Matta met with Kosta Koufos this week, but the 7-foot freshman did not tell Matta whether he plans to stay at Ohio State for next season or leave to play professionally, team spokesman Dan Wallenberg said tonight.
That said, Matta placed a call Wednesday night to Jay Harrington, the coach at Southwestern Illinois College, about 6-foot-9, 270-pound freshman Josh Harrellson, whom OSU coaches have scouted since December in case they might need another big man for next season.
Harrington did not return a call from The Dispatch today, but he told Bucknuts.com that he expects Matta to make a pitch to Harrellson in person next week on the Belleville, Ill., campus. Harrellson, from St. Charles, Mo., also is considering Kentucky and St. Louis, which he already has visited, as well as Missouri, Indiana, Purdue, Iowa and Iowa State. He will have three years of eligbility wherever he transfers.
Because the spring signing period begins Wednesday, NCAA rules prohibit contact between coaches and recruits from Saturday until next Friday. By then, Matta might know whether he needs another big man.
Koufos’ mother said this week she expects her son to announce his decision next week. The deadline for entering the NBA draft is April 27. Of course, Koufos could announce he’s entering but not sign with an agent, which would extend the uncertainty over whether he is returning into June, after he attends the pre-draft camp in Orlando, Fla., in late May. The deadline for withdrawing from the draft is June 16.
Matta has one scholarship available for next season; Koufos’ departure would make two. The only other recruit Ohio State is known to be targeting is 6-2 sophomore Devin Dumes of Vincennes (Ind.) University. Contrary to previous reports, though, Matta has not offered a scholarship to either Dumes or Harrellson. Wallenberg, citing information he received from a team official, said no scholarships have been offered to any recruits this spring.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Rivals.com (Free)

Buckeye breakdown

Hey Jerry, Could you give me the complete list of Ohio State's Class of 2008 and your take on each player? Thanks -- Billy from Columbus
-----
Not many basketball teams get to finish their season with a win, but I'm sure Ohio State would trade a NIT championship for a chance to compete in the NCAA tournament. With the No. 6 ranked recruiting class right now, Ohio State has some players coming in who can help get the Buckeyes back into the NCAA Tournament with a chance to do some damage.

Continued......

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

Rivals.com (Free)

High praise for Offult which is strange because he has missed the majority of his senior season and not very much praise for Crater who ran the point extremely well at a prep school. Very high praise for BJ and Buford which is nice to see.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

High praise for Offult which is strange because he has missed the majority of his senior season and not very much praise for Crater who ran the point extremely well at a prep school. Very high praise for BJ and Buford which is nice to see.

Honestly I still feel that after Crater exploded after his sophomore season and then he struggled last spring they didn't watch him no more...

I still remember when Pitino told Crater that if he came to Louisville that he wouldn't recruit another pg for the years he was there...Self wanted him at Kansas, Olson at Arizona, but we landed him...

As for Offut if he is healthy he will play some, but it is a matter of getting him healthy first...

[osugrad21]

Dispatch
Who's next?

With signs perhaps leaning toward Koufos leaving, Ohio State coach Thad Matta last week stepped up recruitment of junior-college player Josh Harrellson, a 6-foot-9, 260-pound freshman at Southwestern Illinois College. Ohio State is among eight schools that the projected power forward is considering. Harrellson is scheduled to visit Kentucky this weekend.
A Koufos exit would give Matta two scholarships to offer for next season. He is looking to fortify the point guard position with the other.
Matta visited 6-2 Jeremie Simmons of Mott Community College in Flint, Mich., on Sunday, Mott coach Steve Schmidt said. The Buckeyes also have shown interest in 6-2 Devan Dumes of Vincennes (Ind.) University.
The spring signing period begins Wednesday and continues through May 21.

[LitlBuck]

I am having a hard time figuring out what Matta is doing. We currently have 11 players on scholarship and if KK leaves that means we could sign a PF (Harrellson) and a PG (Simmons) for 08 and with the assumptions that BJ leaves after one year that would give us two scholarships for 09 and I have no idea if he will be looking for two frontcourt players in 09 or a wing and a PF/C. If Buford would leave after 09 that would open up another scholarship for 10 and we could offer Payne but will that be today and will Buford really leave after 08 or 09 or will he be smart and stay for three years. Curious minds want to know

[LitlBuck]

Players on scholarship April 15, 2008

3 juniors on scholarship (Hill, Madsen, Lighty)

4 sophomores on scholarship (Turner, Diebler, Wallace, Lauderdale, KK)

4 freshmen (Mullens, Buford, Crater, Offult)

4 verbal commitments for 2010 including Thomas ,Golden, Sullinger, and Wright

[jimotis4heisman]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I am having a hard time figuring out what Matta is doing. We currently have 11 players on scholarship and if KK leaves that means we could sign a PF (Harrellson) and a PG (Simmons) for 08 and with the assumptions that BJ leaves after one year that would give us two scholarships for 09 and I have no idea if he will be looking for two frontcourt players in 09 or a wing and a PF/C. If Buford would leave after 09 that would open up another scholarship for 10 and we could offer Payne but will that be today and will Buford really leave after 08 or 09 or will he be smart and stay for three years. Curious minds want to know

yup, that along with other things pretty much sum up why matta would hedge his bets...