Basketball Recruiting Projections/General Discussions

[DaytonBuck]

One factor that may play into Buford's decision is how weak the 09 draft class is going to be

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

August 14, 2008

Ohios top 2011 recruit commits to UC

In the five recruiting classes from 2006 through 2010, Ohio State coach Thad Matta either signed or has a commitment from Ohio's top recruit, as ranked by Rivals.com.
Matta got Daequan Cook in 06, Kosta Koufos in 07, B.J. Mullens in 08 and Jared Sullinger in 10. The one he didn't get, 6-foot-9 Garrick Sherman of Kenton in 09, he didn?t offer a scholarship. Sherman committed to Michigan State in March, turning down Purdue and Notre Dame, among others.
Now it appears Matta won?t be getting Ohio's top 2011 prospect, either, and this is one he offered.

[LitlBuck]

FIFY--always wanted to do one of those
Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog

[LitlBuck]

Quote from the Byrd thread.

Originally Posted by buckeydoptimist

I also find it interesting that with Wright ( 2/3 ) and Thomas ( 3/4 ) committed already that the two new names that surfaced out of the July period were both wings ( Byrd and Smith ) who both seem to be most likely 2Gs in college - as does Sibert who already had an offer.

I am hearing some very nice things about Crater and his quickness so it is very possible that he might be a big to fail in at the PG position after Hill and Simmons leave. I am not so sure how much time Simmonds is going to be at the PG position anyway. Johnson can also play both positions and I would think if you would just let them play the PG he would get accustomed to that and be just fine. I think Sibert is another story and probably can just play the 2 guard. That would be true of Smith and Byrd also but I have read where Smith is pretty strong and would be able to help out when it comes to rebounding a little bit. The same might be true of Byrd with his size. They both might be able to slide down to the SF and play that a little bit.

You'd never know what Matta has up his sleeve. I am almost positive that they will get a true 5 player for 2010. Now whether that is Payne or someone else I really do not know. With the shoe size of Sullinger it is possible then he might be 6'11" by the time he gets to college and while you will be in all likelihood one and done I am sure that Coach is well aware of that and will bring someone in to back him up and be the starter in 2011.Matta seems to be going the junior college ranks quite a bit in the past couple years and no one ever knows about who he might be looking at until those guys are on board. Also, let's not forget about Z. Depending on how fast he improves, he might be here for the entire 3 years.

I will begin to worry about the 2011 class after we are finished with the 2010 recruiting.

[LitlBuck]

Okay, I will be the first to admit it I am very confused about who Thad is going after for the 2010 class. I am not sure if Sibert can play the PG and with only one scholarship remaining, if we have that, is Matta that unsure about the recruitment of Anthony Johnson and if he does take Johnson I do not think we have room for Payne just because of the numbers. I do not think there is any way we can fit 7 recruits into the 2010 class. We really need the big guy since I think Sullinger and Thomas will both be one and done players. I just wonder what Thad has up his sleeve.

[mooktarr]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Okay, I will be the first to admit it I am very confused .

Yes we know.

[jimotis4heisman]

hes another player who can handle the ball. reality is we lacked in that area last year after a year in which we had ball handlers falling out of trees. who on last years squad was comfortable with the ball? butler, and then the maybes...

the ability to handle the ball, get to the rack and move theball are very important. i know very little about this kid so im not going to pretend to be the expert on him. hes big, long, physical and he can handle the ball.

that being said getting guys to gel and counting chickens before they hatch can be difficult...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

This past summer, the whole squad was on campus getting comfortable with eachother and developing that chemistry we lacked at times last year early in the season. I think this will help us this year.........

The 2010 class now has the #2 player (Sullinger), #6 player (Thomas), #40 player (Sibert), #75 player (Smith) and in my opinion, a very underrated player in Cameron Wright. This class is most likely a top 2-3 class and if we could land #11 player (Payne) it would be the #1 class in 2010.

Matta just does not rest.

[BengalsAndBucks]

Does Sibert and Smith mean that we are no longer pursuing Johnson? I realize we have Noopy right now as a true point, and a lot of people think Offut could handle the rock as well, but are either Sibert, Wright, or Smith true PGs, and will that come back to bite us in the ass in two years?

[jimotis4heisman]

you work with a limited number of scholarships (13) youll have these questions...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

It seems there is not going to be room for Johnson and Payne is the priority at this point............the staff is going hard after Teague (a true point guard) from Indy in the 2011 class.

Right now we have P.J. Hill (Jr), Walter Offutt(Fr), Jeremie Simmons (Jr) and Anthony Crater(Fr) who can all play the point..........when the 2010 class arrives on campus we will have just Crater and Offutt at the point guard position barring early entry into the NBA.

Now, my understanding is that Smith can play the point and is such an unique player that he can also play anywhere on the perimeter............a point guard in the 2011 class will be top priority......Teague is at the top of the board.

[LitlBuck]

a point guard in the 2011 class will be top priority......Teague is at the top of the board.

Followed closely by Stevie Taylor

In the articles that I have read, Matta likes guards that can play the SG and PG and Smith fits very nicely into that. I am not that concerned about 2011 with who Ohio State is involved with, as OBJ stated, plus Crater and Offult both still on campus I do not think we have a problem.

DaytonBuck must be very happy right now.

[jimotis4heisman]

combo guards. guys who can play two positions.

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

September 23, 2008

13 scholarships, 14 takers

If you do the math on how many players Ohio State could have on scholarship in two years, it exceeds the NCAA maximum by one.
Thirteen can be on scholarship at any one time. Nine sophomores and freshmen are on scholarship now. Five recruits from the class of 2010 have made oral commitments to join the Buckeyes that year. Nine plus five equals 14. I?m a whiz with numbers.
Furthermore, coach Thad Matta isn?t done with the class. He would love to add 6-foot-9 Adreian Payne of Dayton Jefferson so he can spread his 7-4 wingspan in the lane alongside Jared Sullinger?s wide body. A Payne commitment would make 15 scholarships spoken for. Other prospects in the class also are still being evaluated by the coaches.
How does this glut get resolved? Attrition, in any number of ways.
Cont...

[crazybuckfan40]

I would say the guy is right about where the schollies will come from with Mullens leaving early and either one of Buford or Turner leaving early...

The thing I disagree with is at the end of his column he says to not be surprised to see one of the 2010 guys open up their recruitment and head elsewhere even tho they have already verballed...I can only assume that he is talking about Wright and I don't see that happening...