'10 OH PG Aaron Craft has signed his LOI!!!

[bigdog3300]

Originally Posted by BeanieWells28

First and foremost, congratulations aaron on becoming a buckeye!!! A great addition to the class! Concerning J.D. Weatherspoon and Adrian Payne, do we have enough room for them in the class with 5 commitments already?

Yes and no.

Technically, right now no, we are at 13 schollies for the 2010-11 season, but that ignores the likelihood that someone leaves early, transfers, etc.

It seems possible, maybe even likely, that Evan Turner, William Buford, and/or David Lighty could leave after next year.

Then there's also the option of doing what Kentucky did and taking away a schollie, although I'd be surprised if Matta did that.

But the bottom line is if Payne wants in, they'll make room for him, even if somehow Buford and Turner return again after next year.

[Buckskin86]

ESPN.com Recruiting Coordinator Reggie Rankin has watched Craft lead the star studded All Ohio Red travel squad this spring.

"Craft is a competitive, tough led guard that plays with great energy, urgency and passion," Rankin said. "He has a tremendous basketball IQ and is an excellent decision maker.

"Aaron is a good athlete and is a solid ball handler, passer and open shooter with range to the arc. He has the ability to run the offense but is not a great creator off the dribble."

Craft really shines on the defensive end of the floor.

"What sets Craft apart from most guards in the 2010 class is ability to defend," Rankin noted. "He is a tremendous on ball defender. With his understanding of distance and active hands and feet he can defend both guard positions. He understands the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents and knows exactly what to take away. He takes stopping the opponent personal."

He joins a stellar 2010 class for head coach Thad Matta, which includes four ESPNU 100 prospects: Jared Sullinger, DeShaun Thomas, Jordan Sibert and Lenzelle Smith, Jr.

"Aaron will be a great fit for the Buckeyes because he could be the glue to an already outstanding class," Rankin concluded. "He'll do whatever is asked of him to help the team win. He may not be a big time star but he'll put his imprint on the program with team first approach to the game."

Ohio State Basketball Recruiting 2010 - ESPN

[Buckskin86]

OSU men's basketball: Recruit fills need at point guard
Thursday, June 11,
By Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The way college basketball recruiting has evolved, with schools taking commitments from high school freshmen, Aaron Craft wasn't about to sit on a scholarship offer from Tennessee last summer.

His plan to play no more than three hours from home, so his family could see him, was sacrificed in the process.

"I didn't feel I should let that opportunity slip through and wait for something better to come around," said Craft, then a junior at Liberty-Benton High School near Findlay. "Nothing is guaranteed at all in college recruiting."

Oral commitments included.

Craft, a 6-foot-2, 187-pound point guard, was not a highly rated prospect when Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl saw enough intangibles to offer him.

Then a couple of things happened. Freshman point guard Anthony Crater left Ohio State in December, putting the Buckeyes back in the market for a setup man. Then Craft, a lockdown defender, raised his stock on the AAU circuit this spring by improving his offense.

Ohio State became interested. Craft became aware of the interest through Jared Sullinger, his teammate on the All-Ohio Red AAU team who committed to OSU. That set in motion behind-the-scenes maneuvering that ended with Craft rescinding his commitment to Tennessee on May 26 and making one to OSU coach Thad Matta during a visit to campus last Thursday.

"He said he really likes the way I play defense," Craft said. "I'll be one of those guys who holds the team together, a real stabilizer. I'm not there to score 15 to 20 points a game. I'll be smart, not turn it over and get the playmakers in position so they can make the plays."

Craft is the fifth recruit to commit to the class of 2010, joining Sullinger, of Northland; forward DeShaun Thomas of Fort Wayne, Ind., and guards Jordan Sibert of Cincinnati Princeton and Lenzelle Smith of Zion, Ill. It is rated the best class in the country by Rivals.com and ESPN.com.

Craft was Division V offensive player of the year in football last year and quarterbacked Liberty-Benton to the state championship game. But he might not play football this season to spend more time getting ready to play as a freshman at Ohio State. He will be the only point guard on the roster in 2010-11.

"There are days when I know it's going to be terrible not being out there on Friday nights" this fall, he said. "But there are other days when I know taking three or four months off from basketball may not be the best situation for me if I'm going to be the best I can be."

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : OSU men's basketball: Recruit fills need at point guard

[LitlBuck]

Interesting. First I have heard about him giving up football to spend more time honing his basketball skills. That is a big sacrifice for the young man and props to you Aaron

[Buck Kid 66]

That would destroy their football team.

[OH10]

Let me be the first to make obligatory (and corny) "He's Crafty" reference.

[Bulls-Eye]

Heard from some of Craft's classmates that he is NOT playing football for sure. That means for the first time in his life Craft will be focusing solely on basketball. That obviously should be a huge boost for his chances to come right in and start as a freshman at Ohio State.

[Buckskin86]

Article published June 12, 2009
OSU a good fit for point guard Craft
L-B star will get to stay close to home
By STEVE JUNGA
BLADE SPORTS WRITER


Craft

It's nice to have options, and, as a superb two-sport athlete, Liberty-Benton senior-to-be Aaron Craft had some pretty good ones when it came to selecting a college.

Last year, he made a verbal commitment to play basketball for coach Bruce Pearl at Tennessee. But in the last few weeks, the Eagles' All-Ohio guard decided to explore other opportunities.

Craft, who recently withdrew his verbal commitment to Tennessee, earlier this week made a new verbal commitment to play basketball for coach Thad Matta at Ohio State University.

The 6-foot-2 Craft, 18, was recruited to play point guard for the Buckeyes, something he has excelled at on the high school level for three seasons as a varsity starter at L-B. He guided the offense as a freshman in 2006-07, when the Eagles (26-1) reached the Ohio Division III state championship game. He has led Liberty-Benton to a three-season record of 67-4, including a perfect 27-0 mark in Blanchard Valley Conference play. This past season L-B was 20-2 with Craft averaging 19.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.

"It goes back to how I started the recruiting process," Craft said of his switch. "I wanted to go somewhere within a three-hour radius from my house. Ohio State fits that, and they needed a point guard. I feel honored that coach Matta trusts that I can fill that void.

"Coach Matta and his staff were very nice to me and down to earth, and I feel honored that I can spend four years with them."
Craft said OSU had not made a scholarship offer to him last year when he chose Tennessee.


"Last year, from the spring to the fall, [OSU] didn't need any guards," Craft said. "They felt that they had that position filled. But some circumstances came up, and it turned out this spring that they needed a point guard. They don't really have one in their system right now for after the upcoming year."

Winning and Craft have gone hand-in-hand at L-B. Also the starting quarterback for the Eagles since his freshman year, Craft was selected first-team All-Ohio at defensive back as a sophomore and this past season was named D-V offensive player of the year. Liberty-Benton (14-1) reached the D-V state final before losing to Youngstown Ursuline. In his three seasons as a football starter, L-B has gone 38-4, including 29-1 in regular-season play.

Craft's football success as a highly talented spread-offense quarterback led to much debate in the Findlay area as to whether he should pick football over basketball for his college years. Although he admits it will be tough giving up football, the decision on which sport to play at the next level was simple for Craft.

"I've always liked basketball more than I have football," he said. "I've played it longer, I'm more familiar with it, and there's just something inside me about basketball. I love football too, and I love being out there with my teammates competing.

"It'll be kind of tough giving up football. I'm a competitor, so I'm going to miss being out there. But I'm going to have to sacrifice that to try and fulfill my dream [of playing college basketball] that I've had since I was a little kid. It'll be worth it."

toledoblade.com --

[LitlBuck]

Point guard Aaron Craft, who committed last week to play basketball for Ohio State in 2010, was in Upper Sandusky the past two days working out with future teammate Jon Diebler.

Craft, who will be a freshman at Ohio State in 2010, when Diebler is a senior, attended elementary school in Fostoria, Ohio. Craft's father, John, coached the seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball teams, and his older brother, Brandon, was Diebler's classmate and good friend. Diebler's father, Keith, coached the high school team.

Had everything stayed as it was, Aaron Craft would have been a freshman at Fostoria when his brother and Jon Diebler were seniors. "We would have all played on the same team," Aaron said. But the Crafts moved to the Liberty-Benton school district near Findlay before Brandon's freshman year, and the Dieblers to Upper Sandusky the following year.

The Columbus Dispatch : Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings

[brodybuck21]

Congrats and welcome to Aaron! Could he also get a buckeye leaf for this thread?

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by brodybuck21

Congrats and welcome to Aaron! Could he also get a buckeye leaf for this thread?

yeah lets get Aaron a helmet

[BuckNutty]

Originally Posted by brodybuck21

Congrats and welcome to Aaron! Could he also get a buckeye leaf for this thread?

It will cost ya

[bucknut11]

Aaron got a mention from ESPN for his defensive efforts at NBAPA Top 100 Camp

Craft plays a crafty (pun intended) brand of defense when he guards opposing points. He has very good strength and uses his smarts to determine when to give a quicker point guard space to commit a mistake by shooting a bad shot or driving into trouble. Craft also knows when to use his strength to muscle weaker point guards and body up with tough pressure defense, despite the fact he does not possess elite lateral quickness.

ESPN

[RB07OSU]

I love the fact that he is getting ready to try and help us out immediately but it's too bad he won't be playing football. He was the heart and soul of Liberty Benton and he was a treat to watch at QB. Here is to hoping it pays off for him though.

[LitlBuck]

I think we really got us something here with Aaron being a Buckeye. A tough on the ball defender are very difficult to find and it seems like we got one which will bow us well come Big 10 time.

With regard to him giving up football to concentrate solely on basketball, I feel bad for his for the football team but that just shows how determined Aaron is to improve his basketball skills.