Deep and talented reserves for Ohio State
Duane Washington — Junior, 6-3, 190 lbs.
There’s no denying the shooting ability Washington possesses. As good as he is scoring at times, he can be equally frustrating with his shot selection and defense. But he’ll develop. And if he can figure it all out, he’s got a chance to be a guy teams have to plan for. He might even crack the starting five at times like he did this past season.
Abel Porter — Senior, 6-3, 200 lbs.
Getting Porter is a bigger deal than you think. Remember when Andrew Dakich came to Ohio State and provided a solid presence at the point guard spot and just did all the little things with an all-around floor game? He made a huge difference for Chris Holtmann’s first team in Columbus, and Porter will get plenty of time to back up C.J. Walker — also being put in the rotation and the two-guard.
Musa Jallow — Junior, 6-5, 200 lbs.
Many folks have forgotten about Jallow. He’s an athletic kid that can make plays in the open court, but it remains to be seen how well he comes back from injury. He’ll factor in, but it could be as the sixth man, or a little further down depending on how he bounces back.
Justin Ahrens — Junior, 6-5, 180 lbs.
Ahrens can nail bombs stepping off the bus, but he’s yet to really find his way into the starting lineup. He’s a bit of a wild card and could get significant minutes off the bench if he can continue to round out his game.
Luther Muhammad down to eight schools per report https://t.co/Civx5W02Bw
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) April 8, 2020
There’s also freshman Eugene Brown III and Zed Key that’ll factor in some way, but with the experience and maturity this team will have next season, their roles could be limited. However, Key does have an opportunity for some playing time with the limited bodies and height in the front-court.
The more you start putting this roster under the microscope, you begin to feel pretty good about the depth and interchangeable parts Holtmann will have to work with. The lack of a true, experienced big on the front line might be a spot to watch, but there’s a lot to like about the pieces coming together, even with the loss of a defensive stopper like Muhammad and the team’s leading scorer from the last few seasons.
Heck, the team might be even better than the last couple of years with the new weapons that are available to use.
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