Tag: devin royal

Ohio State basketball gets back in win column with victory over Valparaiso

A much-needed W. #GoBucks

After looking like it didn’t belong on the same court as one of the best teams in the country with a dismal showing against Auburn, the Ohio State basketball team rebounded on Tuesday night with a 95-73 blowout win over the Valparaiso Beacons.

In the first half, it looked like OSU was still trying to shake off a hangover from the weekend mess in Atlanta, leading by just seven points with about a minute to go before heading to the locker room. A lot of it had to do with point guard Bruce Thornton having to sit on the pine thanks to some foul trouble. Thankfully, the Buckeyes got a little juice in that last minute, extending the lead to 41-30 margin after the first 20 minutes.

The second half was all Ohio State as it continued to extend that lead to a comfortable margin thanks to some hot shooting and some good looks inside the paint with dribble drives. OSU outscored Valpo 52 to 32 in the paint and filled up the bucket with 63% shooting in the last 20 minutes from the floor.

When OSU is playing at the top of its game, it begins on the defensive end, and that’s what happened in this one with the Buckeyes holding Valparaiso to just 35.8% from the field.

By far, the player of the game was forward Devin Royal. He continued his emergence in his second year as a Buckeye by scoring 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting. His ability to get to the tin also resulted in some opportunities at the free throw line where he made good on 8-of-9 attempts.

Evan Mahaffey (15), Bruce Thornton (14), and Micah Parrish (14) also scored in double figures.

With the win, Ohio State improves its record to 7-4 and will next be in action against Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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Another Ohio State basketball major contributor will return for next season

More good news for the Buckeye hoops team

Ohio State basketball has been getting a lot of good news with its roster over the past few days.

Two starters have confirmed their intentions of returning, Bruce Thornton and Felix Okpara, but two have also left for the portal in Bowen Hardman and Scotty Middleton.

However, Meechie Johnson has committed after a short stay in the portal, so it’s been more positive news. You can add another to that list as forward [autotag]Devin Royal[/autotag] has announced that he will also return for another season.

It’s speaks volumes to what new head coach Jake Diebler is doing, as many more players could have left following the coaching change. For the most part, aside from Middleton, they have elected to stay.

Royal saw a spike in playing time when Diebler took over, which led to some  flashes of what he could be. On the year, he averaged 4.7 points, and 2.4 rebounds, both numbers that you can expect to rise next season.

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Ohio State basketball signee, Devin Royal, named Mr. Basketball in Ohio

Congrats Devin! Looking forward to you making your mark in Columbus. How excited are you to see one of central Ohio’s own play in the Schott? #GoBucks

When [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] basketball signed their 2023 recruiting class, they were viewed as one of the best classes in the country. It’s an impressive group that will arrive in Columbus shortly.

The Buckeyes have a long list of signees that have won Mr. Basketball in Ohio and today another name was added to that list, Pickerington Central’s [autotag]Devin Royal[/autotag]. The small forward was given the designation of the best basketball player in the state.

Royal joins former Ohio State stars like [autotag]Malaki Branham[/autotag], [autotag]Kaleb Wesson[/autotag], [autotag]Jared Sullinger[/autotag], and others as Buckeyes who have won the award. After winning the state title last year, Pickerington Central will try and repeat this weekend as they face off against Centerville for all the marbles.

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Just think; next season Royal will be doing his thing in a scarlet and gray uniform. We can’t wait to follow his journey.

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WATCH: Ohio State Basketball signee Devin Royal goes off, scores 40 points

The Buckeyes could use him now! #GoBucks

When instate basketball star [autotag]Devin Royal[/autotag] committed to [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag], it was a massive recruiting win for head coach [autotag]Chris Holtmann[/autotag]. Not only did the Buckeyes get a commitment from a top-50 player, but they also kept Royal away from other [autotag]Big Ten[/autotag] schools like Michigan, Penn State, [autotag]Illinois[/autotag], and Wisconsin.

Although Royal isn’t the top signee of the class, Kansas small forward Scotty Middleton is, he’s part of a four-man class that ranks as one of the best in the country. As Royal finishes out his high school career at [autotag]Pickerington Central[/autotag], he continues to show why he’s the best in the state.

On Friday night, Royal was absolutely dominant, scoring 40 points and leading the Tigers to a 73-58 win over [autotag]Reynoldsburg[/autotag]. Check out the highlights below of Royal’s massive game.

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Ohio State basketball 2023 recruiting commitment tracker

Keeping track of the Ohio State basketball class of 2023, updated if there are any changes. #GoBucks

Sure, Ohio State is known as a football school, but the Buckeyes do play a little hoops on the banks of the Olentangy and have had some pretty historic seasons over the years.

Former head coach Thad Matta ushered in the pinnacle of the OSU basketball period before things began to slip, and now Chris Holtmann is trying to get things back at that same level. To do so, the Ohio State staff will have to recruit at a higher level than what we saw over the last few years. And while Holtmann and company have had their fair share of recruiting wins, including a top ten class for 2022, it has to be sustainable.

Welcome then to the 2023 class that has the potential to be one of the best classes the Buckeye program has hauled in in a very, very long time.

To keep track of it all, we’re giving you our Ohio State basketball 2023 recruiting commitment tracker so that you can be in step with what the next batch of OSU cagers look like. As it stands right now, it’s a phenomenal class. We’ll update it if there are any changes, but for now, here are all four members of the 2023 class that have given their verbal commitment.

BOOM! Ohio State basketball lands 4-star 2023 forward Devin Royal

BOOM! Ohio State gets a huge commitment on the court for the 2023 class. #GoBucks

Ohio State basketball got a big commitment today, and it comes from arguably the state’s best player, Pickerington Central’s Devin Royal.

At 6-foot, 7-inches, and 210-pounds, Royal is ranked as the No. 14 small forward and 73rd overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He has the length and ability to do damage in the paint, but he has also worked very hard on his outside shooting to make himself a well-rounded player. His length also makes him a potential disrupter on the other end of the court.

For Ohio State, it’s a huge commitment because it speaks to Holtmann’s ability to keep the best talent in the state at home and away from more national brands. Royal chose the Buckeyes over Michigan State and Alabama, but there were many more offers on the table.

Off the court, Royal comes from a great family with some pretty good bloodlines. His father, Daryl, was a star running back at Groveport-Madison before heading to the University of Cincinnati as a running back. He rolled up over 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 1996 for the Bearcats when they were a part of Conference USA.

Royal’s commitment gives head coach Chris Holtmann and staff three commitments in the 2023 cycle along with guards George Washington III and center Austin Parks. The news should vault the class even further into the top ten nationally.

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Days after putting Ohio State basketball in top three, Devin Royal set to announce commitment

We’ll find out Wednesday, August 3 where Devin Royal plans to play his college basketball. #GoBucks

Just a few days ago, Devin Royal, announced he had trimmed his list of schools to three which included Ohio State. Joining the Buckeyes on the shortlist were Alabama and Michigan State. Royal shared he’s now ready to announce where he plans to play his college basketball and it will be sooner rather than later.

Posting on his personal Twitter account, Royal stated he’ll be revealing his selection at Pickerington Central High School at 2:30 p.m. ET. The four-star prospect also shared that his decision will be broadcast live on Paul Biancardi’s Instagram account. Biancardi is ESPN’s national director of recruiting.

Royal is a top 100 player and the No. 14 ranked small forward in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247Sports composite rankings. More importantly, he is the No. 2 ranked player in Ohio and resides in Ohio State’s backyard, so a win here helps keep the state’s best talent within the borders.

As of now, all crystal ball predictions have Royal staying home to wear the scarlet and gray. This would be a big addition for the Buckeyes and a class that is already ranked in the top 10 with two four-star verbal commitments from guard George Washington III and center Austin Parks.

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MSU target, 4-star SF Devin Royal to announce college decision on Wednesday

Michigan State will learn in the next couple of days whether or not they’ve added a four-star prospect to their 2023 class

Michigan State will learn in the next couple of days whether it has added a four-star prospect to its 2023 class.

Four-star small forward Devin Royal of Pickerington, Ohio, revealed on Monday he plans to announce his college decision on Wednesday. The announcement is planned for 3:30 p.m. ET.

Royal ranks No. 73 among all prospects in the 247Sports’ composite for the 2023 class. He is also listed as the No. 14 small forward and No. 2 player from Ohio.

Royal is down to just three schools: Michigan State, Ohio State and Alabama. He is projected to end up at Ohio State, according to 247Sports.

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Michigan State basketball featured in Devin Royal’s top 3

Devin Royal has announced his top three

Michigan State basketball has made recruiting news in Ohio. 4-star small forward Devin Royal has announced his top three and Michigan State is featured in the list.

Alongside Michigan State is Ohio State and Alabama, with all three teams making major pushes towards landing the 4-star talent.

Royal is a native of Pickerington, Ohio, and attends Pickerington Central High School. He is ranked as the No. 76 overall player in the country according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

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Four-star small forward and local product puts Ohio State in top three

Central Ohio product focusing on three programs. #GoBucks

Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball team received some good news this week. Four-star forward and Pickerington, Ohio native, Devin Royal, has narrowed his choices to three schools which includes the Buckeyes. Joining OSU on the shortlist are Alabama and Michigan State.

Royal is a top 100 player in the country, a top 15 small forward, and the No. 2 overall rated prospect in Ohio according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. The No. 1 player in Ohio, George Washington III, has already committed to Holtmann and the Buckeyes.

The 6-foot-6-inch prospect is long and has the ability to score attacking the rim as well as from the three-point line. He was a key part of helping Pickerington Central win a state championship in 2022.

Not only did Royal narrow his choices, but the central Ohio star also picked up crystal ball predictions to land in Columbus from both 247Sports and On3 recruiting experts.

Of course, Ohio State wants to get the best players available, but most especially when those players are right in their own backyard. Snagging a commitment from Pickerington product would give Holtmann a great one-two punch for the 2023 class with room to add more.

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