Tag: Ohio State basketball recruiting

Ohio State basketball 2022 recruiting class

Get up to speed with Ohio State basketball’s stellar 2022 recruiting class. Will these guys help put OSU among the elite in the country?

Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball program have been working diligently to put together its next recruiting class for the 2022 cycle.

And in case you haven’t noticed, it’s a pretty good one. So good in fact, that the Buckeyes’ 2022 class ranks as the best in the country right now. It has four commitments that have already pledged verbally, with three of them in the top 50 prospects according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

It remains to be seen if OSU will finish atop the rankings because traditional blue-bloods like North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina are still putting classes together, but no matter how you look at it, it looks to be a top-five or top ten class when it’s all said and done. That is, as long as the class remains and there aren’t any defections from here until the official signing day.

So in case you haven’t gotten up to speed on the four players Ohio State is bringing in to keep the momentum going with the Buckeye basketball program, we’ve got them all here for you. We’ll continue to update the list if any changes happen.

 

Four-star 2022 center commits to Ohio State basketball program

Chris Holtmann is starting to crank it up in recruiting. Boom!

Ohio State basketball head coach Chris Holtmann and staff landed another big-time prospect.

Four-star 2022 center Felix Okpara, out of Hamiton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee, announced his commitment to OSU on Monday morning. According to the 247Sports composite, Okpara is ranked the 9th-best center and 47th overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting cycle.

At 6-feet, 11-inches, Okpara is a rim protector with a knack for high-pointing the ball and blocking shots. He’s still a project on offense. He averaged 11.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 shots per contest last year during his junior season in high school.

The commitment is the fourth to the 2022 class for Ohio State, one that moved to be the best in the country. In addition to Okpara, OSU has reeled in four-stars prospects Bruce Thorton and Roddy Gayle, Jr., as well as three-star recruit Bowen Hardman. All but Hardman are top 50 recruits.

With what Ohio State is bringing into the program, and what’s still there, the Buckeyes should be contending for some pretty special things in the near future as long as roster management doesn’t become a problem.

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High four-star 2022 hoops prospect schedules visit to Ohio State

High four-star 2022 power forward Kyle Filipowski has set an official visit to Ohio State, among other schools.

Recruiting never stops at a place such as Ohio State. Not in football and not in college hoops either. The Buckeyes are trying to get some news on their final roster for the 2021-2022 season, but they are also pruning the prospect tree for the 2022 class.

On that note, high four-star 2022 power forward Kyle Filipowski has scheduled a visit to Ohio State for June 12 and 13, according to Stock Risers. Remember, we could see a bushel of visits coming up as the NCAA will allow in-person visits again beginning on June 1.

According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Filipowski is ranked a high four-star as the No. 10 power forward and 57th overall prospect in the class. He is out of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. At 6 feet, 11 inches, Filipowski would add needed size to OSU’s lineup, but don’t be fooled. He has a versatile game that can move out on the perimeter as well.

There is no clear leader to land Filipowski’s services at this point, but he does have official visits set up with Iowa, Syracuse, Duke and Indiana.

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High four-star 2022 hoops prospect schedules visit to Ohio State

High four-star 2022 power forward Kyle Filipowski has set an official visit to Ohio State, among other schools.

Recruiting never stops at a place such as Ohio State. Not in football and not in college hoops either. The Buckeyes are trying to get some news on their final roster for the 2021-2022 season, but they are also pruning the prospect tree for the 2022 class.

On that note, high four-star 2022 power forward Kyle Filipowski has scheduled a visit to Ohio State for June 12 and 13, according to Stock Risers. Remember, we could see a bushel of visits coming up as the NCAA will allow in-person visits again beginning on June 1.

According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Filipowski is ranked a high four-star as the No. 10 power forward and 57th overall prospect in the class. He is out of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. At 6 feet, 11 inches, Filipowski would add needed size to OSU’s lineup, but don’t be fooled. He has a versatile game that can move out on the perimeter as well.

There is no clear leader to land Filipowski’s services at this point, but he does have official visits set up with Iowa, Syracuse, Duke and Indiana.

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Ohio State center Ibrahima Diallo to enter transfer portal

After two seasons, Ibrahima Diallo will be transferring from Ohio State to seek playing time elsewhere. He will enter the transfer portal.

After two seasons with the Ohio State basketball program, center Ibrahima Diallo has entered the transfer portal. The 6-foot, 10-inch post player will look elsewhere to get playing time.

With lack of size inside this past season, Diallo probably could’ve helped the Buckeyes with some valuable minutes. However, the Senegal native was battling an MCL injury most of the season and was limited to just five games.

Diallo came to Ohio State as a three-star center in the 2019 class out of Prolific Prep in Napa, California. He was rated as the No. 64 center in the nation coming out of high school according to 247Sports. As a freshman, Diallo played in just eight games, averaging 1.3 points per game and 1.9 rebounds in limited action.

With Diallo announcing his decision to leave, it leaves the Buckeyes shorthanded once again inside. However, this does open up another scholarship spot on the basketball roster.

Does this open the door for another center to come to Columbus… maybe five-star center Efton Reid? Reid is the No. 3 center in the 2021 class and should be making his decision known soon.

Either way, Chris Holtmann now has another spot to fill and not much time to do so.

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Ohio State basketball makes cut for 2022 four-star center

Ohio State basketball is looking to add a center to the 2022 recruiting class and has made the cut for one of the top bigs in the country.

If there was a glaring need from last year’s Ohio State basketball squad, it was the absence of a true center. Chris Holtman has been working hard to fill that void this year bringing in Indiana transfer, Joey Brunk who stands at 6- feet, 11-inches.

The Buckeyes are also still in the running for five-star center Efton Reid who was set to make his decision on April 15, but has pushed his commitment date back and has kept college choice very quiet. While Reid, who is the No. 3 center in the 2021 class would be a huge get, there are no guarantees he ends up in Columbus. And even if he does, can you ever have too many bigs?

Even if the Bucks miss out on Reid, Brunk will fill a need for this coming year but will be out of eligibility at season’s end. So, Holtman and company are looking to add a center to the 2022 class and have made the shortlist for Donovan Clingan out of Bristol, Connecticut.

Clingan is a seven-footer and is ranked as the No. 6 center in the 2022 recruiting class according to 247 Sports composite rankings. Joining the Buckeyes on Clingan’s list are Michigan, Georgetown, Syracuse, Providence, Rutgers, Notre Dame, and UConn.

There is no crystal ball prediction as to where Clingan lands at this point, but we’ll keep you up to date as things develop.

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Five-Star Ohio State basketball target set to make decision on April 15

Ohio State basketball hopes to land the services of five-star center Efton Reid. He is set to make his decision known on April 15.

If there’s one thing that Chris Holtman and the Ohio State basketball team needs, it’s size. The Buckeyes played last season without a true center after Kaleb Wesson entered the NBA draft in 2020. Even he was undersized for the position.

Now the Bucks have a chance at a top 25 ranked talent according to 247 Sports composite rankings. Efton Reid who is ranked as the No. 3 center in the nation will be making his college choice on April 15. This according to his mother, Maria who posted on Twitter.

At 6-feet, 11-inches, Reid would immediately become the tallest player on the Ohio State team. He hails from Richmond, Virginia, but has been playing his high school basketball at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

There has been no official list of top teams listed to land Reid’s services, but it is believed that there are four programs in the lead to sign the big man. Ohio State is one of those teams along with Florida State, Pitt, and the 2019 national champion Virginia Cavaliers.

This would be a huge catch for Chris Holtman and the Buckeyes.  A big man in the middle to take some pressure off E.J. Liddell would be huge. We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.

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Ohio State basketball commit Malaki Branham drops 37 points, takes home state title

Ohio State commit Malaki Branham scored 37 points in the state high school championship to lead Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary to the title.

You may still be stuck in a corner, licking your wounds over the shocking loss by the Ohio State basketball team to No. 15 seed Oral Roberts in the NCAA Tournament, but don’t fret. We’re here to tell you that there is help on the way next hoops season.

That assistance and upgrade in talent comes in the form of Akron St. Vincent- St. Mary forward Malaki Branham. That’s right, the same school that produced LeBron James is sending a player to Ohio State, and he’s a good one. Branham is currently ranked as the No. 29 overall prospect in the 2022 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, and he offers a unique skill set that should get him on the floor immediately in Columbus.

But before all of that, Branham had one more high school game to play, and it was a big one. His Vikings played Columbus St. Francis-DeSales in the Ohio state high school Division II championship game Sunday night, and Branham came to play.

In his final prep game, the 6-foot, 4-inch, 175-pound shooting guard put up 37 points and led his team to the title by a score of 72-50. What might be even more exciting for Buckeye fans is the fact that Branham put the team on his back once it really mattered. St. Vincent-St. Mary trailed in the contest midway through the third period before Branham took things into his own hands, scoring 16 points in a short burst to help his team pull ahead by twelve by the time the period was over.

Game over thanks to a killer instinct the OSU program could desperately use.

In a season where OSU seemed lost as to what to do, and who to put the ball in the hands of at the end of games, a player of Branham’s caliber could be the medicine Ohio State needs to turn around some late-game fortune next season.

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Ohio State players to earn “gold jersey” when the basketball team sweeps TTUN

Traditions are what make college sports great. Chris Holtman brought a new one to the Ohio State basketball team with wins over Michigan.

Ohio State fans know all the traditions that come with a university rich with history. Maybe one of the best known and most loved traditions is after beating Michigan on the football field, each player and coach receive a gold piece of jewelry molded to look like football pants with the score of that year’s game.

It’s something we hear past and present players talk about yearly. Each generation likes to gloat about how many pairs they have, representing the number of wins the Buckeye teams had while they were members of that team. Some players have as many as five pairs of gold pants and each one is cherished.

Never to miss an opportunity to help motivate his team, Chris Holtman began dreaming of a way that he could give his players something meaningful after beating TTUN. After talking with the football program, the Buckeye basketball team came up with the gold jersey.

It’s easy to determine how the football team earns gold pants – beat Michigan in the season finale each year. But how would the basketball team go about earning a gold jersey? They may play the Wolverines two or three times in a season.

Holtman made it simple as well. No matter how many times the Buckeyes face the Maize and Blue in a season, OSU goes undefeated (subscription may be required) against that team up north.

Talk about a little extra motivation. It’s probably enough to beat your No. 1 rival but to get a piece of gold commemorating a series sweep? Icing on the cake.

The Buckeye basketball team earned their first-ever gold jersey when they swept Michigan in the 2020 season. Coach Holtman gave the players their hardware at a team Christmas party earlier in the year.

This is what makes college athletics so much fun. OSU will take a step towards a second jersey when they face the Wolverines on Sunday in Value City Arena.

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Four-star forward Tarris Reed shares what he likes about Ohio State

Recruiting is all about relationships, and Ohio State basketball is working hard to develop a bond with four-star forward Tarris Reed, Jr.

If there is one thing missing on this year’s Ohio State basketball team, it’s size in the middle. While Chris Holtman and the Buckeyes are having an outstanding season, a little more height would be helpful.

Four-star power forward Tarris Reed Jr. just might be an answer the Bucks are looking for. Dushawn London of Bucknuts recently shared Reed’s thoughts on several schools of interest including Ohio State.

Take a look at what Reed had to say about his thoughts on OSU hoops:

“I’ve been talking to Ohio State a lot. Coach Johnson is the one that has been mainly hitting me up, and I’ve been talking with EJ a little as well. I’ve worked out with him and communicated with him about Ohio State and everything. He’s been doing well in the program and talking with coach I can take some similarities from his game. They have him playing the four/five man, and he’s able to get his points easily down low, and he’s been stepping out a lot recently shooting the 3s and attacking off the dribble, so that’s definitely something to look forward to. Another thing with them is their play this season has been an eye opener. They’re starting to pick it up and EJ is doing well, I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re going to do in the postseason.”

It sounds like Reed is developing a good relationship with fourth-year assistant coach Terry Johnson. The 2022 forward also seems like he has a close friendship with Buckeye sophomore E.J. Lidell who grew up close to the St. Louis area.

Who knows where Reed ultimately ends up, but building relationships within the program is always key. Let’s hope once the dead period ends, OSU can get this kid on campus and see how he fits.

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