Friday, March 2, 2007

Ohio State: Building a Basketball Powerhouse

The Ohio State University has always been known as a football school. On fall Saturdays, everywhere you look, there are scarlet and gray jerseys and shirts on everyone from baby girls to elderly grandparents. Sure, Ohio State has some basketball history, mainly from the days of Fred Taylor, Jerry Lucas, and John Havlicek, but basketball never came close to threatening football in popularity or success. However, nowadays it seems like Thad Matta is ushering in a golden age of Ohio State basketball, with almost unlimited potential for how high this program can grow.

Already, Matta has brought a winning mentality to Ohio State that hasn't been here since the days of Jimmy Jackson. In the last two years, Ohio State has won back-to-back outright Big Ten championships, something that hasn't happened since Ohio State won three titles in a row from 1959-1962. In fact, Ohio State only won one outright Big Ten title (1991-1992) from 1971 to 2005. That means that Matta has won more outright Big Ten titles already than Ohio State did in the 34 years preceding him. Last year Matta won the title with a bunch of players that simply bought into his system and believed in what he was teaching. This year, Matta won the title with the help of freshmen from the best recruiting class Ohio State has ever seen. And that's what truly makes Matta and this growing Ohio State program special: recruiting.

Consider these facts. In a four year span from 2002 to 2005, Ohio State recruited just ten players, which included zero 5-star prospects and 5 four-star prospects. Only five of those ten players even stayed with Ohio State, as the other five either dropped out or transferred. That means that 0% of Ohio State's recruits were 5-star prospects and 50% were 4-star prospects. Thad Matta has recruited three full classes for Ohio State in his time here (class of 2006, 2007, and 2008). In those three classes, the Buckeyes have signed an astounding 8 (8!) 5-star recruits, and 7 4-star recruits. They have signed 15 players total. That means that 100% of Ohio State's recruits three seasons in a row are at least four-star recruits, and more than half of them are 5-star recruits. The Buckeyes have gone from getting no 5-star recruits to averaging almost three 5-star's a year in the blink of an eye.

The way that Matta is doing all of this is even more incredible. He is telling these kids that if they go to Ohio State, they will win championships. And even better, they are doing just that and actually winning championships. Obviously, the 2006 class was Matta's absolute best job recruiting. To immediately step into a new job, and recruit 3 5-star players, including the player who was considered the best high school big man since Bill Walton, was remarkable. He completely sold those players on his belief. The players could have gone anywhere in the country, but they chose to go to a football school like Ohio State because the coach was able to convince them of his vision.

Things haven't slowed down since that 2006 class. The 2007 class is a top ten class also (#9 on Scout, #6 on Rivals) and includes McDonald's All-American 7-2 center Kosta Koufos. In addition to Koufos, Matta signed four 4-star players, all of whom are 6-5 or taller, and all of whom have the ability to contribute immediately. Even though signing day isn't until November (over 8 months away) Matta has already managed to sign a complete 2008 recruiting class that could potentially be as good or even better than the 2006 class. Four members of the 2008 class are 5-star players that are ranked in the top 25 recruits in the country. Included in that group are the #2 center in the country, BJ Mullens, the #3 shooting guard in the country, William Buford, the #3 point guard in the country, Anthony Crater, and the #10 power forward (and #20 overall prospect), Luke Babbit.

At this point, the only thing that could potentially sidetrack Ohio State is that they almost have an excess of amazing talent. Every single player they recruit now has the ability to play right away, but that just won't be able to happen. Nonetheless, the Buckeyes will be supremely talented for a long, long time. Even if (when) Oden leaves after this season, Ohio State definitely won't need to panic. When you get the top 7-foot center in the country three years in a row, as Ohio State has done, there's not much to worry about at that position. Just imagine the potential lineups for the next two years. Next season: Starting lineup: Mike Conley, Jamar Butler, Dequan Cook, Othello Hunter, Kosta Koufos. Bench: David Lighty, Matt Terwilliger, Dallas Lauderale, Jon Diebler, Evan Turner, Eric Wallace. That team goes 11-deep with talented players. Then consider what the roster will look like two years from now (even if Cook leaves to go to the NBA after two seasons): Conley, Koufos, Lighty, Lauderale, Diebler, Turner, Wallace, Mullens, Buford, Crater, Babbit, and Walter Offutt. That's 12 players on one roster that were either 4 or 5-star recruits coming out of high school. That is simply a ridiculous statistic. If these players continue to grow as players and Matta recruits half as well as he's been recruiting, the Buckeyes can be a serious Big Ten and national title contender for many years to come.

As you can see, the Ohio State basketball program is on the rise as much as any program in the country and Ohio State is on the verge of becoming the next college basketball powerhouse. Ten years from now, people could be talking about Ohio State is the same context as Duke, UCLA, North Carolina, Kentucky, etc. As long as Matta, possibly the best college basketball recruiter ever, is the head coach, I don't see anything stopping this program from reaching that level. So enjoy this golden age of Ohio State basketball, as it may be something that you one day tell your grandchildren about.

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