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Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball program are putting the Buckeyes’ name in the hat for one of the top prospects in the 2019 recruiting class. This past weekend it was reported that the Buckeyes presented five-star Armando Bacot (Richmond, VA/Trinity Episcopal School) with an offer.
Bacot is one of the premiere big men in his class. He has a rare combination of size and athleticism that will give him the ability to play as either a power forward or a center. The 247Sports Composite Rankings have him listed as the No. 4 center in the class as well as the No. 17 overall player regardless of position, and he is the top prospect from the talent-rich state of Virginia.
The five-star talent has not flown under the radar in any sense of the phrase. Despite having just two years of high school basketball under his belt, Bacot has accumulated an impressive offer sheet. With a reported 37 scholarship offers, Bacot will have to choose between programs like Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Virginia, Virginia Tech, VCU, Villanova, Florida State, Clemson, Oregon, USC, UCLA, Maryland, Illinois, Iowa, and now Ohio State.
Ohio State has offered 2019 five star Trinity Episcopal big Armando Bacot@Kevin_Noon
— Corey Evans (@coreyevans_10) December 23, 2017
The offer was first reported by Corey Evans of Rivals.com.
The Buckeyes have some stiff competition for Bacot, and currently Duke is the favorite to land the elite big, holding 100 percent of the 247Sports Crystal Ball Expert predictions.
Currently, Ohio State has yet to secure a commitment for its 2019 recruiting class, but it is early and the coaching staff is targeting some of the bigger names in the class. While the team’s ability on the court is not yet up to the level of play as some of the other schools targeting Bacot, Holtmann has proven in the short time he has been at Ohio State that he can recruit with the best of them.
Holtmann knows that on-court success begins with recruiting and he will have plenty of time to build an elite 2019 recruiting class. Look for Holtmann and the Ohio State basketball coaching staff to try to get Bacot on campus in the coming year. If they are able to get a visit or more out of him, the team’s chances in securing a commitment from the elite prospect grow exponentially.