Ohio State basketball stays hot on the recruiting trail

When class of 2018 small forward Justin Ahrens de-committed from Ohio State after the departure of Thad Matta, the three-star prospect from Versailles (OH) said the following to Land-Grant Holy Land:

“I reopened my recruitment because with the new coach at OSU, I'm going to have to build a whole new relationship.”

A few months later, Ahrens, Chris Holtmann, and the new-look Ohio State coaching staff must’ve done just that, as the 6’5 sharpshooter is once again a future Buckeye student-athlete.

“I picked OSU cause I am determined to help this program get back to the top and I want to be on the front end of this all. I also love the players and coaching staff we get along really well. I love it there.” He added on what led him back to the Buckeyes.

Verbally committing to Holtmann and company on Sunday after getting to spend the weekend with them during his official visit, Ahrens’ pledge was the cherry on top of one of the most impressive weeks in OSU basketball recruiting history.

Despite starting the week off with zero pledges, Ahrens was the fourth class of 2018 standout to give the Buckeyes a commitment in as many days, joining fellow senior standouts Jaedon LeDee, Duane Washington Jr., and Luther Muhammad in Ohio State’s star-studded class of 2018.

As a junior, Justin, the younger brother of current Michigan State shooting guard Kyle Ahrens, led Versailles to an overall record of 27-2, averaging 22 points, eight rebounds, and three assists a contest for the Tigers last season.

Named the Division III Co-Player of the Year in Ohio for his play on the court, Ahrens is currently considered the 40th small forward and 170th overall prospect in the class of 2018, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Udeze up next?

Chris Holtmann and the Buckeyes could lock up commitment number five later this week.

After recently taking visits to the campuses of Ohio State, Butler, and Wichita State, three-star center Morris Udeze of Montverde Academy (FL), the same program that produced former and current Buckeyes D’Angelo Russell and Micah Potter, will announce his college commitment on Wednesday evening.

While the 6’8 post presence told Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com that “Ohio State is a great school that fits my style of play and I love the coaches down there," most around the recruiting scene at the moment believe he will end up in Holtmann’s old stomping grounds at Butler.

The Buckeyes might not have a true big man in the class as of yet, but have already landed a commitment from inside/outside threat Jaedon LeDee, who stands around 6’8 and well over 200 pounds.

Quick Hits

• For the second time this season, four-star class of 2019 offensive tackle Michael Tarquin visited Ohio State. A Belleview, Florida native, Tarquin doesn’t just hold an offer from the Buckeyes, but also has programs such as Clemson, Michigan, and Miami currently pursuing him.
• The Buckeyes also played host to three-star Mentor (OH) defensive end Noah Potter, the younger brother of current OSU basketball player Micah Potter, on Saturday. Although he has yet to earn an offer from the Buckeyes, Boston College, Iowa State, Minnesota, North Carolina, and North Carolina State are among some of the schools to throw their hat in Potter’s ring.