Chris Holtmann, Ohio State in touch with Santa Clara transfer

Chris Holtmann and the basketball Buckeyes have already landed a commitment from Columbus Northland alum and Harvard grad-transfer Seth Towns, but from the way things are looking they aren’t done searching the portal for talent to add to the roster.

On the hunt for depth due to true freshmen D.J. Carton, and Alonzo Gaffney recently exiting the program, Holtmann and crew have been in touch with a number of transfers. One of the players that have caught the attention of the Buckeyes is now former Santa Clara guard Trey Wertz.

A sit one year, play two transfer — unless the NCAA switches things up due to the coronavirus or he’s awarded a waiver — Wertz, a soon-to-be junior, has been in touch with Chris Holtmann and Buckeye assistant coach Ryan Pedon.

“I’ve been in touch with Coach Pedon and Coach Holtmann. They’re just telling me they have a real opportunity at the point guard spot and think I’m a really good fit for them and their program.” The 6-foot-4, 185-pound Wertz told Land-Grant Holy Land.

A Charlotte, North Carolina native, and Providence Prep product, Wertz was a three-star prospect in 2018. Even though he grew up in the south, and moved to the west coast to attend Santa Clara, it doesn’t mean he isn’t familiar with Ohio State basketball.

“I was a big D’Angelo Russell fan when he was at OSU so I used to watch a lot of those games. He would probably be the first person that comes to mind. But other than that they’ve had some really good teams over the years and have always been a great program.” Wertz said.

Just one of the hot names on the market at the moment, Wertz, who averaged around 12 points per contest, broke the school’s freshman assist record, and named a two time All-WCC selection during his career with the Broncos, has a long list of college coaches trying to bring into the fold. Looking more deeply into 11 programs, Ohio State is up against some rather stiff competition for his services. Arizona, Butler, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and Xavier are also among the potential landing spots for Wertz.

Not able to make trips to campuses, Trey isn’t sure when he’ll shut his transfer down and announce where he’ll suit up the next couple of seasons, but he does know exactly what he’s looking for in a program before he does make his choice known.

“Right now, I have no timetable for my decision.” He added. “I’m just really looking for the best overall fit and situation for me both academically and athletically. I think I’ll just bring a player who’s competitive, can shoot and score as well as make plays for myself and others. They’ve all done a great job in this short period of time of getting me up to speed on each of their programs. I can’t really put one ahead of the other right now.”

Want to see what Trey Wertz could potentially bring to the Buckeyes? Check out some of his highlights and get a glimpse of his talents for yourself: