BuckeyeGrove.com - Ohio underclass day a success

September 13, 2007

Brian Snow
Recruiting Analyst

Under the leadership of Thad Matta the Ohio State basketball program has become a bonafide recruiting machine. The 2006 class was one of the best, the 2007 class was a top 20 effort, and the 2008 class has all the makings of another top 10 class. One of the staples of the OSU recruiting strategy has been to host prospects in small groups. However this past weekend the staff deviated slightly from that plan when they held the first Ohio Underclassmen Day.

It was an idea of the entire staff, and the plan was put together by assistant John Groce, and with some hard work the first annual underclassmen day went off without a hitch. All in all 14 prospects showed up for the event which coincided with the football game against Akron. A few other players were invited, but for various personal reasons they weren't able to make the game.

Of the 14 prospects in attendance, the most notable was 2010 commitment Jared Sullinger. Sullinger is widely considered the top prospect in the 2010 class in Ohio, but he was far from the only one of his classmates in attendance. Also there from the 2010 class was Allen Payne, Cameron Wright, Juwan Staten, Griffin McKenzie, and Kenny Knight. All of those players are considered to be in the top 10 in Ohio's loaded 2010 class.

In the 2009 class there were a pair of visitors. One was Bill Edwards, Edwards is considered by some as the top prospect in Ohio, and someone who is on the radar. The other prospect who made it was Darren Goodson. At this point Goodson is considered a long shot to receive an offer.

While those were the players who have already played high school games, many others who are waiting to play their first varsity contest were also in attendance. The top player in the 2011 class at the moment, and one of the best nationally is Stevie Taylor. He was there along with Shane Behanon, Paul Honigford, Jehvon Clarke, and Ricky Johnson. Beyond those five, there were also a pair of 2012 kids that attended the event.

The Queen City Prophets boast Payne, McKenzie, and Knight on their team, and according to their AAU Coach Ozie Davis III the event was great.

"I thought it was a high class event with the best players in the state," Davis said. "I think the coaching staff did a great job of sharing their vision for Ohio State Basketball. That includes winning a national title and providing the most comfortable environment possible for all of their players."

Payne also echoed his coach's sentiments about the day. "It was great; Thad Matta is a great coach and recruiter. They have a lot of tradition and it was fun to see all the best players in the state together.

Rob Taylor is the father of Stevie, and also the publisher of Buckeye Prep Report which is a website dedicated to the coverage of junior high basketball in the state of Ohio.

For the elder Taylor, he couldn't have been more impressed with the event. "I think it was an excellent idea. It allows the coaches to build relationships and have the kids get excited about the program. It exposed a lot of players to Ohio State; I see it as a good idea for all involved."

One of the worries about having so many players on campus is that each prospect will not get the individual attention that they may want. However according to Davis he didn't think that was a problem.

"They were all high level players, and the coaching staff did a great job of spreading themselves out and everyone got attention from the staff," Davis said. "It was just a high, high quality event."

As a father, Taylor, saw no problem with having such a large group of recruits on campus at the same time. "It was okay. I mean the reality is (Stevie) is young and he has a long way to go. All he needed is to have the seed planted, and I think the staff did that."

Due to AAU basketball most of the players are friends, or know each other through playing against each other at national tournaments.

According to Payne it was fun to see all of the kids he knew, and just to hang out with them and not worry about competition. "It wasn't any different than a normal visit. We are all friends and we know each other. It was good reuniting and just them and not having to worry about basketball."

In fact after the game, Davis shared a story about how well the kids bonded. "At the end when everyone was signing (Carmen Ohio) you had all 14 players hugging and singing, it was really amazing. If I was a 14 or 15 year old kid, I would have thought that was the most incredible experience."

A little bit about the players

Bill Edwards: If anyone in the 2009 class gets an offer it will be Edwards. He is still not there yet, but the very skilled wing has a chance to earn an offer with a strong high school season. He attends Middletown High School in Middletown, Ohio.

Darren Goodson: Goodson is a physical wing with good athleticism. Right now he is being recruited at the mid-major level. He attends Aiken High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kenny Knight: A top 10 kid in the 2010 class. More of a power forward than a small forward at the moment. If he grows he has a chance to be very good. He attends Northwest High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Allen Payne: Probably one of the top five players in the 2010 class. Very, very skilled on the wing, and is getting better every time out. Payne is one to watch in terms of the future. He attends Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Griffin McKenzie: Already he is a legit 6-foot-8, and he is one of the players who could make a significant rise up the rankings this year. Skilled with a good mid-range shot, McKenzie needs to get more physical, but he is definitely on the OSU radar. He attends Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Juwan Staten: Clearly one of the best floor general nationally in the class. Staten is only 5-foot-9, but he has a great feel for the game, and is a stud on the floor. OSU is deciding if they want to offer. He goes to Thurgood Marshall High School in Dayton, Ohio.

Jared Sullinger: The top player in the class is already an OSU commitment. He is a stud power forward who is developing his already refined skill set. He attends Northland High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Cameron Wright: Wright is also probably one of the top five in Ohio's 2010 class. He is very athletic with a perimeter game that is beginning to come along. Wright is another one to really watch in terms of possibly getting an offer. He attends Benedictine High School in Cleveland, Ohio.

Stevie Taylor: The top point guard in the 2011 class, and one of the best nationally. He is very small, but he has unreal feel for the game and a nice shot from the outside. He attends Gahanna Lincoln High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Shane Behanon: The wildcard of the class, Behanon was a top five player nationally in the 2012 class before accelerating into 2011. He is a stud combo forward. He attends Aiken High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Paul Honigford: The son of a former OSU player, Honingford, attends Garaway High School in Sugar Creek, Ohio.

Jehvon Clarke: Clarke is 6-foot off guard who attends Timken High School in Akron, Ohio.

Ricky Johnson: Johnson is a 5-foot-7 point guard who attends St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

The future looks bright

According to Rob Taylor the future of Ohio basketball is looking as bright as ever. "The 2011 class is comparable to the 2010 class. The 2009 class is a little down, but the 2011 class is very strong. 2012 also looks comparable to the 2011 class. It is a little early to know where all the players will rank; their spots are not yet defined in the class. The 2011 class has multiple teams that have medaled every year at nationals. (Ohio) has done very well at nationals with both the 2011 and 2010 classes."

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