The Ohio State basketball program had an incredibly disappointing finish to the season. They went from being a team that was firmly int he NCAA Tournament field to choking away that position. They ended up being one of the first four teams out of the field.
After deciding to decline an invite to The Crown, the Buckeyes are in the offseason. They will focus on getting some help from the transfer portal for next season. That's the fastest way to improve the roster. They will be getting some help from the high school ranks, though.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will be adding four-star point guard Marcus Johnson into the fold next year. He is part of the class of 2025 and is from Garfield Heights High School in Cleveland. He was just named Mr. Basketball in the State of Ohio in his final high school season.
Ohio State basketball recruit named Ohio Mr. Basketball
Johnson was named Mr. Basketball after an incredible senior season for Garfield Heights. He averaged 23 points, 4.5 rebounds, and four assists. His scoring ability is exactly what the Buckeyes need because they seemed to run out of offense when games got close late in the season.
It's a great award for an Ohio State basketball recruit to win. Now, he has to prove that he can play well at the collegiate level. He should make the backcourt much better when he comes in next season because he can score from every level on the court. His playmaking just needs to get a bit better.
Jake Diebler will be under a lot of pressure from the fans next year. This was just his first year as a head coach at any level, so he deserves some time to figure it out. Now that he's had that time, the Buckeyes need to end their NCAA Tournament drought next season.