Veteran Ohio State Basketball Roster to Feature “Different Look” in 2020-21
Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann mentioned, through an optimistic tone, Friday afternoon about a Buckeye team that he readily admits will present differently on the floor this season.
With the loss of big man Kaleb Wesson, who is attempting to pursue an NBA career, and the offseason transfer of D.J. Carton to Marquette, the fourth-year head coach will rely on experience and versatility to help guide the Buckeyes through an unpredictable season.
“We are certainly going to look differently," the 48-year old Holtmann said. "When you look out on the floor, you don’t see a guy with Kaleb's size... but you do see a lot of guys 6'8". It could allow us to play a little bit different offensively. We’ve considered about five different offenses to run this season,I think most coaches have done that during their down time.”
Ohio State will be led by an incredibly veteran group that includes graduate transfer Seth Towns (Harvard) a pair of redshirt seniors at point guard in CJ Walker and Abel Porter (Utah State), true senior Kyle Young, redshirt junior Justice Sueing and junior Duane Washington Jr. Sueing was recently cleared after transferring in from Cal.
Kyle Young
“I’m really excited about coaching this group,” Holtmann said regarding the current roster. “I feel really good about our leadership with the older guys.”
In addition to the loss of Wesson’s inside presence, his perimeter shooting was what impressed the Buckeye taskmaster the most as he candidly called Wesson “the best shooting big in the NBA draft right now.”
As far as who will fill that role on the outside? Holtmann feels like it will be long-distance shooting by committee.
“That’s what we have to continue to evaluate,” the former Butler coach said. “I think it’ll be spread out among a number of guys.”
The new-look squad will most likely begin the season without Towns, a former Ivy League Player of the Year still recovering from a knee injury. Holtmann said the 6-foot-8 Columbus native is "making good progress" at this point but is not sure if Towns “will be ready when Ohio State begins (games) in November.”
Junior Justin Ahrens played in 31 games last year while sophomore E.J. Liddell gained valuable experience by hitting the court in 26 as a newcomer.
The Buckeyes are scheduled to lunch their season in the Battle 4 Atlantis (which has been moved from The Bahamas to South Dakota due to this ongoing pandemic) on November 25.
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