How Ohio State basketball's Christoph Tilly could be missing piece for Buckeyes

Ohio State’s offense is hopeful to be more dynamic than it was last year.

Leading marksmen Bruce Thornton, who averaged 17 points last year and John Mobley Jr., who added 13 a game, return to bring the usual spark in points and assists, alongside their junior forward Devin Royal, who is also back this year.

But there is one missing piece to the jigsaw that Buckeyes coach Jake Diebler is hoping to finish ahead of the new campaign.

Christoph Tilly, a 7-foot center from Santa Clara, is a key transfer portal acquisition for Ohio State this season.

“He completely changes our offensive dynamic,” Diebler said to the Columbus Dispatch.

Tilly had 10 points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists without committing a turnover in 23 minutes in the Buckeyes’ 103-74 win in a preseason exhibition against Ohio last Sunday.

However, his numbers won’t count towards his record, nor do they mean much considering the level of competition. However, Tilly’s intensity will still be a cause of excitement for the Ohio State faithful ahead of the new year.

A skilled big man who can play comfortably with his back to the hoop as well as facing the basket, Tilly can be a matchup nightmare for opponents with his three-point accuracy too, going 31.5 percent (17 for 54) as a junior.

And Tilly will aim to give those fans – and coach Diebler – that excitement. When asked if he would flirt with triple-doubles this season, he smiled before answering.

“I mean, yeah, hopefully, but I think this is the way I read the game,” Tilly said jokingly. “If I see somebody open and that’s a better shot than I can get, I’m going to pass them the ball. They know I can pass.”

A native of Berlin, Germany, Tilly moved to Chile when he was six and started playing basketball at age nine. He has represented Germany at the national team junior level.

He had played previously for German powerhouse ALBA Berlin before moving to Santa Clara.

Tilly averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds while playing 22.6 minutes per game last season, earning himself second-team all-West Coast Conference honors in the process.

In 86 career games for Santa Clara, Tilly put up 9.2 points and 4.1 rebounds, starting 59 of the 60 games he played in during the last two years.

The big man joins fellow transfer players Gabe Cupps, who heads to the Buckeyes from Indiana and Brandon Noel, who joins from Wright State.

They all visited at the same time, which allowed the trio to get to know each other and the coaches and returning players at the school.

The Buckeyes get their campaign underway on November 3 against IU Indy.