OSU men's basketball recruiting class ranked No. 17

COLUMBUS – Through a coaching change and prolonged period with nobody committed, Ohio State basketball ended up with a top-25 class when national signing day arrived.

Chris Holtmann, who accepted the Ohio State job after the Buckeyes fired longtime coach Thad Matta, scored a recruiting class in the top 25 in his first try. The Buckeyes still have one scholarship to give in their next class if they choose.

The class of 2018 – a hugely important one for OSU following the firing of longtime coach Thad Matta and the hiring of Chris Holtmann – saw the Buckeyes sign four players in a group rated No. 17 nationally by 247Sports.

Two players bore four-star ratings: Luther Muhammad, a 6-foot-3-inch guard from Jersey City, N.J., and Jaedon LeDee, a 6-foot-9-inch forward from Houston.

Duane Washington, a 6-foot-3 guard from Chatsworth, Calif. and Justin Ahrens, a 6-foot-5 forward from Versailles, Ohio, both are three-star prospects.

All four players committed within the span of a week earlier this fall.

“They all provide versatility and they complement each other very well,” Holtmann said in a release. “While we understand that there will be an adjustment for all four to the college game and that will require some patience, we are extremely excited about what they can grow into as Buckeyes.”

OSU’s class was sixth in the Big Ten behind Michigan (5th), Maryland (6th), Michigan State (10th), Indiana (12th), and Northwestern (15th).

The Buckeyes still have one more scholarship available in the class of 2018, if they chose to use it.

Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 419-724-6110 or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz