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2015-16 Ohio State Men’s Basketball Player Preview: Austin Grandstaff
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State men’s basketball season is right around the corner. The upstart Buckeyes will take on Walsh in exhibition play on November 8th. To help get you ready for tip-off, The Buckeye Battle Cry will be bringing you Player Previews leading up to the beginning of the season. Today, we continue with the freshman class.
There is a reason this incoming class has the high hopes that it does for Coach Matta’s Buckeyes. This is a highly touted class that can shoot the ball and should all play pretty good defense. Austin Grandstaff came out of high school with some four-star ratings mostly for his shooting prowess but has shown he is a more than capable defender as well.
Austin Grandstaff
Hometown: Rockwall, Texas
High School: Rockwall
Position: Shooting Guard
Year: Freshman
Height: 6-
Weight: 194
High School Awards
One of the top shooters out of the Dallas, Texas area he was the 17th best overall prospect by position and 7th best out of Texas. His relationship with Mickey Mitchell ebded up making a difference in the latter staying committed to the Buckeyes.
His scoring ability is one of the reasons he was on Coach Matta’s radar early on, and Grandstaff had this to say about his recruitment according to Cleveland.com
“He told me there was a need for me here,” Grandstaff said of Matta. “They weren’t recruiting me to come and play my junior year. They recruited me to come and play right away.”
Strengths
Grandstaff’s main strength that will be needed early on is his scoring ability. Referred to as the next Diebler at times, he has a quick shot that will help the Buckeyes perimeter game.
he was named to Raising Cane’s Chicken Bracket All-Tournament team at In-N-Out Burger Allen Holiday Invitational after scoring 35, 41, 40 and 53 points with 31 3-pointers in four tournament games during the event, It didn’t matter who those teams put on him, he kept scoring at will which is what the Buckeyes will need this season.
Weaknesses
Grandstaff has all of the physical skills to step in and cintrubute, but he will have to quickly develop his body into a college one. He will be defending players at the 2 that will be just as big and quick as he is.
He will have to stay with his efforts in spite of the lack of success he will have early on. This Buckeye squad may not have the time it will take for him to come along as it did for Diebler.
He will also have to figure out a good balance of when to shoot and when not to shoot, there has been a tendency to force the issue but it doesn’t appear its been a problem.
Role on the Team
The Buckeyes are going to need several players to step up this season. Grandstaff’s role will be a simple one, shoot the ball and help defend the perimeter. I see a good opportunity here for him to eventually be a starter, just not sure that it will happen early in the season.
The young talent on this team will be vying for the same playing time and if his confidence is shook early on, he could fade.
The post 2015-16 Ohio State Men’s Basketball Player Preview: Austin Grandstaff appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State men’s basketball season is right around the corner. The upstart Buckeyes will take on Walsh in exhibition play on November 8th. To help get you ready for tip-off, The Buckeye Battle Cry will be bringing you Player Previews leading up to the beginning of the season. Today, we continue with the freshman class.
There is a reason this incoming class has the high hopes that it does for Coach Matta’s Buckeyes. This is a highly touted class that can shoot the ball and should all play pretty good defense. Austin Grandstaff came out of high school with some four-star ratings mostly for his shooting prowess but has shown he is a more than capable defender as well.
Austin Grandstaff
Hometown: Rockwall, Texas
High School: Rockwall
Position: Shooting Guard
Year: Freshman
Height: 6-
Weight: 194
High School Awards
- Texas area 6A regular season scoring title, averaging 29.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists in senior season
- 2,200+ career points at Rockwall
- 2015 McDonald’s All-America nominee
One of the top shooters out of the Dallas, Texas area he was the 17th best overall prospect by position and 7th best out of Texas. His relationship with Mickey Mitchell ebded up making a difference in the latter staying committed to the Buckeyes.
His scoring ability is one of the reasons he was on Coach Matta’s radar early on, and Grandstaff had this to say about his recruitment according to Cleveland.com
“He told me there was a need for me here,” Grandstaff said of Matta. “They weren’t recruiting me to come and play my junior year. They recruited me to come and play right away.”
Grandstaff’s main strength that will be needed early on is his scoring ability. Referred to as the next Diebler at times, he has a quick shot that will help the Buckeyes perimeter game.
he was named to Raising Cane’s Chicken Bracket All-Tournament team at In-N-Out Burger Allen Holiday Invitational after scoring 35, 41, 40 and 53 points with 31 3-pointers in four tournament games during the event, It didn’t matter who those teams put on him, he kept scoring at will which is what the Buckeyes will need this season.
Weaknesses
Grandstaff has all of the physical skills to step in and cintrubute, but he will have to quickly develop his body into a college one. He will be defending players at the 2 that will be just as big and quick as he is.
He will have to stay with his efforts in spite of the lack of success he will have early on. This Buckeye squad may not have the time it will take for him to come along as it did for Diebler.
He will also have to figure out a good balance of when to shoot and when not to shoot, there has been a tendency to force the issue but it doesn’t appear its been a problem.
Role on the Team
The Buckeyes are going to need several players to step up this season. Grandstaff’s role will be a simple one, shoot the ball and help defend the perimeter. I see a good opportunity here for him to eventually be a starter, just not sure that it will happen early in the season.
The young talent on this team will be vying for the same playing time and if his confidence is shook early on, he could fade.
The post 2015-16 Ohio State Men’s Basketball Player Preview: Austin Grandstaff appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
