Through two regular season games, Shannon Scott leads the country with his 12.5 assist average. Considering the small sample size, a drop off will likely occur, but the senior point guard has always been an efficient player.
Meanwhile, D'Angelo Russell struggled while initiating much of the offense in the first half of Tuesday's game against Marquette (Scott's relatively low usage percentage makes his 14 assists even more impressive). Russell's ball handling problems in that game are magnified, simply because it was the first time most fans – the ones who didn't want to pay $10 a month to watch the UMass-Lowell game – saw him play live.
Truth is, Russell is a gifted playmaker and, eventually, that will be evident. With his range, he's even more dangerous with the ball in his hands than Scott. Between the two of them, Buckeye fans should be reasonably confident in their abilities to run the offense.
With Scott graduating and Russell's NBA first round pick potential, that could leave 2015 signee A.J. Harris as the only trustworthy point guard on the roster next season, however. He'll be a freshman, so the extent to which Matta will let him dominate the ball remains to be seen. Last week, Matta said Mickey Mitchell is also capable of playing point but he'll also be a freshman.
So, finding another point guard is a priority. It might not be immediate help, but enter Dennis Smith Jr., a name which may be familiar to basketball recruiting enthusiasts but not necessarily Buckeye fans. According to 247Sports' Composite Rankings, Smith Jr. is the No. 1 point guard in the 2016 class and a clear five-star recruit.
In his USA Today blog, Smith Jr. said, "Lately, I’ve been talking to Ohio State a lot more too." It published Nov. 13 and, the following Wednesday, OSU planned a visit with him:
Ohio State will be in on Wednesday to see 2016 PG Dennis Smith of Trinity Christian (NC). @Jhooper_3
— Justin Byerly (@Justinbyerly) November 17, 2014
Future150.com's scouting report calls him a "magician with the ball in his hands," certainly a good omen for whomever lands his commitment. While the home state Duke Blue Devils and North Carolina Tar Heels might have the inside track, here's a peek at Smith Jr.'s magic, in case the Buckeyes' recruitment continues to heat up:
Freshmen Visitors
Two weeks ago, the notebook covered Dane Goodwin, a high school freshman who received an Ohio State offer before he played in a varsity game.
It's rare for Matta to extend an offer a player that young, but it is more common for coaches to display interest in those players early in their high school careers. The latter is the case for two recent visitors.
Class of 2018 and Columbus City Prep forward Jerome Hunter visited for the UMass-Lowell game. He spoke with Prep Hoops Ohio's Zach Fleer about it.
"The visit was great," he said. "[I] watched the game and went to the locker room and talked to some of the players and coaches."
According to the article, the 6-foot-6-inch Hunter considers himself a stretch-four at the next level and isn't finished growing. He recently had a breakout performance at the All-Ohio Nike City Series event:
'18 Columbus City Prep forward Jerome Hunter has show a ton of promise today. Skilled 6'6 freshman who can make shots and has great touch.
— Corey Albertson (@Corey_Albertson) October 26, 2014
Earlier in November, 2018 guard Greg Dolan (Williamsville, New York) visited for the Illinois game:
Two great Greg's! 2018 Greg Dolan-Williamsville, NY with @Greg_Paulus at the Buckeye football game! #FloorGenerals pic.twitter.com/CoFbtd5qii
— CityRocksBasketball (@TheCityRocks) November 2, 2014
