Doug Chapin: OSU hoops

Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta took some heat last season for using a short bench during the Buckeyes’ 31-8 season which included a share of the Big Ten Conference regular-season title and a trip to the NCAA Final Four.

In particular, he was criticized for not giving extended playing time to a group of heralded freshmen.

Returning starters William Buford, Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft were joined in the lineup last year by Deshaun Thomas, who had played the “instant offense off the bench” role the previous season as a freshman.

That left one starting position and Matta filled it — surprisingly to some — with sophomore Lenzelle Smith Jr. In addition, he used Boston College transfer Evan Ravenel as the lone player off the bench who got consistent minutes.

Freshmen Sam Thompson, Amir Williams and Shannon Scott were used here and there with mixed results and LaQuinton Ross and Trey McDonald rarely saw the floor.

It’s hard to argue with success and difficult to know if the Buckeyes would have been as successful using inexperienced players in key situations.

Regardless, this season Matta has to get those freshman up to speed quickly. Thomas, Craft and Smith are back and Ravenel also is a starter.

Thompson is the other starter, mostly because of his defensive ability and athleticism, and Scott, Ross, Williams and McDonald are playing regular minutes off the bench.

So far, the results have been OK for the most part. The only loss was at Duke and since then, the Buckeyes have faced several lesser opponents. In those games the sophomores have looked more relaxed and have played much better.

They will face another test Saturday when Kansas comes to Columbus. It will be interesting to see how much the team has evolved since the loss to Duke. And it isn’t just the freshmen who must adjust for the Buckeyes to have a successful season.

Craft is in a new role in which more scoring is expected. He appeared to be pressing in the second half against Duke, trying too hard to score.

Thomas, who has never seen a shot he didn’t like, also must come to grips with the fact that opposing defenses will target him with Buford and Sullinger gone. Against Duke he commendably tried to carry OSU, but against defenses geared to stop him he must realize a pass sometimes is the better option.

Ravenel and Smith also are expected to be more consistent this season. Matta must know what sort of production he will get from them in each game.

In the end, though, the five sophomores will be the key to Ohio State’s success. The best-case scenario: Ross becomes a dependable second scorer complementing Thomas, Scott takes some of the ballhandling pressure off Craft allowing him to play as a two guard, Thompson continues to defend and rebound with occasional scoring outbursts, and Williams and McDonald more than hold their own against the Big Ten’s bigs.

Matta has a tricky task in allowing these former high school superstars to play a fast-break, open-court style of basketball while focusing on the fact that in the Big Ten — and in NCAA Tournament play — defense, rebounding and turnovers determine who wins and who loses, not alley-oops and monster dunks.

Doug Chapin is a sports writer for The Vindicator. Email him at dchapin@vindy.com.