Holtmann Inks Pair for 2020-21 Roster
11/15/2019 2:59:45 PM | Men's Basketball
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chris Holtmann, now in his third year as the head coach of the Ohio State men’s basketball team, announced Friday the addition of two student-athletes to the program’s roster for the 2020-21 season.
Eugene Brown III, a 6-6, 185-pound guard from Southwest Dekalb (Georgia) High School, and Zed Key, a 6-8, 230-pound forward from Long Island (New York) Lutheran High School, signed NCAA National Letters of Intent this week.
Brown III was the first player from the class of 2020 to commit. Brown, a native of Decatur, Georgia, averaged 9.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists over his first three years of his high school career, despite a leg injury sidelining him for most of his junior season. In five games as a junior he averaged 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
“We are really excited about Eugene,” Holtmann said. “He is a gifted perimeter player who has developed a great skill set thanks to many hours in the gym as a coach’s son. He plays the game with the energy and competitiveness we want in our student-athletes. Eugene’s athleticism and length will give him an ability to play multiple positions and provide us with versatility. It was evident throughout the recruiting process that he and his family fit what our program is all about. He is going to be a great addition to the University and we are excited to officially welcome Eugene and his family to the Ohio State basketball family.”
Key, who hails from Brookville, New York, averaged 15.9 points and 8.5 rebounds his junior season. He also was a part of the 2019 New York State Federation Class AA State Championship team (25-2), who defeated Chris The King, 51-31, last March. Key played in four games at the 2019 National Basketball Players Association Top 100 camp, averaging 13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
“Zed is a great addition to our University and program,” Holtmann said. “He plays the game with a high level of physicality and understanding of the game. He has been a part of championship teams in New York and it became clear early on in the recruiting process how important winning is to him. His toughness and work ethic have given him an ability to impact the game both offensively and defensively and will serve him well in Scarlet and Gray. His development and growth as a player has been impressive and is only going to continue to improve. We are excited to officially welcome Zed and his family to our Ohio State basketball family.”
No. 16 Ohio State, fresh from its 76-51 defeat of No. 10 Villanova last Wednesday in Columbus, returns to action Monday at Value City Arena against Stetson. Tip time is set for 8:37 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
