LaQuinton Ross
Life Center Academy photo
Ohio State's Thad Matta continued his incredible string of recruiting success Monday night when 6-foot-8 Mississippi wing
LaQuinton Ross made a verbal commitment to the Buckeyes.
Ross is the No. 7-ranked prospect in MaxPreps.com's Class of 2011 Top 100. He has experienced and up-and-down career after being pegged for stardom as a middle schooler.
A native of Jackson, Miss., Ross plays at Life Center Academy (Burlington, N.J.), where he averaged 16.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as a junior.
"I think he is going to be a perfect fit for the way Thad Matta plays," Life Center head coach Wilson Arroyo said. "He is a big wing who can shoot, slash and score. Look at what he did with Evan Turner."
Ross re-emerged as an elite prospect this summer after finally putting a nagging ankle injury behind him.
"You have to hear people criticize your game when they really don't know what is going on," Ross told MaxPreps at the adidas Super 64 in July. "They didn't know it was an ankle injury. I don't like to make excuses but that's what was going on."
Ross chose the Buckeyes over Baylor, Syracuse and West Virginia.
"He was ready to make his decision," Arroyo said. "They fit the style of play and coaching staff he was looking for. Initially, he was going to wait and do it when school started, but when Thad Matta got a little closer, he knew that was the coach he wanted to play for."
Ohio State also has a class of 2011 verbal from Shannon Scott, a 6-2 point guard from Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.).
