Men's Basketball
Matta Signs Four Standouts
By John Porentas

OSU Head Coach Thad Matta has signed four players to letters of intent. They include guard William Bufford from Toledo, Ohio, Center B. J. Mullens from Columbus, Ohio, guard Walter Offutt from Indianapolis, Indiana and guard Anthony "Noopy" Crater from Flint, Michigan.

Bufford is a 6-6 guard who averaged 28 points, 12 rebounds and three assists last season will helping Toledo Libby to a 19-1 record. He earned first-team All-State recognition as a junior and was second-team All-State his sophomore season when he averaged 22.7 points per game and 10 rebounds per game.

Mullens, a 7-0, 260 pound center, averaged 26 points per game for Canal Winchester as a junior and scored 25 or more points 14 times with 30 or more seven times.

At 6-1, 170, Crater averaged 10 assists per game as a high school freshman, then followed up with with 9.8 assist and 12.7 points as a sophomore and 16.2 points and just over eight assists as a junior last season. Crater is a two-time All-State selection in Michigan and was voted the Class B Player of the Year by Associated Press as a junior.

Offutt averaged 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.1 steals as a junior. Playing in the same league that produced former Buckeyes Mike Conley and Greg Oden, the 6-3, 180 pound Offutt has amassed 824 career points, 295 rebounds, 240 assists and 136 steals in three seasons at Warren Central. With a season to play, he has a chance to become the school's career leader in all four statistical categories.

The-Ozone will have a further report on the signees later today after Thad Matta meets with reporters at 3:00 PM.

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