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The last time your humble blogger took in Jared Sullinger (#2 ranked recruit by most accounts), I may or may not have commented that he was the fourth best player to take the court during the state tournament in Columbus, and that even Zima had more hops than the 6’8 235 pound future Buckeye.

As usual, I’m an idiot.

On Tuesday night, the 2009 Mr. Basketball winner dominated the top high school team in the country, also snapping their 44-game win steak.  A few side notes about Findlay Prep out of Nevada:

Their program was started by a car dealer named Cliff Findlay, who also happens to be a big time college booster.  The players receive housing, food and tuition (it costs $17,5000 to attend per year).  The players also receive free laptops and travel over 30,000 miles per year.  It’s as if they were using Dave Bliss and Tim Floyd as consultants.

Coming into Thursday’s battle with 13th ranked Columbus Northland, Findlay’s all-time record was 75-1;  a number combination that sounds more like the odds of Thad Matt getting a 5-star recruit to stay past his freshman year.

The night belonged to Sullinger.  He demonstrated countless times why he may be the best player of his recruiting class. Despite not touching the ball in the post during the entire first quarter, he still had his way, scoring 32 points and grabbing 17 boards.  He simply did it all.  He showed up the jump hook with both hands. He showed off a face-up jab step pull-up move from 18 feet.  When he did miss, he beat everyone to the rim to complete the tip-in.  He owned the baseline on one tightrope move to the basket.  He was the lead guard in the halfcourt 1-2-2 trap on a few possessions.  He blocked shots and helped hold a team averaging 100 points a game to just 15 first half points.  He even drew a crucial fourth quarter charge.

But most importantly, he was 10-10 from the foul line including the game winning pair with four second left.

Former OSU assistant and current ESPN recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi raved about Sullinger’s performance all night. He also curiously referred to him as “surprisingly athletic” four separate times during the broadcast.  Which is like me referring to Biancardi as “surprisingly understandable” or “surprisingly able to land a basketball job after his embarrassing departure from Wright State.”  I realize Sullinger isn’t ever going to play the game exclusively above the rim, and that he’s called by some [me] as a cooler and much more tan version of  Tyler Hansborough, but let’s not act like the guy isn’t extremely athletic.  There aren’t a lot of guys out there at 6’8” with that frame that can handle the ball at the perimeter and get to the basket with a couple dribbles.

So how dangerous are the Buckeyes next season if they can somehow coax Evan Turner to return? Very.  Sullinger could have seriously started for OSU last season.  Add to the rotation DeShaun Thomas from Indiana and the rest of OSU’s 2nd ranked recruiting class and you’ve got a team that would rival OSU’s 2006-07  runner-up squad.