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Ohio State didn’t let the recruitment of the top ranked junior in its state bleed into the travel season as Alonzo Gaffney pledged to the Big Ten program on Tuesday. A five-star prospect and one of the top upside recruits in the 2019 class, Gaffney is a tremendous addition for the Buckeyes.

“(Coach Chris Holtmann) is trying to get the Ohio guys; he wants people with Ohio passion. I don't think they have a lot of Ohio guys on their team right now, but he wants to build his program around Ohio guys and people that love Ohio,” Gaffney told BuckeyeGrove.com.

A 6-foot-8 prospect that can play either forward position, Gaffney evolved into a national prospect last summer. Sporting over a 7-foot wingspan, there are major similarities between the five-star junior and last season’s star, Keita Bates-Diop.

Capable of creating his own shot, rebounding in traffic and defending multiple positions, there is still some time to go before Gaffney touches his basketball ceiling. Since the summer, Gaffney has grown another inch and has begun to polish his ball skills. Remaining a more consistent offensive weapon and showing more toughness are his more pressing needs.

The Buckeyes defeated Michigan State, Georgetown and a handful of others for his their first pledge of the class. North Carolina had remained in touch and an offer this spring may have changed the complexion of his recruitment.

Holtmann and his staff remain active in the grad-transfer market this spring and recently added the commitment of Indiana native and Florida State transfer guard CJ Walker, a former Rivals150 prospect that will sit out next season before seeing his eligibility restart in the fall of 2019.