Ohio State back in the game for Versailles’ Justin Ahrens?

Versailles basketball star Justin Ahrens is one of the three verbal commitments Ohio State lost since the end of last season.

Could he still end up playing for the Buckeyes?

The four-star senior tweeted Monday night he has received a scholarship offer from new OSU coach Chris Holtmann.

🌰🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/dYCFhW2yDH— Justin Ahrens•• (@ahrensjustin12) July 18, 2017

Ahrens is the No. 6-ranked player in the state of Ohio and the second-highest-rated player who is not verbally committed (trailing Cleveland Holy Name point guard Dwayne Cohill).

The 6-5 Tigers standout, who was the MAC Player of the Year last season, has more than a dozen offers, including one from Missouri that also came Monday and one last week from Xavier.

RELATED: Former Michigan player reportedly set to become a Buckeye

After Ohio State parted ways with long-time coach Thad Matta last month, Ahrens announced he was re-opening his recruitment but would still consider the Buckeyes. That same day he also shared that he had received an offer from first-year Dayton coach Anthony Grant.

RELATED: Flyers offer Versailles star same day he re-opens recruitment

News of Holtmann’s offering Ahrens news comes the same day Pickerington North forward Jerome Hunter, a top target of the Buckeyes and the No. 2-ranked player in Ohio, verbally committed to Indiana.

The other two former Ohio State commits for 2018, Dane Goodwin of Upper Arlington and Darius Bazley of Princeton, have announced plans to attend Notre Dame and Syracuse, respectively.

Bazley is the state’s top prospect while Goodwin is No. 5.

Ahrens’ brother Kyle is a junior at Michigan State.

FLASHBACK: Justin Ahrens talks about his season, watching Buckeyes beat his brother

Ohio State has one verbal commit for 2018 (four-star guard Torrence Watson of St. Louis), but guard remains a big area of need for the Buckeyes.

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