Ohio State just issued a three-paragraph release announcing that freshman guard Braxton Beverly asked for and was granted his release. At the same time, redshirt freshman forward Derek Funderburk has been dismissed from the program.

Here was the release:

"Braxton Beverly, a freshman on the Ohio State men’s basketball team, asked for and has been granted his release from the program, Chris Holtmann, Ohio State first-year head coach, announced Friday.

"The Ohio State men’s basketball program wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

"Note: Redshirt freshman Derek Funderburk has been dismissed from the Ohio State men’s basketball team for failure to meet team expectations."

These moves leave Holtmann and his staff with just eight scholarship players going into the 2017-18 school year. They have been working hard since Holtmann's hiring three weeks ago today to find scholarship players to join the team immediately as well as for the 2018 and 2019 recruiting classes.

Remaining scholarship players include seniors Kam Williams and Jae'Sean Tate; juniors C.J. Jackson and Keita Bates-Diop; sophomores Andre Wesson and Micah Potter; and incoming freshmen Kyle Young and Kaleb Wesson. Holtmann had recruited Young to Butler, but was able to get him to switch to OSU last week.

OSU now has as many as nine scholarships available for prospects in the 2018 and 2019 classes. The Buckeyes are also recruiting prep school guard Eric Ayala, who could reclassify to 2017 and enroll this year.

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