DR1VEN 40 Standout Performers
The DR1VEN training group, led by nationally renowned trainer Damin Altizer, held an intense training workout for about 40 kids at St. Anne’s-Belfield in Charlottesville. The training session was brutal, as they put the kids through a series of high energy, high level drills for three hours, then the kids played live games after an hour lunch break. It was a good chance for us to see some under the radar talent, and a rare opportunity for us to see how the kids work out and which ones take getting better seriously. Here’s some of the standouts that Jack saw while he was there.
Matt Palumbo; 6’0” G (STAB 2017)
Palumbo had a solid year last season as a designated shooter last season, and with the departure of Javin Montgomery-DeLaurier and Jalen Henderson. Palumbo is highly intelligent, both on the court and off the court where he sports a 4.25 GPA. He’s improved on his ability to attack closeouts, and he showed a great work ethic in the skill development portion. He’s improved a lot since the end of the season, and I’m sure having Altizer on staff at STAB does nothing but help his improvement.
Raheem Anthony; 5’9” PG (Liberty 2017)
Saw this kid briefly during the season, and with an extended look at him yesterday my first impression of him was right. Anthony is an athletic freak. He’s only 5’9”, but end-to-end he’s one of the fastest players in the state, and he’s able to make plays on the glass and in transition that players his size shouldn’t be able to do. He’s a blur with the ball in transition, and best of all he uses his athleticism defensively to dog ball handlers the length of the floor. He’s also a good student, sporting a 3.1 GPA.
Dionavan Ramseur; 6’0” G (Highland Springs 2017)
One of my favorite things about these events is that I get to find sleepers and kids I’ve never seen before. Ramseur proved throughout the day that he was one of them, it’s just funny that he plays in my backyard. The Highland Springs combo guard was methodical during game play and hard working during skill development. He shot the basketball well, let the game come to him and defended well on and off the basketball. If he continues to work on his game this summer he could be an important piece for the Springers come high school season.
Josh Coffman; 6’3” WG (Western Albemarle 2017)
Another sleeper, Coffman and his Western Albemarle team quietly had a solid season making it to the 3A West Semifinals before falling to Northside. A wing with good size, Coffman is a workhorse that can do a lot of things on the basketball court. He can rebound inside and push the ball in transition, he’s a shot maker that moves well without the ball and he’s a smart defensive player that’s in good help position regularly. With a few other good pieces, it would be smart for local college coaches to at least check out Western Albemarle this season to see what they can find.
Dimitri Georgiadis; 6’8” PF (Benedictine 2018)
He’s been on our radar for a long time, and this is the type of setting Georgiadis needs to improve and get the confidence necessary to succeed. At 6’8”, he has a strong upper body frame yet he’s mobile enough to run the floor and finish above the rim in transition. He has good feet, showed a soft touch with the right handed jump hook and rebounded well on both ends. He was one of the most consistent and dominant performers in both sessions, and the growth in his game is starting to come together with time. He’s a workhorse, and as the reps and game experience come he should take a solid leap with his play this summer.
CJ Ford; 6’6” PF (LC Bird 2018)
Let’s start by saying this kid came to get better and showed a lot of toughness throughout the day. He forgot his inhaler, which his Mom brought to him 20 minutes in, but Ford didn’t miss a single drill and worked through the exhaustion still giving 100%. He sprinted to every station, took every drill seriously and even volunteered to demonstrated regularly. Ford is still raw, but you can see the improvement coming. He’s pretty mobile, rebounded relentlessly, defended the paint and even showed an improved mid-range jumper. With his size and work ethic, Ford could be a big part of LC Bird’s team when the season comes around.
Nick Price; 6’1” PG (Northside 2018)
We’ve been raving about this kid since he was a freshman, but the improvement continues to open eyes. Price has always been a quick point guard that creates off the bounce and defends the length of the floor, but he’s starting to shoot the ball better which makes him more lethal as a floor general because you can’t back off him or go under screens without him making you pay. Despite being one of the best players there, his work ethic throughout the day shows that he’s consistently trying to get better and he isn’t content with where he is now. Colleges are now starting to become intrigued, and it wouldn’t be too surprising to see some offers start to roll in soon.
Shey Webb; 6’2” WF (Northside 2018)
In the Roanoke area, Webb might be the most overlooked prospect because he plays with such a talented Northside team. He’s a tweener and doesn’t really have a position, but Webb produces wherever you put him. He’s a strong kid who’s capable of banging down low and rebounding, and he’s skilled enough on the wing to put the ball on the floor and create his own shot in isolation situations. He’s a good shooter, makes good decisions and finds ways to help his team win. His versatility is his biggest asset, as he can play and guard multiple positions on the floor.
Sam Neale; 5’11” WG (Charlottesville 2018)
Another local kid that seemingly came out of nowhere, Neale was impressive in workouts, and showed it was no fluke when the live games came around. He has that knack of just being in the right place at the right time because of his natural instincts and understanding of the game. He made shots from all three levels consistently, and in transition he was deadly in transition. As his athleticism continues to improve he’ll be able to stay one step ahead of opponents with his understanding of the game.
Dalton Taylor; 5’11” PG (Madison County 2019)
Have watched this kid a number of times early this summer and continue to be more and more impressed each time. Taylor is a coach’s son and you can see it in the way he works out. He’s always the first one to lead a station, pays attention to technique in drills and is always giving 100%. On the court you can see the teaching as well, as Taylor is a natural born leader. He’s vocal, understands sets and the movement of the game and always wants the ball in crunch time. He’s the kind of player that will step up and kill you every time it matters the most.
Malachi Poindexter; 6’1” WG (Louisa County 2019)
He just returned from a broken wrist, so he was limited and rusty, but you can see that Poindexter can flat out go. With a quick first step, a tight handle and great body control in the air, he’s able to get in the lane and finish through traffic with ease. He’s a three level scorer that’s potent in the midrange area, and when he learns to change pace and make the easy play he’ll be a tough matchup on the wing. He’ll return with Team Loaded 434 next weekend at the Hoop Group Southern JamFest.
Julien Wooden; 6’5” WF (Northside 2019)
With perhaps the highest ceiling of anyone at the camp, the 6’5” freshman was there to work and almost every drill helped him because of his possible versatility. Wooden has great size and natural ability with the basketball, allowing him to play inside and out. He can handle the basketball in transition, has a smooth stroke from the perimeter and is athletic enough to finish at and above the rim in transition. He still has to fill out and sharpen his tools, but his work ethic looks like that won’t be a problem. He has a chance to be special, and if he works at it you’ll be hearing much more about him coming soon.
Jordan Hairston; 6’0” PG (Bishop O’Connell 2019)
An absolute pit bull at the point guard position, Hairston was impressive with his ability to handle pressure, break down the defense and finish in the lane in traffic. He’s a strong lead guard with good feel and a tight handle, and when he attacks the basket defenders bounce off him like pinballs. He’s also a relentless on ball defender that gets after it on both ends. Whether he goes back to Bishop O’Connell or moves on to a new school, Hairston should be an impact player next season with more time and work.
Jabari Atkinson; 5’11” G (Glen Allen 2019)
Atkinson is a young player in the Richmond area that has a chance to be a very good player at Glen Allen. He can really shoot it, pushes it in transition and makes winning plays on both ends of the floor. He showed a high motor in workouts and was a very well spoken young man who was there to work hard and get better. He’ll be on our radar as the summer goes on for sure.