VA Rankings Breakdown: 2017 Underrated and Under Recruited
The Vantage Hoops Virginia 2017 Top 150 Rankings were introduced last week, and now it’s time to take a closer look. Below is a breakdown of some of the most overlooked and under recruited players in the class in the class. Stay tuned…
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Continue ReadingThe Vantage Hoops Virginia 2017 Top 150 Rankings were introduced last week, and now it’s time to take a closer look. Below is a breakdown of some of the most overlooked and under recruited players in the class in the class. Stay tuned for more content, including 2018 and 2019 rankings, along with additional position-by-position break-downs, biggest stock boosters, and more.
George Mawanda-Kalema | 6’1” PG | Episcopal | #35 Overall
If you’re looking for a hard-working, competitive and smart kid to lead your team, Mawanda-Kalema should be somewhere on your list. After jumping on the scene at Hoop Group Elite Session 2 last summer, he transferred to Episcopal in Northern VA and helped lead them to a VISAA Division 1 State Championship. Mawanda-Kalema is one of those kids that lives in the gym and improves every time you see him. He’s poised against pressure, can shoot it off the catch or the bounce, reads defenses well and is always in help side defensively. He’s a leader and competitor, and is successful in the classroom as well making him a great target for high academic schools in need of a PG.
James West | 6’0” PG | Freedom | #37 Overall
His recruitment was stifled a little with the Christ School situation that had him and two other VA kids transfer back home, but West has been solid for BWSL WAWG this summer. The 6’0” PG is known mostly as a shooter, but he’s been highly effective running the pick-and-roll and creating for others this summer as well. A heady guy who may not be a “ra-ra” type of leader, West is still a great teammate that will put you in positions to win. He’s also a good student and produces against players bigger than him regularly.
Austin Katstra | 6’6” PF | Albemarle County | #39 Overall
Sticking with the theme of good students, the 6’6” jumping bean of a forward from Charlottesville sports an impressive 4.4 GPA. He isn’t the biggest or most skilled forward, but Katstra is relentless on both ends of the floor, hitting the glass hard and using his athleticism and strength to finish at the rim through contact. He’s a good set shooter from 18-20 feet, and can also pass from the high post. His ball handling still needs some work, which will make him more effective working on the wing and handling in transition, but he’s still a high motor kid who produces on the court and in the classroom everyday.
Terrence Whitfield | 6’3” WG/WF | Matoaca | #45 Overall
Whether he’ll end up playing football or basketball in college is still a debate, but he’s definitely shown that he cares about basketball as he continues to improve and has bought into his role with a good River City Reign team so far this summer. A wing who’s always had good size and athleticism, Whitfield has bought in on the defensive end and has shown that he’s capable of locking up perimeter scorers at multiple positions. He rebounds well, runs the floor and has shown consistency in his jumper off of one or two pull ups. As he continues to improve his outside shooting, he’ll likely see a lot of interest for both sports moving forward.
Anias Saunders | 6’2” PG | Eastern View | #50 Overall
Eastern View surprised a lot of people last year, as they went the entire regular season undefeated and won the Conference 19 Championship. A lot of that had to do with the emergence of Anias Saunders as their go-to creator on the offensive end. Saunders is a big and strong guard who uses his size to bully smaller guards when they pressure and when finishing around the rim. He’s a bully defensively too, and has shown consistency in the midrange area. He’ll be looking to lead Eastern View back to the promise land as a senior.
Dwayne “DJ” Hill | 6’4” F | CD Hylton | #61 Overall
Hill was one of the unsung heroes for a Hylton team that just missed a trip to the state tournament at VCU. A combo forward that can play on both the perimeter and in the post, Hill is a dynamic scorer that is hard to prepare for because he can get it done in so many different ways. He can shoot the three off of the catch, is a big presence on the offensive glass and creates mismatches throughout the game on switches. Expect a big senior season from Hill, and possibly a few scholarship offers as well.
Admir Besovich | 7’0” C | VES | #62 Overall
Seven footers don’t come around very often, and the Bosnian big man from Virginia Episcopal School is a legit 7’0”. He’s still raw, but he continues to show improvement in his ability to run the floor, finish in the paint and start the break with good outlets. He’s not the quickest or most athletic, but he uses his size to alter shots and rebound on both ends. He’s one of the biggest sleepers in the class, and if he can make a jump production wise his senior year against good competition he should see his recruitment pick up.
Jyles Webster | 6’6” PF | LC Bird | #66 Overall
Another forward who may not have the best size, Webster is as scrappy as they come. His junior season in which he saw his minutes for state runner-up LC Bird increase, Webster showed that he can be the physical inside presence that provides toughness around the basket. He contests shots at the rim, where he’s an above average athlete, and his strength allows him to fight for rebounds and make the hustle plays that help a team win. He’s an energy type of player that is coachable and works hard on and off the court. Should see a couple of offers before his high school career is up.
Sardarr Calhoun | 6’5” WF | Essex | #80 Overall
Calhoun makes his debut in the Vantage Hoops rankings at 80, mainly because we had never seen him play before this summer. The 6’5” wing from the small school of Essex is playing with Stef Welsh’s BWSL WAWG this summer, and he’s shown that he is a versatile wing with good size and athleticism. Defensively, Calhoun can switch and guard almost every position whether it’s on the perimeter or in the post, and offensively he can finish in transition, put it on the floor out of the triple threat and hit the offensive glass. We have to see more of him, but he’s an interesting prospect with a high ceiling for sure.
Oliver Lynch-Daniels | 6’2” PG | Oak Hill Academy | #89 Overall
Another kid that we were fortunate enough to see for the first time this year, Lynch-Daniels is a heady PG that can shoot it from deep and make plays for others when offensive sets break down. He’s had a stellar summer so far for JUICE All Stars, and while he doesn’t play on the A team at Oak Hill the coaches have raved about his work ethic and high basketball IQ leading their varsity team. Lynch-Daniels has a number of high academic schools, including some Ivy’s that are touting him, and as we see more of him I’m sure we’ll see why coaches like him so much.