Summer Stock Boosters: 2019 Bigs (Part 2)
With the final live periods coming to a close a couple weeks ago, it’s now time to take an in depth look at some of the biggest stock boosters in Virginia throughout the entire AAU season. The lists compiled will…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the final live periods coming to a close a couple weeks ago, it’s now time to take an in depth look at some of the biggest stock boosters in Virginia throughout the entire AAU season. The lists compiled will be organized based on year and position, and will only include players that have open recruitments and have yet to make a verbal commitment. It’s impossible for us to mention every kid that boosted their stock throughout the summer, but we’ve narrowed down some of the players that took the biggest jumps in improvement and interest from colleges. Here’s part two of the 2019 bigs.
Detionne Leach | 6’5” | Kecoughtan/BWSL Berry
Vantage Hoops Ranking: #32
Long, athletic and skilled, Leach has the chance to be a high level player, especially if he works on his ball handling to transition to the wing. In the open floor Leach is good because he can get up and down like a wing, and defensively he forces turnovers and rebounds with his length. If he grows a couple inches he could be a versatile four man, but right now it looks like his best option is to continue to develop his perimeter skill set so he can possibly become a three down the road.
Josh Oduro | 6’7” | Battlefield/VA Elite 17U
Vantage Hoops Ranking: #38
Possibly the biggest surprise of the summer, Oduro came out of a nowhere to be an absolute stud for Virginia Elite’s 17U team, the first player that Head Coach Thomas Gadson claims to let play up two years for the program. He has a great skill set for his size, as he can put it on the floor, shoots it well from the midrange and can guard multiple positions. He’s in the middle of a growth spurt right now, which means he could still have a few inches left to grow still. He has to get his body right and lose some baby fat, but he’s a true rising sophomore that should see a lot of time for a talented Battlefield team this year.
Dominique Finney | 6’5” | Armstrong/River City Reign
Vantage Hoops Ranking : #40
Finney showed a lot of skill set early in the summer with River City Reign, but also showed the tendencies of young players such as a quick temper and becoming less engaged when things weren’t going his way. Still, he’s a super long forward that can rebound, block shots and can put it on the floor in face up situations. He has the potential to be a very good player moving forward if he can stay focused on getting better and helping his team win ball games.
Antonio Pelham | 6’5” | Fork Union/Team Loaded 434
Vantage Hoops Ranking: #48
We didn’t know too much about Pelham before this summer, but he showed flashes all summer for Loaded 434 at the four spot. His biggest asset is his range and consistency from deep, something that makes teams take a different approach to defending the entire team. He’s a good athlete that can guard multiple positions and rebounds well in the middle. What bolds well for him is the trend of positionless players that can all shoot, dribble and pass, which means he needs to continue to work on his perimeter skill set on both ends so he can play multiple positions in the future.
Jalen Jordan | 6’4” | Benedictine/River City Reign
Vantage Hoops Ranking: #55
He’s young and still growing so he isn’t fully developed, but Jordan plays so hard on every play and competes with the best of them. He has pretty good hands, attacks the glass hard on both ends and has a soft touch on the block. His high motor and work ethic mean that while he’s still a project, there’s a good chance that when he’s finished growing he’ll take a big leap in skill set. When you put it all together, it bolds well for the young big prospect moving forward.