Top Stretch Bigs in VA
With the end of our Top 250 Expo season we will go back to looking at guys who do different things in the state and making lists across VA. Today, we take a look at some of the top stretch…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the end of our Top 250 Expo season we will go back to looking at guys who do different things in the state and making lists across VA. Today, we take a look at some of the top stretch bigs from across the state, with guys who play the forward or center position but can still shoot the basketball. Here’s nine of the best big shooters in the state.
Burke Smith | 6’10” | Trinity Episcopal 2020
The Boise State commit has shown great improvement over the past three years at TES, but one thing he’s always been able to do is shoot the basketball. He has good size at about 6’10”, he’s comfortable roaming the perimeter where he can both make shots and he’s a good passer and he’s a guy with a quick release who can shoot over top of guys as well. He’s far from just a stretch big man but his ability to stretch the floor is what makes him so special.
Sasha Gluskov | 6’11” | Blue Ridge 2020
The Russian native took some time to adjust to the game over here in the States but he’s set to have a breakout season this year for a talented Barons group. He’s a little thin but he’s filled out a good amount since coming over, he’s pretty nimble on his feet and he has a great skill set that includes the ability to make shots from deep and attack closeouts off the bounce. He’s a guy who will have to mature physically but with a redshirt year he could be very good moving forward.
Ben Li | 6’6” | Middleburg 2020
The Lehigh commit was one of the best players in VISAA D2 last year, and he’ll be the go-to guy this year with another talented but young Middleburg group. At 6’6” he’s a stocky forward that’s surprisingly explosive in the paint as he rebounds well and will put it down in traffic, but he’s also a guy who can step out and shoot the rock at a high rate. He plays with a good motor and his mix of size, athleticism and skill set is hard to match up with as he can play both inside and out.
Kai Kueper | 6’9” | Middleburg 2020
A native of Germany who will be playing alongside Li this year, Kueper is an under the radar guy who will be a steal at the scholarship level with his mix of size and touch from the perimeter. He’s pushing 6’10” with long arms, he plays with a solid motor and is a good teammate and he’s still developing both physically and with his game. He can let it fly off pick-and-pop and trail situations and is a solid passer from the perimeter as well.
Parker Huffman | 6’8” | Cave Springs 2020
Huffman is a guy who we have been tracking for years and just took a huge jump over the past year and a half and turned into a whole new prospect for college coaches. He’s become a dead eye shooter that can stretch the floor, he’s grown significantly and he has the length and mobility to rebound, contest shots and run the floor.
Isaiah Rhodes | 6’6” | Highland School 2020
Rhodes is built like he’d be a bully in the post but he really excels at stretching the defense on pick-and-pop and trail situations. He’s a big body in the paint who can rebound and has good footwork, but he’s a knock down shooter with good range that shoots it at a high clip. He can get hot quickly but also doesn’t go cold for long stretches when he doesn’t touch the ball.
Bryson Spell | 6’7” | Cape Henry 2021
Spell is starting to see his stock rise with a recent offer from Cincinnati, and he’s going to be a part of a young but talented Cape team that could get the program back to the level it was at about five years ago. He’s filled out nicely and seems like he’s in better shape and more confident in his game than he’s been in the past, and he’s the prototypical stretch four man that can make shots while spotted up and on the move. He has good length and can rebound at a good rate, and his ability to stretch the floor is compounded when you see he’s a good passer as well.
Dominic Strother | 6’8” | Central-Woodstock 2021
Strother is a very intriguing prospect worth keeping an eye on because he’s not only a good shooter at his size but he runs like a guard and can put it on the deck as well. He’s still lean and needs to fill out, but he has good length and good touch from deep, he can switch and play on the perimeter somewhat and can get above the rim as well. An extra year would be good for him, but he’s going to be one of the most productive guys in the state in his small market.
Luke Smith | 6’7” | Trinity Episcopal 2022
The younger brother of Boise commit Burke Smith, Luke isn’t quite as tall as him but he has an intriguing skill set for his size that should make him one of the most versatile bigs in the state moving forward. He has a build he needs to work on but it’s strong and he’s going to be more mobile now that he’s recovering from a knee injury. He can handle the ball in transition, shoots it well from deep and knows how to play the game.