Recruiting Report: Daniel Peterson (2020)

Daniel Peterson, a class of 2020 forward from Hayfield, has improved drastically throughout his high school career. It's truly a testament to the work he's put in. We asked Peterson about some of the more recent improvements he's made to his overall game.

"I think I got a lot stronger since last year," he told Prep Hoops. "So it helps on the rebounding side, defensively and offensively, so I can push people out of the way and get to my spots. I also feel like my shooting has improved a lot. I've been a lot more consistent and confident shooting."

The main reason why Peterson's shooting has improved is extra reps. With his AAU team, the NoVA Cavaliers, he recalled putting up a lot of shots during practice and getting up extra shots after practice. Peterson's coach at Hayfield, Carlos Poindexter, spoke glowingly about his improvement and what he means to the program.

"Dan means a lot to us," he began. "Starting from when he was a freshman, I knew he was going to be big for us. I had him on JV then. Once he became a sophomore, I knew he was going to be the anchor around what we did. We had some seniors when he was a sophomore, so all I asked him to do was be a rebounder, hit free throws, and make layups. He has since transformed his game. He's shooting threes, and he's able to handle the ball now. You can tell that he's become a player. All the hard work that he's put in over the past three years is showing proof. I love it. As long as we continue to pay through him I think we have a good chance to compete."

On the recruiting front, Peterson says he is down to four schools, Washington and Lee, Gettysburg, Roanoke, and Mary Washington. He briefly spoke about what he likes about each program.

W&L: "It's of the best academic schools in the country. And their basketball team is pretty good, so that intrigues me."

Gettysburg: "They are on the rise. Last year, they had 4 wins, and this year I believe they already have 8. They've already doubled their win total from last year."

Mary Washington: "It's close to home, so I like that. They've had a lot of success this year. They just upset the #4 team in D3."

Roanoke: "They have nice facilities, and it's a nice place out in the mountains."

What is Peterson looking for in a school?

"I want to have a good coaching staff that can help me improve throughout my four years. I also want to be somewhat close to home so my family can come and watch me."

Before college, Peterson noted that he is planning to work on his strength, conditioning, and adjusting to the new three-point line, which will be moving back at the D3 level. Whichever school is lucky enough to land him will surely learn what his work ethic is all about.