Breakout 2021 Prospects: Central/Western VA
We continue to look at some of the players who have made a name for themselves this year as we look at some juniors in the central and western parts of VA to keep an eye on. While these guys…
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Continue ReadingWe continue to look at some of the players who have made a name for themselves this year as we look at some juniors in the central and western parts of VA to keep an eye on. While these guys don’t play in the biggest markets in the state, they have really turned it on this year and made us very aware that they deserve attention, and I expect college coaches of all levels to like these guys this summer. Here’s a look at 10 juniors who are breaking out this year.
Ethan English | 6’2” G/F | Salem (Salem)
English is one of the most physically gifted perimeter players in the Roanoke area as he has a frame that’s well on its way to being college ready and he’s a natural athlete as well. He attacks the rim hard and can finish through contact and above the rim, he plays with a great motor on both ends of the floor and he does a little bit of everything to help his team. He’s emerged as a player to know in the Roanoke area.
Donovan St. Juste | 6’3” G/F | William Fleming
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St. Juste has continued to develop and grow as a player, and with the departure of some big pieces from last year’s Fleming team he has really took on the go-to role this year. He’s arguably the best athlete in the area, as he’s an effortless and dynamic leaper who can play well above the rim and catch lobs while also rebounding well and using his athleticism defensively. He has a solid skill set that includes the ability to shoot from deep and he’s just now starting to scratch the surface with how good he can be.
Brooks Hagadorn | 6’6” | PF | Roanoke Catholic
Roanoke Catholic is continuing their rebuilding efforts in the third year of Shawn Goode’s tenure as Head Coach, and he’s got some intriguing young pieces when you watch them play. One that stood out last time I saw them was 6’6” forward Brooks Hagadorn who has the ability to play inside-out and has a good skill set for his size. He can stretch the defense and is a good passer on the perimeter, he rebounds well and plays with a good motor too.
Cam Cormany | 6’2” WG | Radford
Cormany isn’t a new name in this area as he’s been a starter for Radford for the past three years and his Dad is the greatest coach in school history, but this has been his breakout season as he saw the two leaders from last year graduate and he’s stepped into the go-to role. He’s a shooter specialist who has deep range and perfect form off the catch, which allows him to get shots up quickly against closeouts and he’s both consistent and gets hot quickly. Hitting five plus threes in a game is nothing for this kid.
Kobe Jerome | 6’3” CG | Blue Ridge
The younger brother of former UVA national champ and Phoenix Suns rookie Ty Jerome, Kobe is starting to make a name for himself with his play at Blue Ridge. He isn’t as big as his brother, but he has the same great feel for the game and he’s one of the best passers at his size that I’ve seen in the entire state. He makes great reads against the defensive rotation, he can pass with both hands and he can make shots from deep off the catch.
Tyler Martin | 6’3” G/F | William Byrd
Martin caught my eye while I was bouncing around the Roanoke area during the Christmas season, and he looks like a college player with his all-around skill set at his size. He has a good frame and a great understanding of the game, he plays with a motor on both ends making hustle plays and rebounding well and he manages to get everyone involved and make the right play consistently. He picks and chooses his spots to score the ball but he shoots it well from deep and can score in transition as well.
Reed Pendleton | 6’2” WG | Cave Spring
I haven’t checked the stats recently, but I would be very surprised if Pendleton wasn’t in the top three in scoring in the Roanoke area after the start he had. The 6’2” wing is the definition of a shooting guard, as he has deep range and great consistency from deep, and he has good footwork and a natural feel for scoring the basketball. He has a good basketball IQ and moves well without the basketball, making him very tough to guard and game plan for.
Jahziel Mensah | 6’0” PG | Harrisonburg
Mensah may not be a name that many are familiar with yet, but in the Harrisonburg area he’s one of the top scoring guards and he can get it done against almost anyone. He’s a natural bucket getter at the point guard spot with good quickness of the bounce, three-level shot making ability and it doesn’t take much to get him going. He’s a guy that can hang 30 on you and then start dishing them out to his teammates when you start to focus in on him.
Josh Morse | 6’6” F | Albemarle
It’s been a “next man up” mentality at Albemarle ever since I’ve been covering high school basketball in the state, and one of the things they always seem to have is skilled big guys that cause mismatch problems. Morse is the next one of this group, as the junior has been putting up big numbers all season and making big contributions on both ends. At 6’6” he can stretch the defense and make shots from deep and the high post, he can defend in the paint and control the glass and uses his size to finish well in the paint.
Zymir Faulkner | 6’2” G | Charlottesville
The other public school breakout kid in the Charlottesville area has been Faulkner, but it isn’t that new as you saw the potential in him from a young age. A 6’2” guard that can play on or off the ball, he’s a naturally gifted athlete that can flat out fill it up off the bounce and makes others better as well. He changes speeds well off the bounce, he finishes well with both hands around the basket, he can shoot it from deep and he takes pride defensively where he can shoot passing lanes and gets deflections as well.