AAU Spotlight: VA Blaze 17U

<p>VA Blaze came on the scene a few years ago and has been providing a great platform for players from the Harrisonburg area to get exposure on the grassroots scene. Started by Eastern Mennonite coach Chad Seibert, Blaze is compromised of players from all over the 540 and 434, and have had success in the past few years with a number of college players coming from their program. Here’s a look at their roster and a breakdown of some of their key players and some of the under the radar guys as well.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Roster</strong></p> <p>Mitch Burns | 6’6” PF | Patrick Henry 2020</p> <p>Kyle Evic | 6’4” W | East Rockingham 2021</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="815622" first="Trey" last="Gillenwater"] | 6’2” PG | Eastern Mennonite 2022</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="957912" first="Brooks" last="Haggadorn"] | 6’7” PF | Roanoke Catholic 2021</p> <p>Taralle Hayden | 5’9” PG | Millbrook 2020</p> <p>Jaxson Jameson | 5’7” PG | Broadway 2020</p> <p>Michael Kuanga | 6’6” F | Harrisonburg 2020</p> <p>Carmelo Pacheco | 6’4” WG | Spotswood 2022</p> <p>Nate Tinnell | 6’6” PF | Broadway 2021</p> <p>Jadon Walker | 5’10” PG | New Covenant</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Key Players</strong></p> <p><em>Carmelo Pacheco | 6’4” WG | Spotswood 2022</em></p> <p>Pacheco is a guy some don’t know about but will be on radars very quickly as outside of nationally ranked 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="815579" first="Tyler" last="Nickel"] he’s probably the best prospect in the Shenandoah Valley. A two guard with great size, he was the only sophomore named to the Class 3 All State team and is primed for a big junior season after he was slowed in the second half of last year due to illness. He’s sprouted up to 6’4” and he’s a guy who can really stroke it from deep, has a good IQ and work ethic and projects to be a scholarship level guy moving forward.</p> <p><em>[player_tooltip player_id="815622" first="Trey" last="Gillenwater"] | 6’2” PG | Eastern Mennonite 2022</em></p> <p>Gillenwater is a guy who should have a chance to be a scholarship level guard with his size and ability to run the show and be a dual threat at the point guard position as a guy who can score it and set others up. He’s highly crafty off the bounce as he can attack both ways, changes speeds and directions well and he can create space to make shots at all three levels. He’s a good decision maker with good size and is another guy primed for a big junior year.</p> <p><em>[player_tooltip player_id="957912" first="Brooks" last="Haggadorn"] | 6’7” PF | Roanoke Catholic 2021</em></p> <p>Haggadorn is one of the most underrated players in the Roanoke area and brings quite a few things that small schools at the next level would love. At 6’7” he’s an inside-out big that can stretch the floor and make shots from deep and is also gritty and tough enough to bang in the post and be a big time rebounder. He’s a guy who could thrive in the right system and will surprise coaches with his production and mismatch ability.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Under the Radar Players</strong></p> <p><em>Jadon Walker | 5’10” PG | New Covenant 2021</em></p> <p>Walker is a guy who should get some much needed exposure on Blaze and is a guy that small schools should be all over. The 5’10” combo guard is a guy who is a microwave type player who can get hot quickly and make tough shots from all over the floor, and he’s supremely confident in his shot making ability as he’s always working to get open and get his shot off. He has deep range and a quick release, and can absolutely fill it up in bunches when he gets it going.</p> <p><em>Nate Tinnell | 6’6” PF | Broadway 2021</em></p> <p>Tinnell is a throwback style big man that doesn’t need to score the basketball to be effective with his ability to impact the game in the paint with his size and strength. He’s a brute in the paint with good feet and good fundamentals defensively, he’s athletic enough to run the floor and he can finish in the paint on duck ins and on the offensive glass.</p> <p><em>Mitch Burns | 6’6” PF | Patrick Henry 2020</em></p> <p>Burns is an available forward who should be on college radars for schools that still need size. He’s a hustle and muscle type of guy who can bring physicality in the paint, is a decent athlete and plays with a great motor on both ends of the floor. He’s willing to do the dirty work and will do whatever it takes to help his team win games.</p>