VA Recruiting Recap: 2021 July Offers

Although college coaches can’t be in person at grassroots events, there have been plenty that have taken notice through services and live streams and have started to recruit new guys in doing so. We will take a look at some of the recruitment frenzy going on right now, taking a look at some 2021 guys that have received offers in the month of July. [player_tooltip player_id="697101" first="Darius" last="Johnson"] | 6’0” PG | Episcopal 2021 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Johnson-Darius.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1024410" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Johnson-Darius-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Offers: Providence Johnson continues to add some big time schools to his list as he picked up Providence in July to go along with Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Florida, Alabama, Wake Forest and others. With multiple high level point guards in the DMV area having committed already, it seems like Johnson will be the guy that schools will come to if they’re looking for a PG out of that area. He’s a gritty scoring guard with great strength around the basket, he thrives when he can get downhill and get a head of steam and he can make shots way out past the three-point line. [player_tooltip player_id="957887" first="Markus" last="Ilver"] | 6’7” WF | Massanutten 2021 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Ilver-Marcus.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1024413" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Ilver-Marcus-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Offers: Wisconsin, VCU Ilver was one of the hottest mid major prospects over May and June and he’s starting to pick up offers from bigger and bigger programs as more see his tape. Ilver recently grabbed Wisconsin and VCU, two schools that he would fit seamlessly into with his mix of size, athleticism and shooting ability. He has all of the tools at 6’7” to be a productive high major wing, he shoots it extremely well and despite having success at high levels of basketball both in the states and in FIBA ball he still plays with a great motor and makes hustle plays on both ends. [player_tooltip player_id="798697" first="Isaiah" last="Folkes"] | 6’3” G | Putnam Science Academy 2021 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Folkes-Isaiah.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1024414" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Folkes-Isaiah-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Offers: St. Bonaventure Folkes won’t be in VA next year as he’s transferring and taking a postgrad year at Putnam Science in Connecticut but he did spend the past four years in VA at Stonewall Jackson and Middleburg and has emerged as one of the top point guard prospects on the east coast. It’s easy to see why he’s grown from low major to A10 and Big East offers, as he not only is one of the most explosive guards on the east coast he’s also improved immensely over time. He brings great energy and a good motor, he’s a tireless worker who has seen results and he can use his athleticism to make plays on both ends that other guards simply can’t do. [player_tooltip player_id="798688" first="Jaylani" last="Darden"] | 6’3” G | Norview 2021 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Darden-Jaylani.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1024415" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Darden-Jaylani-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Offers: Oral Roberts Darden is a guy who really would have benefited from a summer live period as he would have been able to showcase his ability to be a do-it-all glue guy for Boo Williams and would have likely pulled in quite a few offers. However, he still was able to add Oral Roberts this month to a list that includes Hampton, Norfolk State, VCU and Tennessee Tech. The 6’3” guard is a utility guard that can contribute in a number of ways including his ability to make plays in transition, shoot it from deep, rebound and guard multiple positions. [player_tooltip player_id="957951" first="Kobe" last="Jerome"] | 6’3” G | Blue Ridge 2021 Offers: UC Riverside The brother of Ty Jerome is starting to make a name for himself as he’s picked up four offers this summer, the most recent coming from UC Riverside. Jerome came from NY last year to help Blue Ridge win a second straight state title and was the perfect glue guy as he showed a great basketball IQ on both ends and made winning plays on both ends too. He’s a big guard that has tremendous vision and passing ability, he can make shots from deep and he’s a great on ball and help side defender as well. [player_tooltip player_id="957894" first="Kuron" last="Coleman"] | 6’3” WG | Woodside 2021 Offers: Oral Roberts Coleman is one of the most under the radar guys in the 757 and picks up his first offer from Oral Roberts after his showing in a camp this past week. The 6’3” off guard is long and a smooth athlete, he can shoot it from deep at a high clip and he understands the game on both ends very well. He’s a guy who’s always in the right position to make a play and picks things up very quickly as well. [player_tooltip player_id="697137" first="Caleb" last="Kenney"] | 6’6” PF | Douglas Freeman 2021 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Kenney-Caleb.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1016668" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Kenney-Caleb-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Offers: Sam Houston State, Millersville (D2 PA) Kenney is a guy I have been pushing to schools for over a year now and he’s starting to see his recruitment pick up both at the low major and division two level as well. He recently added a D1 offer from Sam Houston State to go along with Northern Florida, and a D2 offer from Millersville to go along with Lees-McRae and Fairmont State. Kenney is a long and athletic forward that can play inside-out and has a lot of untapped potential on both ends of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="697136" first="Jayson" last="Fain"] | 6’5” F | Carlisle 2021 Offers: NJIT, Millersville (D2 PA), Southern Wesleyan (D2 SC), Clayton State (D2 GA) Fain has been as hot of a prospect as anyone at the low major and division two levels, as he has picked up four offers in pretty much the last week. The 6’5” hybrid forward is a guy who brings a lot to the table with his length, athleticism and skill set and is a guy who still has a good amount of room to develop moving forward. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him continue to pull in the offers as time goes on. [player_tooltip player_id="798706" first="Cade" last="Looney"] | 6’9” C | Grundy Offers: Millersville (D2 PA) Millersville has been busy in VA, as they have been over the past few seasons, and Looney is a guy I think was a great offer for the D2 program. One of the most underrated and unknown prospects in the state, Looney isn’t from the biggest area but he’s a very big kid with a great motor and solid skill set that has a chance to be even better in college than he is in high school. He has good touch out to the three-point line, he plays with a great motor on both ends and he’s a gritty guy who should be able to get physical in the paint when he starts to fill out. [player_tooltip player_id="798759" first="Neil" last="Hill"] | 6’5” WF | James River 2021 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Hill-Neil.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1018182" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Hill-Neil-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Offers: Millersville (D2 PA), Southern Wesleyan (D2 SC), Clayton State (D2 GA) Fain’s AAU teammate is reaping the same benefits of him at the division two level, and for good reason as they’re very similar players. Hill had a breakout junior year at James River helping them to the state tournament and solidifying himself as one of the best all-around guys in the Richmond area. At 6’5” he does a little bit of everything, guards multiple positions and plays with a good motor and understanding of the game. He should see a lot more scholarship level offers coming in soon.