VA Live Shootout Preview: Underrated 2023s (Part 1)

It’s been well over a year since college coaches could get out and evaluate talent live and in person, and that all changes the weekend of June 18-20 when high school live periods begin. There’s tons of events going on all over the country, but right here in VA there will be a private school event hosted at Blue Ridge School outside of Charlottesville. We will preview the event in numerous ways, as we take a look at some of the 2023 prospects that I know of that hold division one offers already. Stay tuned for more including underrated prospects that could flourish and a look at other classes as well. Teams Competing The Avalon School (MD) Bishop O’Connell (VA) Bishop Walsh (MD) Blue Ridge (VA) Catholic (VA) Carmel School (VA) Church Hill Academy (VA) Collegiate School (VA) Fairfax Christian (VA) Highland School (VA) Miller School (VA) National Christian (MD) Norfolk Collegiate (VA) Peninsula Catholic (VA) Providence Day (NC) Rock Creek Christian (MD) Saint James (MD) STAB (VA) St. Christopher’s (VA) Steward School (VA) Takoma Academy (MD) Trinity Collegiate (SC) Trinity Episcopal (VA) Word of Life (VA) Underrated 2023 Prospects [player_tooltip player_id="999650" first="Isaiah" last="Coleman"] | 6’5” WF | National Christian <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/Coleman-Isaiah.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1138194" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/Coleman-Isaiah-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Coleman is one of the better unknown guys in the 2023 class in the area, as the 6’5” wing is brimming with potential and has tons of tools that are very intriguing moving forward. He has great size on the wing and a skill set that includes the ability to make shots from multiple levels, guard and play multiple positions and he is a fluid athlete with pretty good feel for the game as well. [player_tooltip player_id="1114068" first="Liech" last="Kong"] | 6’7” PF | Rock Creek Christian <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Kong-Liech.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1114262" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/Kong-Liech-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Kong is another intriguing prospect out of Maryland, as the 6’7” big is just scratching the surface with how good he can be and as he continues to develop he will be someone coaches will want to track. He has good length and is a fluid athlete that runs the floor hard, he pursues the basketball and plays with a good motor and he shows good touch around the rim and out to 18 plus feet as well. Soloman Ball | 6’5” PG | Saint James Ball could have been listed in the group with offers as he holds an early offer from Howard, but I think he fits more in the underrated prospects category as he is still pretty unknown for how talented he is At 6’5”, Ball is a dual threat lead guard that can initiate the offense and make others better while also being the top scorer on the group, he’s shifty and athletic off the bounce and he can fill it up in a number of ways, particularly in isolation situations. [player_tooltip player_id="1107851" first="Owen" last="Gray"] | 6’8” PF | Steward School Gray is another intriguing big man that coaches will want to get eyes on sooner rather than later, as the 6’8” big has really improved over the past few years and has had a great spring with Team Richmond too. He’s a natural athlete that can play in an uptempo system, he plays above the rim when he gets downhill and he can step out and shoot the rock as well. [player_tooltip player_id="999631" first="Aiden" last="Filipiano"] | 6’3” CG | Catholic Filipiano is the glue guy for a talented Catholic team that will move into more of a ball handling and initiating phase with the departure of last year’s point guard [player_tooltip player_id="798746" first="Sterling" last="White"], and he’s a guy who just finds ways to impact the game in positive fashions. At 6’3” he has good size and length at the guard position, he has great feel and instincts on both ends of the floor and he can pick and choose his spots to score it from all over the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="999651" first="Logan" last="Rhoades"] | 6’1” WG | Blue Ridge <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Rhoades-Logan-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1200283" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Rhoades-Logan-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Rhoades announced recently that he will be transferring to Blue Ridge next season from Mills Godwin outside of Richmond, and the 6’1” two guard has had a great showing with Team Loaded 16s so far this year. He’s a highly cerebral shooter who knows how to come off of screens and square up on the move, he’s improved a lot in his ability to create for himself and others off the bounce and he’s a smart defender who’s always in the right place at the right time. CJ McPherson | 6’3” WG | Norfolk Collegiate McPherson is a fast riser in the 757 area after reclassifying at Norfolk Collegiate the past year, and he’s been having a great spring for Team Loaded 757. A 6’3” natural scorer, McPherson is a tough guard as he can really knock it down from deep and gets hot quickly, he can put it on the deck in isolation situations and make tough shots from multiple levels and he just has a knack for being around the ball and making plays.