VISAA Live Preview: VA Prospects (Part 3)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The June scholastic live periods are getting underway starting the weekend of June 16-18, and the DMV will be a must stop for college coaches. The annual DMV Live at DeMatha, Virginia Live Period Shootout (VISAA) and Alexandria City and the first ever VA Live by the VHSL will take place at Saint James, all within a 30 mile radius of each other.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We will take the next week or so breaking down the many prospects for coaches to take a look at in these events, and there's a TON of them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here's a look at part three of the VA prospects at the Virginia Live Period Shootout we expect to make noise at the event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dre Cowan | 6'2” CG | Hargrave Military '24</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cowan is an under the radar and talented guard for Hargrave's varsity team that could turn some heads during the live period. The Georgia native is a good athlete with a basketball frame that is a strong finisher when he gets downhill, he can make shots off the bounce from different areas on the floor, he handles it in transition and makes plays for others and he has a lot of potential as a lock down defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Deante Kearse | 6'5” PF | Hargrave Military '24</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1595577,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Kearse-Dante-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Kearse-Dante-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1595577" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kearse is one of the more productive big men that you'll come across, and despite being slightly undersized he makes up for it with his athleticism and high motor on both ends of the floor. He's a versatile defender who is a good rim protector and can switch and guard in the pick-and-roll, he runs the floor hard and is an athletic finisher, he is great in the midrange and he knows his game and is very efficient.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AJ Wills | 6'2” PG | S3 Academy '24</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1583810,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Wills-AJ-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/Wills-AJ-scaled.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1583810" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wills is taking another year at the new S3 Academy in Petersburg, and he's by far one of the most talented point guards in the 2024 class in VA. He's a natural athlete who has great speed in the open floor and a quick first step with the ball in his hands, he is an acrobatic finisher around the rim with great body control and the ability to finish with both hands, he can score the ball in bunches and he makes his teammates better too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='999648' first='Peter' last='Quaye'] | 6'6” PF | S3 Academy '24</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quaye has steadily improved over the past few years and is having a good summer where he's shown he's slimmed his body down and is able to play both on the perimeter and in the paint. The 6'6” forward is a strong player who can clear out space in the paint and finish in traffic, he can step out and he has good touch out to 18 feet and he still has a lot of room to improve with his best basketball still ahead of him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1489060' first='Alejandro' last='Ford'] | 6'5” F | Woodberry Forest '24</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1707413,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/59F070D8-2BA4-4F17-9A8F-2302A33346B4.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/59F070D8-2BA4-4F17-9A8F-2302A33346B4.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1707413" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ford has steadily been one of the more versatile players in the Prep League over the past year or so, and he's having a good summer so far with VA Elite and could have a good showing at the live period. The 6'5” forward is a skilled inside-out presence with the size and touch around the rim to finish, he can step out where he's a good shooter from deep and he can play and guard multiple positions as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1451945' first='Jordan' last='McConnell'] | 6'10” C | Woodberry Forest '25</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1707418,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/EAA004EB-5C91-465E-AF03-E4BB87ED9EC1.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/EAA004EB-5C91-465E-AF03-E4BB87ED9EC1.jpeg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-1707418" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McConnell may still be a project, but he's a very good one with a lot of upside as he continues to develop and improve over the next few years. It's impossible to ignore his size as he's a legit 6'10” and has a big frame that allows him to clog the lane and hit the glass, he has good touch both around the rim and when he steps out on the perimeter and he's a good passer for his position as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->