HoopState Virginia Tip-Off: Unsung Heroes

This past weekend The HoopState Network and Highland School teamed up for the first annual HoopState Virginia Tip-Off. We've already covered standouts on three articles but wanted to take some time to recognize some guys that do a lot of the dirty work for their respective teams but don't always get the recognition for that dirty work. These guys make timely plays at both ends and should find themselves on the radar of next level coaches.    Hatem is a classic glue guy for Broughton because of his outside touch and willingness to do whatever is necessary. He has a great pursuit of the basketball on the glass or whenever it finds itself available. With deep range and a quick trigger, Hatem helps provide a ton of space and a safety valve for [player_tooltip player_id='2292410' first='Jordan' last='Page']. Page knows Hatem will be shot ready off the catch at all times which is such an asset for off ball players. He's rapidly improved over the last two years and that should continue as he's clearly taken his development seriously.     Asare is such a key piece for this Highland team because of his ability to get to the paint and make plays to go with being a true disruptor defensively. He keeps you honest with his ability to hit outside shots off the bounce, allowing him to get to the paint at will with his quick first step. Not the biggest guard, Asare gets underneath opposing ball handlers and embraces every matchup regardless of who it is. He's clearly got the keys to this Highland team and looks to be more than capable for the task at hand. He'll end up showcasing his ability on big stages with HoopState and CBG all season long, inevitably seeing an uptick in recruitment.     Winborne does such a great job fitting in with who surrounds him. He's a quality outside shooting threat as well as a true two way connector. The chemistry he's established with [player_tooltip player_id='1280933' first='Kobe' last='Edwards'] makes life easier on both of them, giving Kobe that reliable kick out option in the half court or transition. Winborne is an active defender that is willing to play with a physical element to his game, allowing him to bring value to the defensive and rebounding aspects of the game. Winborne continues to improve, see his role elevate, and in turn, should see an uptick in recruiting traction into the summer of 2026.     Crittendon looks to be a reliable option in the Miller School backcourt due to his comfort with the ball in his hands and ability to score it from multiple areas on the floor. He can come off the bench and have an impact right away as a stabilizer on the offensive end. He showed the ability to knock down catch and shoot jumpers when the ball isn't in his hand. He also does a good job keeping his man in front defensively, just staying solid and sound at that end of the floor. Expect Crittendon to continue to carve out his role at Miller School this season and become more valuable as the season goes along.      Youngs is a two sport athlete at Broughton fresh off coming back from football but he looks to provide something that only he can in this lineup. He has really high level vision and feel with the ability to get by the initial defender. That will make [player_tooltip player_id='2292410' first='Jordan' last='Page']'s life easier and give the offense a great change of pace element. He might end up starting by the end of the year but right now he's a valuable piece off the bench that should continue to grow into a role as he works himself back from football and establishes chemistry with the group. On Friday night, he was huge as Broughton made a late push to upset Prince George Christian but came up short late.

This past weekend The HoopState Network and Highland School teamed up for the first annual HoopState Virginia Tip-Off. We've already covered standouts on three articles but wanted to take some time to recognize some guys that do a lot of the dirty work for their respective teams but don't always get the recognition for that dirty work. These guys make timely plays at both ends and should find themselves on the radar of next level coaches.