DMV Roundtable: New Faces, Favorite Recent Commits, Events

<p>We’re back with another DMV Roundtable as the crew has been fortunate to get in the gym recently as see talent from around the region. We’ve also witnessed a group of commitments made by local prospects that we’ll address. Let’s get into it.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Kenney-Caleb.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1034578" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Kenney-Caleb-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">1. We’ve had the opportunity to see some quality competition over the past couple of weeks. Give the name of 1-3 players that caught your eye who you’ve never seen before this summer.</span></strong></p> <p><em>Giacubeno:</em> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="957033" first="Malik" last="Bowman"] is an intriguing prospect that I finally saw live a couple of weeks ago. He’s 6-foot-8, left-handed and has plenty of upside as a long-term prospect. He’s a smooth scorer with a good feel for the game and can cause problems as a defender anywhere on the floor. Bowman already holds offers from Bryant, Georgetown, Virginia Tech and Witchita State.</p> <p><em>Ayalew:</em> I think [player_tooltip player_id="697137" first="Caleb" last="Kenney"] from Team Richmond has been the most impressive new face I’ve seen this summer. The southpaw probably stands about 6-foot-5, but has considerably long arms and is sneaky explosive. Kenney has been a consistent producer for his AAU Club this summer and is deserving of some Division I looks. </p> <p><em>Wilson:</em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">I am going with 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="999651" first="Logan" last="Rhoades"] from the Richmond area. Rhoades, who is the son of VCU Head Coach, Mike Rhoades, was a standout at the Hoop Group Future All-American Camp. He obviously has basketball in his blood and that shows as he looked more advanced than a lot of players he was going up against at the camp. Logan is already considered one of the better 2023 shot makers that I have seen in the 2023 Virginia class.</span></p> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>2. 2021 commitments continue to pour in. Is there a specific one that you favor in terms of potential and fit?</strong></span></div> <div> </div> <div><em>Giacubeno:</em> I’ll take [player_tooltip player_id="902004" first="Jordan" last="Hawkins"] committing to UConn. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Hawkins-Jordan-Head-Shot-1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1010271 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Hawkins-Jordan-Head-Shot-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>Hawkins has steadily improved since transferring to DeMatha and growing into his body. He’s still on the skinny side, but has solid length and a 6-foot-5 frame. He’s an elite shooter and is becoming a very tough match up operating off the dribble. Under head coach Dan Hurley I only see Hawkins unlocking other parts of his game and doing so at a high level. The Huskies have reeled in some impressive commits over the past couple of months and sit well to be a force in the Big East for years to come. I expect Hawkins to be a big part of the reason why.</div> <div> </div> <div><em>Ayalew:</em> I believe Bishop Walsh’s reliable point guard [player_tooltip player_id="531258" first="Jalen" last="Miller"] will do well at Rutgers. Miller is a notoriously hard worker who has flown under the radar but still some upside. By all accounts, Coach Pikiell and his staff truly believe in him and will give him an opportunity to grow.</div> <div> </div> <div><em>Wilson:</em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This is a no brainer for me as I have always been a huge advocate for 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="836468" first="Devon" last="Savage"]. Savage just committed to James Madison on Friday and I absolutely love the fit for him and the Dukes. Expect Savage to get meaningful minutes as soon as he steps on campus in Harrisonburg. This commitment also gives the Dukes a lot of momentum on the recruiting trail for the DMV area as they are trying to attack this area.</span></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>3. Give your opinion on the fact that events are now being run given the state of the pandemic. This is likely the model we will have until the new year.</strong></span></div> <div> </div> <div><em>Giacubeno:</em> Given the current state of our country with the virus, it seemed impossible that there would be any basketball played this summer. The fact that programs and facilities are doing the proper due diligence in order to host and stream events gives the kids a much needed platform for exposure. In the events that I've attended over the last month or so, sanitation has been the top priority and each event ran successfully with no issues following.</div> <div> </div> <div><em>Ayalew:</em> <span style="font-size: 1rem;">As a basketball junkie, it’s good to be in the gym. My goal is always to help all kids, and given the bad draw that the 2021 class, in particular, has been dealt, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to get out and see live hoops again.</span> <div class="yj6qo ajU"> </div> </div> <div> </div> <div><em>Wilson:</em> <span style="font-weight: 400;">This is an interesting topic that certainly will have a variety of opinions around it. There are certain rules and regulations that must be followed in order for these events to take place and the ones I have been able to attend, watch on live stream and hear about through Twitter and word of mouth is mostly all positive. As long as the event directors continue to follow the strict protocols of social distancing, mask wearing and etc., I don’t see a problem with the events and I hope they continue to take place because these kids need to be seen for exposure. </span></div>