Coming off the bench as part of Mount Carmel’s three-headed frontcourt monster, Rudusans was the most effective of the three while showcasing the full breadth of his versatility. Known as more of a floor-spacer when he first arrived in the States from his native Latvia, he showed his continued development as a rim-runner and interior scorer now that he’s added size and strength in the past couple years. He has great hands on the move and swift athleticism to convert efficiently once he catches. His blend of size and offensive portability should translate nicely to the Patriot League at Lehigh.

Previous Rank:35

-The recent Lehigh commit looked great at The Challenge a few weeks back and his body looks great coming off of injury. Rudusans will give OLMC a huge boost as a play-making forward that can shoot, pass and put the ball on the floor. What he lacks in quickness he makes up for in IQ and feel as he should help the Cougars keep the ball moving until their starting PG comes back from injury. Growing an extra inch or two, improving his handle, and sharpening his shooting mechanics should pay dividends this season and make him a player that should play early at the next level.

Another intriguing forward from the DMV who is on an official visit is Rudusans, who will complete his time at Lehigh through tomorrow. The 6-foot-8 native of Latvia brings size, floor-spacing, and IQ that projects well for the Patriot League and as a guy who thrives in a structured offense, there could be a real fit in head coach Brett Reed’s system. Rudusans has garnered interest from other Patriot League programs, but this will be his first official visit, so there’s always a chance a commitment takes place if he believes it’s the place for him. I’ll have an update on this front for next week’s notebook on where things stand.

Rudusans’ recruitment has started to heat up a bit since returning to school. A few Patriot League programs stopped in to visit the 6-foot-9 Latvian forward throughout the spring and has locked in an official visit date with Lehigh for Oct. 16-18. Rudusans brings size, floor-spacing, and basketball IQ as a prospect who should thrive in the sort of setting that the Patriot League has to offer. It wouldn’t surprise me if he makes a move up a conference or two before his college career is all said and done.

-Great to see Rudusans back on the floor after missing the last two summers playing for his national team and dealing with injuries. He’s one of the more underrated prospects in the area because all of the things that he brings to a basketball team. He’s got great positional size, can really shoot it from beyond the arc, is a fantastic passer, and plays with a high level of feel at both ends of the court. He’s in the right spot, communicates well, plays within himself, and scores within the flow of the game. Truly believe that MM coaches should be all over him as a prospect with a high floor that should be able to play pretty early in his college career.

Rudusans will end up being one of the more translatable fours in this class when it comes to projecting at the college level thanks to his size, IQ and shooting ability. The Latvian native is key for head coach Tony Martin’s complex system that includes a thick playbook with ample options throughout each set. Rudusans’ processing as a passer and willingness to move or space without the ball brings tremendous value and gives them the freedom to feature a lineup with size alongside Howard and 2027 Junior Mancho Junior Mancho 6'9" | PF Our Lady of Mount Carmel School | 2027 State MD .

-One of our favorite utility players in the area, Radusans has added in more speed and has grown an inch or two since the start of last season to serve as a versatile piece that can play 3-5 for the Cougars. Radusans has proven that he can hit shots as a pick n pop threat but has also added to his finishing bag around the rim on his rolls to the basket. His understanding of the game sticks out as a help defender that knows when to stunt at ballhandlers and when to tag, playing free safety off the ball to bait opponents into throwing passes he can steal or not throwing passes before his teammate can recover. Think he has some secondary play-making ability from the wing that hasn’t been unlocked yet on a roster full of guards, but that should change this season.

-One of my favorite players to watch in the area because he does all of the little things that go un-appreciated by most but lead to wins for his team: closing out defensive possessions with rebounds, hitting C+S threes in the flow of the game without sets being run for him, getting back in transition to protect the rim, helping guards navigate ball screens, making well-timed backdoor cuts to finish with two hands above the rim, communicating on and off the floor. With a good skillbase and great perimeter size, I expect his recruitment to pick up junior year as college coaches see the value that he brings to the floor.