The NBPA Top 100 Camp returns to John Paul Jones Arena next week, with prospects arriving on Tuesday, June 13, and games beginning on Wednesday, June 14. This year’s event promises to be deep with talent, and from a University of Virginia recruiting perspective, there will be plenty to cover.
Below is a preview of those Cavalier targets expected at the Top 100. The Sabre will be on hand for coverage beginning Wednesday, so stay tuned for a number of recruiting articles this week.
UVA CLASS OF 2018 TARGETS AT THE TOP 100
POINT GUARDS
Devon Dotson, David Duke Jr., Quentin Grimes, Jahvon Quinerly, and Elijah Weaver are point guards head coach Tony Bennett has offered. Quinerly, a star out of Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.), represents the Cavaliers’ best bet in terms of eventually landing a commitment. He participated in the NBPA Top 100 Camp last year and visited UVA unofficially following the event. According to UVA Hoops on Twitter, he will do the same this year.
UVA appears to have no real chance with Grimes. The Cavaliers only recently offered Duke and Dotson. The latter seems to be a long shot. Weaver is considering taking an unofficial visit following the camp according to his coach. Virginia made his top 12 and a visit could help give the Hoos some momentum in this race. Getting a visit, whether this week or sometime soon, is the next step UVA must take with Oldsmar Christian (Oldsmar, FL) star. Without one, UVA is on the outside looking in.
WINGS
Musa Jallow, Keldon Johnson, Nassir Little, John Newman, AJ Reeves, and Zion Williamson all are expected to play at the NBPA Top 100. All have claimed UVA offers.
Jallow, Newman, and Reeves may be Virginia’s best bets at the wing position. Jallow has been a longtime target and the Bloomington North (Bloomington, IN) product has visited UVA unofficially twice before. We have not confirmed if he’ll make another unofficial visit this coming week.
Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.) head coach Freddy Johnson said Newman and the Cavalier staff were working on a June visit. Coach Johnson believed it was an official. However, nothing has been confirmed as of this writing. If UVA makes a hard push for Newman, the Hoos could have a great chance.
Reeves recently included Virginia in his final four list along with Louisville, Providence, and Villanova. Some feel Providence could be the school to beat for the Brimmer and May (Chestnut Hill, MA) shooting guard, but we’ll see if UVA can arrange a visit here soon.
Virginia is working hard with Keldon Johnson, a Virginia native who now attends Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.V.). Johnson attended a UVA game this past season and was visited by Bennett this spring. Both meetings seemed to go well; however, he has not mentioned the Cavaliers in some interviews this spring.
UVA does not appear to be in the picture with either Little or Williamson.
There remains an outside chance that another offered wing target, Noah Locke, gets in the Top 100 field. According to Team Melo Recruiting Coordinator Dwayne Wise, Locke will be one of the first called if there are some no-shows. Virginia has offered the McDonogh (Owings Mills, MD) star combo guard and will host him on an unofficial on June 30.
Additionally, Saddiq Bey, a wing prospect of Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.), has not been offered by Virginia but is being evaluated. He could be a name to remember later on this summer.
POSTS
Class of 2018 prospects with Virginia offers expected to be at the Top 100 are JRaan Brooks (Garfield H.S. in Washington), Darius Days (The Rock School in Gainesville, FL), Joey Hauser (Stevens Point Area in Wisconsin) and David McCormack (Oak Hill Academy in Virginia).
Rivals.com reports that Brooks will stay in Charlottesville for an unofficial following the event. This figures to be huge for the Hoos’ chances of luring the talented post from the West Coast.
Hauser has stated in many interviews that he plans to visit Virginia. However, as of now I think the likely scenario is that he stays closer to home with either Marquette (where his brother is a rising sophomore), Michigan State, or Wisconsin.
Virginia just hosted McCormack on an unofficial visit, so we’ll be sure to catch up with him for his thoughts on the experience and where he goes from here. Duke is among the other offers he is considering.
UVA was an early player with Days, but more recently it appears the Cavaliers aren’t in serious contention.
Class of 2019 Stars to Watch
Armando Bacot and Matthew Hurt are among the 27 class of 2019 prospects expected at the Top 100. Virginia has offered both of these players, who are both considered at the top of their class rankings.
Bacot, who stands 6’10”, hails from Trinity Episcopal in Richmond, Virginia. Hurt is a 6’8” prospect out of John Marshall in Rochester, Minnesota.
