Sabre Scoop: King Visits (Free)

By: Chris Horne |

Basketball Recruiting: King Visits

Paul VI (Fairfax, VA) class of 2016 small forward V.J. King said during last weekend’s Nike EYBL in Hampton that he planned to visit the University of Virginia this spring. More specifically, he said the trip was probably going to be in May. Well, the 6’6″, 195-pound junior moved up the date and actually was in Charlottesville yesterday. He tweeted that the trip was a “great” one.

King, who is rated a 5-star recruit by Scout, 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN, attended UVa’s home win over Louisville earlier this year. He has been offered a scholarship by head coach Tony Bennett and also boasts offers from Arizona, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Maryland and Ohio State, among others.

King spoke favorably of head coach Tony Bennett and the Virginia program in the EDGE report I posted on Friday. A native of Ohio, King transferred from St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, OH) to Paul VI his junior year.

Football Recruiting: Spring Game Visitors

In terms of uncommitted prospects, Stafford (VA) junior offensive lineman Josh Ball was on hand for UVa’s Spring Game on Saturday. Ball, a 6’7″, 310-pound prospect, has become one of the most highly recruited players in the state of Virginia’s class of 2016. Earlier this week, the standout lineman scored an offer from Florida State.

In our most recent update with Ball, his listed Penn State, West Virginia, and NC State as schools that have caught his attention early. He has since made unofficial visits to Penn State and South Carolina.

Class of 2017 quarterback Alex Faniel, who received a scholarship offer from UVa last summer, was on Grounds as well. The 6’5″, 210-pound signal caller, who recently transferred from St. Christopher’s School (Richmond, VA) to Glen Allen High School (VA), also boasts offers from NC State and Virginia Tech. Glen Allen also features UVa-bound junior wide receiver Cole Blackman, who was in attendance yesterday, too.

Other confirmed visitors for the Spring Game include…

UVa Class of 2015 Recruits (Incoming True Freshmen)

– Warren Craft, WR, William Fleming (Roanoke, VA)
– David Eldridge III, WR, Kettle Run (Nokesville, VA)
– Kareem Gibson, CB, Greater Johnstown (Johnstown, PA)
– Trace Halpern, PK, Brentwood (TN), (Recruited Walk-on)
– Eli Hanback, DT, Patrick Henry (Ashland, VA)
– Nick Johns, QB, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
– Patrick Kidd, OL, Hylton (Woodbridge, VA), C(Recruited Walk-on)
– RJ Proctor, OL, Liberty (Bealeton, VA)
– Myles Robinson, ATH, Good Counsel (Olney, MD)
– Christopher Sharp, RB, The Hun School (Princeton, N.J.)

Class of 2016 and Class of 2017 Recruits (Class of 2016 unless otherwise noted)

– Sonny Abramson, QB, Pope John XXIII (Sparta, N.J.), UVA COMMIT
– Josh Ball, OL, Stafford (VA), Uncommitted with UVa offer
– Cole Blackman, WR, Glen Allen (VA), UVA COMMIT
– Alex Faniel, QB, Glen Allen (VA), Class of 2017, Uncommitted with UVa offer
– Tre Harbison, RB, Crest (Shelby, N.C.), UVA COMMIT
– Landan Word, LB/ATH, Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, VA), UVA COMMIT

The below photo is from the Spring Game. Pictured, from left to right, are Josh Ball, Tre Harbison, Cole Blackman and Alex Faniel.