Virginia Basketball Recruiting: Class Of 2022 Prospects Hear From Tony Bennett & Company

By: Chris Horne |

Monday, June 15, was the first day Division 1 men’s basketball coaches were able to begin unlimited contact – telephone calls and electronic correspondence – with the class of 2022. Who were the Virginia basketball coaches in contact with?

A pair of in-state rising juniors were big winners on Monday. St. Anne’s-Belfield (Charlottesville, VA) sophomore wing Justin Taylor claimed scholarship offers from Maryland, St. Joseph’s, NC State, Marquette and Bryant. Virginia Tech extended a scholarship offer on Sunday, joining earlier offers from George Washington (Dec. 2019), Liberty (Sept. 2018) and Old Dominion (July 2019).

The 6’6”, 200-pound sharpshooting wing is rated by 247Sports and Rivals as a 4-star prospect and the no. 53 prospect in the nation in his class. St. Anne’s-Belfield basketball reported via Twitter that UVA was in contact with Taylor on Monday. The Hoos have not offered but have hosted Taylor on unofficial visits previously.

Varina (VA) wing Alphonzo Billups, a 6’6”, 175-pound prospect who earned Class 5A first-team all-state honors this past season, claimed scholarship offers from Mississippi, Texas A&M, Appalachian State, James Madison, Murray State, Old Dominion and Richmond. VCU was the first to offer a scholarship to the athletic rising junior, who also added Clemson and Temple prior to Monday’s bonanza.

Endless Motor Sports reported that Virginia was in contact with Billups on Monday. UVA has not offered but certainly is heavily involved, having hosted Billups on an unofficial visit for a game last season. Additionally, Varina coach Kenneth Randolph told the Richmond Free Press (click here for the article) that Virginia “really loves him” and UVA coaches “came to watch several of our games.”

Billups averaged around 17 points per game as a sophomore, helping the Blue Devils to a 19-5 record.

The only known rising junior Virginia has offered thus far is 5-star Caleb Houstan. Corey Evans of Rivals reports that Coach Bennett was in contact with the 6’8” wing, a native of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, who attends Montverde Academy in Florida.

Reported Contacts

Below is a rundown of those rising juniors UVA has reportedly made contact with on Monday, in addition to Houstan, Taylor and Billups. Highly regarded combo guard Chance Westry told Penn Live in this article that Virginia was one of seven new scholarship offers he received on Monday. We have yet to confirm whether the Trinity (PA) star has indeed been offered by the Hoos; however, we know UVA is definitely interested in the 6’5” rising junior.

As the scholarship situation currently stands, the Hoos project to have five open scholarship spots in the class of 2022. This will change, though, as UVA has yet to receive its first commitment in the class 2021. As mentioned in our latest Strategy Session, how Virginia fares in 2021 will have some impact on the strategy for 2022, meaning scholarship offers may be tight this summer.

Now, for the rundown of those class of 2022 prospects UVA has reportedly been in contact with since 12:01 a.m. Monday morning. (Note: I include the name, who reported the contact, height, weight, school, 247Sports and Rivals rankings when applicable, and reported offers. I will update the list throughout the week.)

POINT GUARDS

– Mark Armstrong (Reported by Andrew Slater)
6’2”, 160 pounds, St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.)
Offers: Bryant, Creighton, Fairleigh Dickinson, Illinois, Marist, Rider, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John’s, St. Peter’s, VCU

– Jaden Bradley (Reported by Jaden Bradley in his blog on Sports Illustrated)
6’2”, 180 pounds, IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) (Native of Concord, N.C.)
247Sports 5-star (No. 12 overall); Rivals 5-star (No. 8 overall)
Offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Boston College, Clemson, DePaul, Florida State, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, NC State, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, Xavier

– Devin Dinkins (Reported by StockRisers)
5’9”, 150 pounds, Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.)
Rivals 3-star
Offers: Bryant, Georgetown, Howard, La Salle, Penn State
Note: Dinkins took an unofficial visit to UVA last season.

– Trejuan Holloman (Reported by Jake Lieberman)
6’2″, 165 pounds, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, MN)
247Sports 3-star
Rivals 4-star (No. 84 overall)
Offers: Baylor, Iowa, Iowa State, Marquette, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Wisconsin

– Sean Jones (Reported by Zach Fleer)
5’10”, 160 pounds, Lincoln (Gahanna, OH)
Offers: Cleveland State, Grambling State, Houston, Kent State, Kentucky State, Mississippi State, North Carolina A&T, Ohio, SMU, Toledo, VCU, Wichita State, Xavier

– Aidan Mahaney (Reported by Andrew Slater and West Coast Elite)
6’2”, 160 pounds, Campolindo (Moraga, CA)
247Sports 4-star (No. 47 overall)
Rivals 4-star (No. 70 overall)
Offers: Arizona, California, Northern Arizona, St. Mary’s, San Francisco, Stanford

– Bruce Thornton (Reported by Jack Pilgrim)
6’0”, 180 pounds, Milton (Alpharetta, GA)
247Sports 4-star (No. 38 overall)
Rivals 4-star (No. 19 overall)
Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Bradley, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa State, Kennesaw State, Maryland, Miami, Morehouse College, Ohio State, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Xavier

WINGS (combo guards, shooting guards, small forwards, and some who could potentially be considered combo forwards in the mold of De’Andre Hunter)

– Noah Batchelor (Reported by Colby Giacubeno of Prep Hoops)
6’6”, 185 pounds, Glenelg County (Ellicott City, MD)
247Sports 4-star (No. 56 overall), Small Forward
Rivals 4-star (No. 56 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Bryant, Clemson, Florida, Georgetown, Marquette, Maryland, Memphis, Nebraska, NC State
Note: Batchelor visited UVA last year.

– Leon Bond (Reported by Evan Flood)
6’5”, 175 pounds, Wauwatosa East (WI)
Offers: UW-Milwaukee

– Jameel Brown (Reported by Andrew Slater)
6’3”, 150 pounds, The Haverford School (Haverford, PA)
247Sports 4-star (No. 78 overall), Combo Guard
Rivals 4-star (No. 81 overall), Point Guard
Offers: Auburn, Bryant, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, Richmond, Temple

– Chris Bunch (Reported by StockRisers)
6’6”, 185 pounds, De La Salle (Concord, CA)
247Sports 3-star
Rivals 4-star (No. 101 overall)
Offers: Cal State Bakersfield, Creighton, Denver, Florida State, Iowa State, Loyola Marymount, Massachusetts, Montana, Montana State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Rhode Island, Rutgers, San Diego, Seton Hall, South Carolina, Syracuse, Texas-Arlington, UC-Santa Barbara, USC

– Brendan Hausen (Reported by Jake Lieberman)
6’5”, 180 pounds, Amarillo (TX)
Rivals 3-star, Shooting Guard
Offers: Houston, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas-Arlington, Texas Tech, Troy, Wichita State

– Camden Heide (Reported by Ryan James)
6’5”, 180 pounds, Wayzata (MN)
247Sports 4-star (No. 32 overall), Power Forward
Rivals 4-star (No. 42 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Arizona, California, Iowa, Marquette, Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Xavier

– Isaac McKneely (Reported by StockRisers, who added that Tony Bennett was the one expected to make contact)
6’4”, 175 pounds, Poca (WV)
Rivals 4-star (No. 77 overall), Shooting Guard
Offers: Davidson, Iowa, Kansas State, Liberty, Louisville, Maryland, NC State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia, Xavier

– Judah Mintz (Reported by Jacob Polacheck of Zags Blog)
6’3”, 165 pounds, Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.)
247Sports 4-star (No. 72 overall), Point Guard
Rivals 4-star (No. 59 overall), Shooting Guard
Offers: Florida, George Mason, Georgetown, LSU, Maryland, Penn State, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

– Mark Mitchell (Reported by Tyler Simpson of Tyler Simpson of RecruitLook Hoops)
6’7”, 185 pounds, Bishop Miege (Mission Viejo, KS)
247Sports 4-star (No. 28 overall), Small Forward
Rivals 5-star (No. 13 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Arkansas, Kansas, UCLA, Wake Forest

– Tyler Nickel (Reported by Endless Motor Sports)
6’8”, 215 pounds, East Rockingham (Elkton, VA)
247Sports
Rivals 4-star (No. 76 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Appalachian State, Clemson, James Madison, LSU, Old Dominion, Penn State, VCU, Virginia Tech

– Joseph Pinion (Reported by Kevin McPherson of Hogville.net)
6’6”, 185 pounds, Morrilton (AR)
Rivals 4-star (No. 90 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Arkansas, Baylor, DePaul, Kansas, Mississippi, Oral Roberts, South Alabama, Tulsa

– Rodney Rice (Reported by Endless Motor Sports)
6’3”, 175 pounds, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
247Sports 4-star (No. 51 overall), Combo Guard
Rivals 4-star (No. 64 overall), Point Guard
Offers: Alabama, Connecticut, Georgetown, Howard, Illinois, LSU, Louisville, Marquette, Maryland, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Providence, Richmond, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Wake Forest

– Ty Rodgers (Reported by GOTTAGETIT HOOP CLASSIC)
6’5”, 175 pounds, Grand Blanc Community (Grand Blanc, MI)
247Sports 4-star (No. 70 overall), Small Forward
Rivals 4-star (No. 73 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Florida State, Houston, Marquette, Michigan, Ohio State, Rhode Island, Syracuse

– Colin Smith (Reported by Ani Umana)
6’7”, 190 pounds, St. Mark’s (Dallas, TX)
247Sports 3-star, Small Forward
Rivals 4-star (No. 58 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Baylor, Georgetown, Kansas, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, SMU, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA

– Chance Westry (Reported by Penn Live)
6’5”, 170 pounds, Trinity (Harrisburg, PA)
247Sports 4-star (No. 25 overall), Shooting Guard
Rivals 4-star (No. 27 overall), Point Guard
Offers: Arkansas, Auburn, DePaul, Florida, Georgetown, Georgia, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, VCU, Virginia Tech

– Tyrell Ward (Reported by Jake Lieberman)
6’5”, 170 pounds, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
247Sports 4-star (No. 77 overall), Small Forward
Rivals 4-star (No. 69 overall), Small Forward
Offers: George Mason, Georgetown, Georgia, LSU, Providence, Wake Forest

– Dariq Whitehead (Reported by StockRisers)
6’5”, 170 pounds, Montverde Academy (Montverde, FL)
247Sports 4-star (No. 20 overall), Shooting Guard
Rivals 5-star (No. 12 overall), Small Forward
Offers: LSU, Maryland, Memphis, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Wake Forest

– Cam Whitmore (Reported by Endless Motor Sports)
6’6″, 200 pounds, Archbishop Spalding (Severn, MD)
Rivals 4-star (No. 85 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Bryant, Creighton, LSU, Maryland, Maryland-Baltimore County, Mount St. Mary’s, Seton Hall, Saint Joseph’s, Southern Utah, Towson, VCU, Virginia Tech

POSTS

– Kyle Filipowski (Reported by Dushawn London)
6’10”, 215 pounds, Wilbraham & Monson (MA)
Rivals 3-star
Offers: Boston College, Connecticut, Marquette, Maryland, Providence, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Xavier

– Alex Karaban (Reported by Travis Graf)
6’8”, 200 pounds, New Hampton School (New Hampton, NH)
Rivals 4-star (No. 99 overall), Small Forward
Offers: Boston College, Bryant, Georgetown, Indiana, Marquette, Providence, Purdue, Stanford

– Ben Middlebrooks (Reported by Russ Wood)
6’9”, 215 pounds, Westminster Academy (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Rivals 3-star (No. 105 overall), Power Forward
Offers: Auburn, Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, LSU, South Florida, Virginia Tech

– Daniel Sanford (Reported by Nick Johnson)
6’8”, 210 pounds, Vance (Charlotte, N.C.)
Offers: Charlotte, Tennessee, Western Carolina, Winthrop

– Will Shaver (Reported by Garrett Tucker of Hoop Seen)
6’9”, 205 pounds, Oak Mountain (Birmingham, AL)
Offers: Alabama-Birmingham, Virginia Tech