The WAR ROOM is back and this edition is full of football and basketball recruiting scoop! It's the final spring football weekend of the year and the Cavaliers will get one last opportunity to host visitors. We'll give you a feel for who is expected and who might be next to join the movement. We'll also talk about the not-so-silent commit UVa picked up and give you some ideas on who might be next to join the 2017 class with him. Meanwhile on the basketball front, we'll fill you in on all of the details coming out of the first of the spring's two live periods before we set the table for this weekend and tell you what coaches will be where, who they'll be looking to check out, and where things go from here.
As always, what's said in the War Room, stays in the War Room. Let's go!
Visitors expected tomorrow for the Spring Festival
At this point, UVa has four commits with another we all know has happened (more on that in a few). And that's a good spot to be in as the team goes into the final spring practice weekend and obviously the last chance for recruits to visit and see the team work, at least until fall camp.
Bronco Mendenhall and his assistant coaches are certainly going to do all they can to close out several guys on this list and that's especially the case with three-star Lake Braddock running back Lamont Atkins. Trying to decide between Northwestern and UVa, the former Vanderbilt commit is likely to be in Charlottesville tomorrow and before he leaves, we see the chances of him heading back home without having joined the fold as very, very slim.
Considering the numbers that Virginia wants to take on the offensive line, it's no surprise that there are several key big men expected tomorrow including three-star Highland Springs standout Mekhi Becton, three-star West Virginia native Billy Ross, Greensboro (NC) Dudley tackle Bryson Speas, and Paramus (NJ) standout and Navy commit Peter Nestrowitz.
We'll start with Becton, the OL MVP from the recent Rivals Camp Series stop in Charlotte. While the 6-foot-7, 300 pounder has a very nice offer list thus far, the buzz has been for some time that UVa was out front and most likely to get his commitment. This is a great chance for the Cavaliers to solidify that position....or more. We're certainly not saying he will pull the trigger but it also wouldn't shock us. Ross, meanwhile, is coming off a visit to UVa this past week and his return to Charlottesville is a very good sign that Garett Tujague and the Wahoos are probably going to be in this one for a while. Speas already told us following his last visit that Virginia was his leader so we'll be at least moderately surprised if he doesn't join the fold before the weekend end. And Nestrowitz, though we've had a tough time getting up with the 6-foot-3, 280-pound offensive guard for a full interview, gave us a very good impression about UVa's chances when we touched base with him a couple of weeks ago.
There are several other prospects that we've heard could be headed for Grounds as well but for now, we'll wait and see who shows up and confirm those from Scott Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
The Legacy in the Room...
Normally, silent commits stay silent until the commit is ready to announce and very few people know. Whether it was by accident or not, though, we basically all know who UVa's coaching staff was reacting to on Thursday afternoon in the video Mark Atuaia posted on social media. And that makes for arguably one of the weirder commitment situations that we can remember. And as of this morning, that video Atuaia posted at about 3:30 p.m. yesterday still remains up, which should be a pretty clear indication that there's no cause for concern.
Considering who the commit is and the fact that a number of schools had been showing interest in the legacy athlete (and even some rival fans who thought for sure he was headed their way), it's okay to want him to hurry up and announce his intentions publicly. But it's also important to keep in mind that this is his recruitment and he's allowed to do everything on his own schedule even if we all sort of know already. He doesn't have to announce anything just so those of us who runs recruiting sites can hit the final keystroke or so fans can be a little less stressed. Try to keep that piece in perspective leading up to his eventual announcement, which seems likely to come today.
Key DL targets pick up some big offers
Considering how well they each played at the recent Rivals Camp stop in Charlotte, it's no wonder that four-star Cox defensive end Jordan Williams and three-star end Matthew Butler each pulled in some SEC offers this week. Williams was offered by Ole Miss on Thursday. Butler, meanwhile, had a pretty crazy Thursday, adding offers from Miami and Tennessee. And it's easy to see why in these clips:
At one point, we thought Butler might be close to pulling the trigger but this probably slows down his process a bit. We still UVa as one of the teams at the top of the list, though. And on Williams, though some fans have worried that Virginia might not have staying power, we continue to hear very good things about UVa's chances leading up to his planned announcement in September.
Details on last weekend's live period
As we transition to the hardwood, we'll start with a look back at last weekend's live period, the first of two this spring. And judging from what we heard form our sources, four-star Gonzaga guard Chris Lykes was the story of the weekend.
Tony Bennett loved watching the 5-foot-6 guard work and seeing him play so, so well (especially against other talented players) solidified in Bennett's mind what we hear he'd been thinking about for some time. Sources have said that UVa wonder how much Kay Felder might be in Lykes' game, and they love the potential he brings to table given his skillset and the way he competes. There's also a feeling among sources that UVa has played this one perfectly, considering the Wahoos have been recruiting the kid for a solid two years now.
Given Virginia's lack of a specific need in 2017, this offer in hindsight looks more and more like a no brainer. Think what you will about his height but his overall play-making ability and the way he fits into UVa's larger picture are hard to ignore.
For all intents and purposes, while there might be a five-star guy that UVa would take, you can consider Lykes the top target on the board.
In the 2018 class, the name we heard most when asked who impressed the Cavaliers last weekend was that of four-star guard Prentiss Hubb, who also plays at Gonzaga. Virginia continues to like its chances with the 6-foot-2 shooting guard, though he might be a tougher pull away from other schools in the DMV.
One players that also left an impression on UVa? Four-star Charlotte (NC) Providence Day point guard Devon Dotson. Word we've heard is that Bennett first got a chance to see the 6-foot-1 guard the day before Anthony Gill's wedding and he liked him a lot. At this point, with Carolina having offered, there's some thought among sources that the Heels will be tough to beat but UVa seems more than happy to jump into the fray.
Lastly of note on last weekend among the 2018 kids, four-star Nashville native Darius Garland was out with an injury so the staff didn't get to see him in action. Word is that he's supposed to play this weekend but we'll have to wait and see if he's able to make it work.
UVa's plan for this weekend
Considering this is the last chance college coaches have to get out and evaluate players, there's a lot riding on this weekend. Here's how we've heard UVa will disperse its staff: Brad Soderberg and Ron Sanchez will be in Indiana all weekend. There, Nike (both the 16U and 17U teams in the EYBL) and Under Armour will be holding events that once again include most of the guys that the Hoos are tracking in 2017 and 2018. Jason Williford will be in Georgia as adidas holds it weekend event in Atlanta.
Bennett, meanwhile, will start his weekend in the Peach State tonight, head to Indy tomorrow, and then finish the weekend in Georgia.
The plan, according to sources, is to continue to see and be seen. We don't get the sense that UVa is looking to offer anyone but that the staff is more just continuing their evaluations while also making sure players know how much they are wanted.
Kispert visit feedback and thoughts on what's ahead
We touched on four-star 2017 wing Corey Kispert last week and then told you that the visit was happening and it went well, per sources. While it seems odd to some that he took these visits now, the word we've heard is that the family knew it was unlikely that he or the schools he's interested in would be ready for his recruitment to end. They just wanted to knock out the visits earlier in the process so that he didn't have to worry about them later. In talking to sources, it sounds like UVa was very clear with the 6-foot-6, 190-pound wing and his family that they like a lot about his game but need to see him more to know for sure if he fits.
So why didn't Bennett go see him this spring? Because when you consider the makeup of spring AAU events, which are dominated in terms of talent by tournaments that are exclusive to the shoe companies, a kid like Kispert who plays for a team outside that bubble won't have much talent to face. UVa will get a much, much better feel for his game in July when the tournaments are more open and players on non-shoe teams are facing top competition.
The thinking among sources is that Gonzaga might be the team to beat here and if that's the case, so be it. UVa doesn't lose much by having a kid take a mid-week visit in the spring. But if Kispert waits, he'll get a long look from the staff this summer.
Who's on the list to watch?
We'll once again start by highlighting the adidas kids, since they'll be in Atlanta away from the other two leagues. Three-star Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft guard Mike Okauru in 2017 are on the list to track as are 2018 four-star Concord (NC) Cannon School wing Jairus Hamilton and four-star small forward Nate Laszewski. Add to that list as well four-star forward Joey Hauser, the Wisconsin native whose older brother UVa was in on until very late, and a new name for the board: Four-star Spartanburg (SC) Spartanburg Day School small forward Zion Williamson.
In Indianapolis, the staff will be focused on Lykes, four-star Norfolk native Matt Coleman, and four-star South Kent (CT) standout Tremont Waters. We said last week how high UVa was on Waters but that one might be even harder to make work now that both Duke and Kentucky have offered coming out of last weekend's live period. Of course, UVa will also obviously be watching five-star forward Michael Porter and Mokan Elite again this weekend.
Among the 2018s, in addition to Hubb UVa will be keeping track of five-star guard Keldon Johnson and four-star Paul VI guard Brandon Slater. As we mentioned in this space a week ago, UVa continues to track five-star Westtown (PA) forward Cameron Reddish as well.
That is it for this week, and as always, what's said here, stays here!
As always, what's said in the War Room, stays in the War Room. Let's go!
Visitors expected tomorrow for the Spring Festival
At this point, UVa has four commits with another we all know has happened (more on that in a few). And that's a good spot to be in as the team goes into the final spring practice weekend and obviously the last chance for recruits to visit and see the team work, at least until fall camp.
Bronco Mendenhall and his assistant coaches are certainly going to do all they can to close out several guys on this list and that's especially the case with three-star Lake Braddock running back Lamont Atkins. Trying to decide between Northwestern and UVa, the former Vanderbilt commit is likely to be in Charlottesville tomorrow and before he leaves, we see the chances of him heading back home without having joined the fold as very, very slim.
Considering the numbers that Virginia wants to take on the offensive line, it's no surprise that there are several key big men expected tomorrow including three-star Highland Springs standout Mekhi Becton, three-star West Virginia native Billy Ross, Greensboro (NC) Dudley tackle Bryson Speas, and Paramus (NJ) standout and Navy commit Peter Nestrowitz.
We'll start with Becton, the OL MVP from the recent Rivals Camp Series stop in Charlotte. While the 6-foot-7, 300 pounder has a very nice offer list thus far, the buzz has been for some time that UVa was out front and most likely to get his commitment. This is a great chance for the Cavaliers to solidify that position....or more. We're certainly not saying he will pull the trigger but it also wouldn't shock us. Ross, meanwhile, is coming off a visit to UVa this past week and his return to Charlottesville is a very good sign that Garett Tujague and the Wahoos are probably going to be in this one for a while. Speas already told us following his last visit that Virginia was his leader so we'll be at least moderately surprised if he doesn't join the fold before the weekend end. And Nestrowitz, though we've had a tough time getting up with the 6-foot-3, 280-pound offensive guard for a full interview, gave us a very good impression about UVa's chances when we touched base with him a couple of weeks ago.
There are several other prospects that we've heard could be headed for Grounds as well but for now, we'll wait and see who shows up and confirm those from Scott Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
The Legacy in the Room...
Normally, silent commits stay silent until the commit is ready to announce and very few people know. Whether it was by accident or not, though, we basically all know who UVa's coaching staff was reacting to on Thursday afternoon in the video Mark Atuaia posted on social media. And that makes for arguably one of the weirder commitment situations that we can remember. And as of this morning, that video Atuaia posted at about 3:30 p.m. yesterday still remains up, which should be a pretty clear indication that there's no cause for concern.
Considering who the commit is and the fact that a number of schools had been showing interest in the legacy athlete (and even some rival fans who thought for sure he was headed their way), it's okay to want him to hurry up and announce his intentions publicly. But it's also important to keep in mind that this is his recruitment and he's allowed to do everything on his own schedule even if we all sort of know already. He doesn't have to announce anything just so those of us who runs recruiting sites can hit the final keystroke or so fans can be a little less stressed. Try to keep that piece in perspective leading up to his eventual announcement, which seems likely to come today.
Key DL targets pick up some big offers
Considering how well they each played at the recent Rivals Camp stop in Charlotte, it's no wonder that four-star Cox defensive end Jordan Williams and three-star end Matthew Butler each pulled in some SEC offers this week. Williams was offered by Ole Miss on Thursday. Butler, meanwhile, had a pretty crazy Thursday, adding offers from Miami and Tennessee. And it's easy to see why in these clips:
At one point, we thought Butler might be close to pulling the trigger but this probably slows down his process a bit. We still UVa as one of the teams at the top of the list, though. And on Williams, though some fans have worried that Virginia might not have staying power, we continue to hear very good things about UVa's chances leading up to his planned announcement in September.
Details on last weekend's live period
As we transition to the hardwood, we'll start with a look back at last weekend's live period, the first of two this spring. And judging from what we heard form our sources, four-star Gonzaga guard Chris Lykes was the story of the weekend.
Tony Bennett loved watching the 5-foot-6 guard work and seeing him play so, so well (especially against other talented players) solidified in Bennett's mind what we hear he'd been thinking about for some time. Sources have said that UVa wonder how much Kay Felder might be in Lykes' game, and they love the potential he brings to table given his skillset and the way he competes. There's also a feeling among sources that UVa has played this one perfectly, considering the Wahoos have been recruiting the kid for a solid two years now.
Given Virginia's lack of a specific need in 2017, this offer in hindsight looks more and more like a no brainer. Think what you will about his height but his overall play-making ability and the way he fits into UVa's larger picture are hard to ignore.
For all intents and purposes, while there might be a five-star guy that UVa would take, you can consider Lykes the top target on the board.
In the 2018 class, the name we heard most when asked who impressed the Cavaliers last weekend was that of four-star guard Prentiss Hubb, who also plays at Gonzaga. Virginia continues to like its chances with the 6-foot-2 shooting guard, though he might be a tougher pull away from other schools in the DMV.
One players that also left an impression on UVa? Four-star Charlotte (NC) Providence Day point guard Devon Dotson. Word we've heard is that Bennett first got a chance to see the 6-foot-1 guard the day before Anthony Gill's wedding and he liked him a lot. At this point, with Carolina having offered, there's some thought among sources that the Heels will be tough to beat but UVa seems more than happy to jump into the fray.
Lastly of note on last weekend among the 2018 kids, four-star Nashville native Darius Garland was out with an injury so the staff didn't get to see him in action. Word is that he's supposed to play this weekend but we'll have to wait and see if he's able to make it work.
UVa's plan for this weekend
Considering this is the last chance college coaches have to get out and evaluate players, there's a lot riding on this weekend. Here's how we've heard UVa will disperse its staff: Brad Soderberg and Ron Sanchez will be in Indiana all weekend. There, Nike (both the 16U and 17U teams in the EYBL) and Under Armour will be holding events that once again include most of the guys that the Hoos are tracking in 2017 and 2018. Jason Williford will be in Georgia as adidas holds it weekend event in Atlanta.
Bennett, meanwhile, will start his weekend in the Peach State tonight, head to Indy tomorrow, and then finish the weekend in Georgia.
The plan, according to sources, is to continue to see and be seen. We don't get the sense that UVa is looking to offer anyone but that the staff is more just continuing their evaluations while also making sure players know how much they are wanted.
Kispert visit feedback and thoughts on what's ahead
We touched on four-star 2017 wing Corey Kispert last week and then told you that the visit was happening and it went well, per sources. While it seems odd to some that he took these visits now, the word we've heard is that the family knew it was unlikely that he or the schools he's interested in would be ready for his recruitment to end. They just wanted to knock out the visits earlier in the process so that he didn't have to worry about them later. In talking to sources, it sounds like UVa was very clear with the 6-foot-6, 190-pound wing and his family that they like a lot about his game but need to see him more to know for sure if he fits.
So why didn't Bennett go see him this spring? Because when you consider the makeup of spring AAU events, which are dominated in terms of talent by tournaments that are exclusive to the shoe companies, a kid like Kispert who plays for a team outside that bubble won't have much talent to face. UVa will get a much, much better feel for his game in July when the tournaments are more open and players on non-shoe teams are facing top competition.
The thinking among sources is that Gonzaga might be the team to beat here and if that's the case, so be it. UVa doesn't lose much by having a kid take a mid-week visit in the spring. But if Kispert waits, he'll get a long look from the staff this summer.
Who's on the list to watch?
We'll once again start by highlighting the adidas kids, since they'll be in Atlanta away from the other two leagues. Three-star Raleigh (NC) Ravenscroft guard Mike Okauru in 2017 are on the list to track as are 2018 four-star Concord (NC) Cannon School wing Jairus Hamilton and four-star small forward Nate Laszewski. Add to that list as well four-star forward Joey Hauser, the Wisconsin native whose older brother UVa was in on until very late, and a new name for the board: Four-star Spartanburg (SC) Spartanburg Day School small forward Zion Williamson.
In Indianapolis, the staff will be focused on Lykes, four-star Norfolk native Matt Coleman, and four-star South Kent (CT) standout Tremont Waters. We said last week how high UVa was on Waters but that one might be even harder to make work now that both Duke and Kentucky have offered coming out of last weekend's live period. Of course, UVa will also obviously be watching five-star forward Michael Porter and Mokan Elite again this weekend.
Among the 2018s, in addition to Hubb UVa will be keeping track of five-star guard Keldon Johnson and four-star Paul VI guard Brandon Slater. As we mentioned in this space a week ago, UVa continues to track five-star Westtown (PA) forward Cameron Reddish as well.
That is it for this week, and as always, what's said here, stays here!
