Recruiting Report: Andre Watkins (2017)
Feeling underrated and under appreciated can be used to motivate and fuel certain players, and Varina point guard Andre Watkins is one of those players, Over the past two seasons, Watkins has been at the center of a revitalized Varina…
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Continue ReadingFeeling underrated and under appreciated can be used to motivate and fuel certain players, and Varina point guard Andre Watkins is one of those players, Over the past two seasons, Watkins has been at the center of a revitalized Varina program, one that has won their conference tournament each of the last two years.
Despite being the point guard and leader of a team that had big wins over cross town rival Henrico and 5A State runner up LC Bird in the Conference 12 Championship game, Watkins and many of his Varina teammates go unmentioned among the best players in the Richmond area. While it can be frustrating at times, Watkins sees it as a chance to continue to prove doubters wrong when he steps on the court.
“Last year, I feel like I went up against all of the best guards in the Richmond area and still got overlooked despite leading my team to wins against Henrico and LC Bird,” Watkins said.
Despite losing three key pieces to graduation, Watkins feels like this Varina team, led by himself and 6’6” Kenneth Southerland who was named to the Conference 12 First Team last season, has a chance to continue to shock the Richmond area and put his school on the map across the state of Virginia.
Andre Watkins has quietly helped turn the Varina program around.
“I feel like this Varina team has a chance to be special and make a lot of noise this year,” Watkins said. “I’m ready to lead my team with my play on the court and my leadership abilities at the point guard spot.”
Watkins hasn’t gone completely unnoticed, as a number of schools at all levels have seen the ability and size of the 6’3” combo guard. He mentioned JMU, NC A&T, VMI, Virginia Union, Newberry College and Virginia Wesleyan as schools that have reached out to him the most in his recruitment process. He isn’t picky about his school, just wants a chance to continue to show that he’s capable of leading a winning program at the next level too.
“My main goal is to receive a degree in sports medicine or business to prepare myself for the future,” Watkins said. “As for basketball, I want to go somewhere with a winning tradition, and if not I want to help develop a winning tradition. I would like somewhere that plays an up and down style where I can show my ability to play and guard all five positions while taking on a leadership role.”
While schools love his versatility, size and ability to get in the lane and rebound as a guard, Watkins knows that he still has work to do on his game.
“While I feel like my ability to shoot it from deep is underrated, I know that I need to become a more consistent shooter for me to take my game to the next level.”
After a solid summer with Team Richmond Garner Road, Watkins will look to continue the winning ways of Varina basketball, and hopes to go out on top in his last go around.