Vantage Hoops 2019 Rankings: Bigs
The Vantage Hoops Virginia 2019 Top 60 Rankings were updated earlier this week, and now it’s time to take a closer look. Below is our breakdown of the best bigs in the class. Stay tuned for more content, including additional position-by-position break-downs, biggest stock boosters, and more.
Armando Bacot | 6’9” | Trinity Episcopal (#2 Overall)
Bacot may have lost his number one spot to Miller School’s Aundre Hyatt, but the way he’s played in the preseason, that is far from set in stone. He looks much thinner and toned up this season, allowing him to move better on both ends of the floor and making him much more explosive. He’s long and very intelligent on the offensive end where he moves well without the ball and can facilitate from the post or the elbow. He can make shots out to the three point line, can score with both hands around the basket and battles on the offensive glass. He already holds double digit offers, and if he continues to play hard and improve he has a chance to be one of the best bigs in the country.
Qudus Wahab | 6’11” | VA Academy (#3 Overall)
While Bacot and Hyatt hold the top two spots now, Wahab may be the best long term prospect of the three. At a legit 6’11”, he’s a natural rim protector and high volume rebounder, however his quickness on the block and in the open floor allows him to get a lot of easy dunks in the paint. He’s shown an improved face up game that includes a soft touch from midrange, and he’s very good out of the triple threat with slower bigs guarding him. He’s taking steps in the right direction, and it isn’t going to just click over night, but if he stays at this rate of improvement he’ll have high majors knocking down his door soon.
Oscar Tshiewebe | 6’8” | Mount Mission (#5 Overall)
He may not be as talented as those other two bigs, but Tshiewebe is as productive as any big man in the state. After coming to Mount Mission last season, he had a huge summer as he was named MVP of the Phenom Hoops Top 80, and had a great summer where he split time between Team Loaded VA and the WV Wildcats. He’s a massive kid that is able to muscle through defenders in the post, and he outworks everyone with his motor. He rebounds well, runs the floor and is relentless in the paint where he’s going to try to dunk everything and keep plays alive. He’s still raw, but there’s a lot to like about him moving forward.
Josh Oduro | 6’7” | Battlefield (#16 Overall)
Oduro was virtually unknown heading into this summer, but his potential and skill set were so intriguing that he spent most of the summer playing up with VA Elite 17U. Despite his size, he has an inside-out game that makes him productive in a number of ways. He rebounds well, can start the break or run the floor, is confident initiating the offense from the high post and he shows a soft touch in the midrange. With his growth and improvement, he’ll likely be a key part of a talented Battlefield team.
Jaden Frazier | 6’8” | Blue Ridge (#21 Overall)
For some kids, it’s easy to see when confidence is the issue, and that was Frazier’s problem when he transferred to Blue Ridge last year. However, after matching up with nationally ranked Aamir Simms everyday in practice, the confidence seems to be there for him now. He’s a versatile big that has big hands, can shoot the jumper in face up or trail situations and he’s improved with his back to the basket. If his confidence is indeed there, expect Blue Ridge to ask for a lot of big minutes from Frazier when they want to go big against smaller teams.