2018 Rankings Breakdown: Underrated & Under Recruited (Part 1)
It’s that time of the year again! With our new and updated comes new names, new recruitment and more! Over the next few weeks we’ll be breaking down all of our rankings. Today we’ll be featuring seven of the most underrated and under recruited rising seniors in Virginia. Stay tuned to Vantage Hoops for positional breakdowns across each class, and more content on our updated rankings!
Bassirou Diop | 6’7” PF | Bayside/Team Thrill (#56 Overall)
Diop is still raw, like many public school bigs his age, but he has tremendous upside with his size and athletic ability that allows him to protect the rim and finish above it. He has decent hands, can run the floor and is a monster on the glass on both ends of the floor. If he decides to go the JUCO or Prep route it could be a big help for him moving forward, but he did pick up his first offer from Hampton University of the MEAC.
Chris Ford | 6’7” PF | LC Bird/River City Reign (#65 Overall)
This kid looks completely different then he did as a scrawny sophomore, and it’s completely due to his incredible work ethic. Ford is still raw offensively, but he’s showing improvement in his foot work and finishing ability with both hands. Defensively is where he shines. He’s much stronger now, and he’s long and bouncy, so mixed in with his high motor he doesn’t allow easy layups. With his rate of improvement, it will be interesting to see if coaches think he’s a project worth investing in.
Zyan Collins | 6’2” PG | Freedom (South Riding)/D1SA Spartans (#67 Overall)
Some coach is going to see all of the things this kid does on the court and fall in love. An athletic combo guard that can make shots off the catch, get in the paint off the pick-and-roll and plays well in transition, Collins is a two way playmaker with a high ceiling. He’s a ball of energy with a good work ethic, and if he can continue to improve on his point guard abilities he could take a big jump this summer.
Robbie Beran | 6’6” PF | JR Tucker/Team Richmond (#73 Overall)
Rumor has it he’s looking to reclassify to 2019 which should help him immensely. Beran is long, active and doesn’t mind doing the dirty work. He runs the floor well, rebounds on both ends, is wirey strong and can shoot out to 18 feet. If he can develop more of his perimeter game he’ll be looking at an opportunity to be a scholarship level kid.
Shey Webb | 6’3” WF | Northside/Spectrum (#81 Overall)
Webb may not have a true position on the floor, but he’s a crafty and versatile guy that does a lot of different things for his team. He can make shots on the perimeter both off the catch and off the bounce, and he’s also able to take guards to the post where he can use his big upper body and crafty finishing ability. Being positionless is both a blessing and a curse, because it’s hard to see what he would guard at the next level.
Christian Chappell | 6’9” C | Prince George/Squires Richmond (#82 Overall)
He’s absolutely massive at 6’9” and upwards of 300 lbs., and while that is a concern he moves well for his size and has a very soft touch. He has to continue to slim down for conditioning reasons, but he’s a load to deal with in the middle on both ends of the floor, and he can pull other big men out of the paint to create space for attacking guards.
Ramon Hampton | 6’6” PF | William Fleming (#100 Overall)
Hampton is one of those kids that’s going to recruited off of his potential, because it is through the roof. However, that doesn’t mean he isn’t productive now. He’s extremely long and nimble for a big man, and he has springs in his feet when he hits the glass. He’s great in a high tempo system where he can beat bigs down the floor and clean up the glass, and he has shown the ability to hit the set jumper when left alone.