Recruiting Report 2018 : Xavier Reaves
Xavier Reaves 6’5″, WG/CG, 2018. Paint Branch Panthers HS. Grassroots Team: MD Elite Last season Xavier started for Paint Branch & averaged 12 ppg & 4 steals.. The Panthers posted a 17-5 record & advanced to the MD State 4A quarterfinals,…
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Continue ReadingXavier Reaves 6’5″, WG/CG, 2018. Paint Branch Panthers HS.
Grassroots Team: MD Elite
Last season Xavier started for Paint Branch & averaged 12 ppg & 4 steals.. The Panthers posted a 17-5 record & advanced to the MD State 4A quarterfinals, but lost to Perry Hall who proceeded to win the the MD 4A Championship 2 games later. This season Xavier is averaging 13.5 ppg for the Panthers whose record stands at 6-1. His usual MO is stuffing the stat sheets & this is exactly what Xavier did in the Walter Hardy Classic. Against 5-0 Gaithersburg , Xavier scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds & was credited with 6 steals in the Panthers 103-75 victory. In the Championship, Xavier recorded his 2nd straight double double with 11 points, 11 steals, 6 rebounds, 6 assists to help lead Paint Branch over a very tough 79-75 victory Kennedy. Xavier is one of the most complete & underrated players I have seen this season& he will do whatever it takes to get a W.
Xavier has grown 2 inches this past year & is now a very long 6’5″ as evidenced by his cover photo. He can guard 1 thru 5 very effectively & Xavier prides himself in his versatility, defense, high IQ, toughness & will to win. He adds,”I know how to utilize my wingspan on both sides of the ball. On defense I anticipate & beat my man to his spot. I am never on my heals & my waist & midsection are always tight. My hands are kept high & I keep focus on where the other 9 players are located. Recently I was credited with 14 deflections in a game. Defense is a strength & I pride myself on the intangibles. When there is a loose ball, I will get it. My % for the 50/50s is in the high 90s. We play man to man defense 60% of the time at Paint Branch. Coach Bohlen stresses lateral movement, staying low, going over picks, footwork, you name it. When we play a 1-3-1 or 1-2-2 Coach has me play at top, where I use my height & wingslan to shut down the opponents wings. I revived excellent Coaching this summer playing for MD Elite & at Paint Branch from our all of our Coaches.” Every time Xavier steps on the court he is a threat to get 10 plus rebounds a game & record a double double. Before long Xavier will record a triple double & possibly a quad double. He has great timing & can grab rebounds far away with his reach & athleticism. Xavier is a very complete defender with excellent closeout & help side defensive skills. He is one of the best defenders in MOCO, & IMO in the top 5.
On offense Xavier has the ability to play 4 plus positions, but he is primarily playing on the wing this season. He can handle the ball very well, but since the Panthers are stocked with guards, his dribble is under the radar. Xavier says,” My go to handle moves are the in & out crossover which I can perform at full speed. I like to go coast to coast off the dribble & finish or dish at the rim. Last season I played a lot of CG & I have developed a very good change of pace dribble.” During the Walter Hardy Hoopfest, Xavier showed a very nice hesitation & go getting into top gear very fast with excellent acceleration. He is a threat to score 20 plus every game out & can score from all 3 levels. Xavier excels in attacking the rim from both sides & can finish with either hand. He uses his length very well & many of his scores at the rim are hard dunks off one leg. If a defender is blocking his path on a fast break Xavier has developed a high level hop step & Euro Step to avoid a player control foul.
Xavier scores very well in the mid range with one or 2 dribble pull ups. He can go right up for his shot after back cut or screen. Xavier has a fantastic catch & shoot 3 ball, & adds,” I can spot up from both sides. Each day after practice I am working on shooting 3s off the dribble & making nice progress. Also, I want to be able to go right up from a back screen in one fast motion from the 3 point line & develop shooting transition 3s off the dribble.” Xavier plays with a very high IQ & court vision with the ability to make any pass in the book. He can see a play before it develops & is a superb ball mover. Xavier’s facilitation game is excellent & underrated.
Since April Xavier has made great strides in his game & adds, “Coach Bohlen set up post season, summer & fall workouts for us.We worked very hard on strength & conditioning, flexibly, agility, & athleticism. Each day we went thru basketball skills & skill development. In addition to Coach Boken & Coach Myron Flowers, helped me get stronger & more athletic& Coach Boodie helped wit my catch & shoot, dribble pull up & defense. Paint Branch played in the DeMatha Summer League & the DMV Elite Fall League. I received excellent Coaching this summer playing for MD Elite & at Paint Branch from our all of our Coaches. This season I can really feel the dividends from the off-season.”
Xavier names his mother, Coach Bohlen & all the Assistant Coaches at Paint Branch as his roles models on & off the court. Xavier is very close to a 3.0 GPA & will attend college to play basketball. In his downtime he likes to study Kevin Durant from the NBA.
Xavier is one the top sleepers in MD/DC & he is currently receiving interest from St. Marys, Albright, Chesapeake JC, Montgomery & Price Georges Colleges. While Xavier made a nice jump in his overall game, he still has much more upside. Xavier will get it due to his work ethic & determination. Most importantly Xavier is a winner & great teammate.
Please view his junior highlights below from HUDL & several plays from the Walter Hardy Hoopfest .
Xavier Reaves, is a 6'5" 2018 Wing, top 10 plus MOCO player. great college prospect. Superb Sleeper Paint Branch HShttps://t.co/U5SONM0ABg@ayezaee @CoachBohlen
— Joseph Katz (@DCBaltimoreHoop) January 1, 2018