AAU Spotlight: VA Premier 17U
In just their third year of existence, VA Premier has emerged as a program out of Loudoun County that will take under the radar kids from all over the state and give them the opportunity to showcase their abilities. Led…
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Continue ReadingIn just their third year of existence, VA Premier has emerged as a program out of Loudoun County that will take under the radar kids from all over the state and give them the opportunity to showcase their abilities. Led by Independence Head Coach and former division one assistant Corey Stitzel, they had a team last year that featured players who committed to schools all over the east coast at multiple levels. This year, the roster features guys from Northern VA, Roanoke, Lynchburg and Martinsville. Take a look at our preview for them featuring their roster, key and under the radar prospects and their schedule for the summer.
Roster
Neil Hill Neil Hill 6'6" | SG James River | 2021 State VA | 6’5” F | James River 2021
Austin Smith | 6’1” PG | Potomac School 2022
Augy Brody | 6’3” WF | Virginia Episcopal 2022
Trey Nelson | 5’10” PG | Patriot 2021
Reiss Whitaker Reiss Whitaker 6'5" | PF Paul VI | 2022 VA | 6’7” F | Highland School 2022
Clark Castleberry | 6’9” C | South Lakes 2021
Tanner Selkirk Tanner Selkirk 6'2" | SG Lord Botetourt | 2021 State VA | 6’3” WG | Lord Botetourt 2021
Walker Andrews Walker Andrews 6'1" | CG Virginia Episcopal | 2022 State VA | 6’0” G | Virginia Episcopal 2022
Reed Pendleton Reed Pendleton 6'1" | SG Moravian Prep | 2021 State VA | 6’2” WG | Cave Spring 2021
Jayson Fain Jayson Fain 6'5" | PF Carlisle | 2021 State VA | 6’5” F | Carlisle 2021
Key Players
Reed Pendleton Reed Pendleton 6'1" | SG Moravian Prep | 2021 State VA | 6’2” WG | Cave Spring 2021
Pendleton is coming off of winning a state championship and earning All State honors as a junior at Cave Spring, and while he may not be the most highly touted prospect on the team he is a guy who will surprise people with his ability to score the basketball at a high clip. He’s one of the top shooters in the state and can make shots while spotting up or coming off of screens, he has deep range and he’s underrated in his ability to create shots. He’ll score a lot of points and will be a sleeper in the Roanoke area that coaches should keep an eye on.
Jayson Fain Jayson Fain 6'5" | PF Carlisle | 2021 State VA | 6’5” F | Carlisle 2021
Fain has steadily become one of the top players in the Martinsville area and was named to the VISAA D3 All State team last year. He’s a guy who has steadily improved over time and his versatility makes him very intriguing moving forward. At 6’5”, he’s a guy who can play multiple positions, he can play on or off the basketball to get shots and he’s a guy who can score on the perimeter and use his length and athleticism to score at the rim. He recently picked up a division two offer from Millersville.
Walker Andrews Walker Andrews 6'1" | CG Virginia Episcopal | 2022 State VA | 6’0” G | Virginia Episcopal 2022
Andrews had a breakout season at VES this past year, and he’s one of the most underrated guys in the 2022 class. Andrews is a sniper from deep with a quick release and deep range, and he’s an underrated athlete that can get up to finish and rebound despite his size. He’s a very smart and crafty guy on both ends, and he’s able to use his high IQ to make plays on the defensive end and he gets hot quickly on the offensive end.
Under the Radar Guys
Neil Hill Neil Hill 6'6" | SG James River | 2021 State VA | 6’5” F | James River 2021
Hill is one of the most underrated guys in the Richmond area and was a big reason for James River’s success over the past few years. A do-it-all kind of forward, Hill is a guy who can play and guard multiple positions, will contribute in every way you can think of from scoring, facilitating and rebounding and he’s a guy who brings it every time he’s on the floor. He recently picked up a division two offer from Millersville.
Trey Nelson | 5’10” PG | Patriot 2021
Nelson is going to be an important piece on this team as he’s a floor general who handles the pressure and gets his team into sets and he makes great decisions with the ball in his hands. The smooth lefty is a guy who can score it when he needs to, but he’s best as a guy who can set the tone on both ends and he does a great job of making everyone on the team better.
Tanner Selkirk Tanner Selkirk 6'2" | SG Lord Botetourt | 2021 State VA | 6’3” WG | Lord Botetourt 2021
Selkirk is another guy out of the Roanoke area who is under the radar, and what stands out the most about him is his love for the game and work ethic as he’s always working to get better. He’s a strong and athletic wing who can bang in the post and make plays on the glass, he’s unselfish and makes the right play and he can make shots from deep when he’s open as well.
Schedule
Big Shots Boo Williams | Hampton, VA | 7/25-7/26
Hoop Group Maryland | 8/1-8/2
Hoop Group Spooky Nook | Lancaster, PA | 8/9-8/10
Hoop Group Southern Jamfest | Hampton, VA | 8/21-8/23