2024 to Keep an Eye On
While this year was a little bit more difficult to find the young and promising players in the state, we were able to see quite a few freshmen to keep an eye on moving forward. Here’s a look at nine…
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Continue ReadingWhile this year was a little bit more difficult to find the young and promising players in the state, we were able to see quite a few freshmen to keep an eye on moving forward. Here’s a look at nine freshmen in Virginia that are set to make names for themselves here soon.
Eli DeLaurier | 6’7” PF | Miller School
DeLaurier was already a big time impact guy at STAB and Miller last year before reclassifying to the 2024 class, and he’s already seeing colleges show interest as he has multiple offers including Virginia Tech. He’s a long and fluid athlete that can play above the rim and guard multiple positions, he can step out and shoot the short corner jumper and out to the three-point line and he has a budding skill set that will only get better with time. He’s a big time long term prospect and will continue to see more and more college coaches come his way over the next few years.
Martez Harris | 6’4” WF | Cape Henry
Harris was a guy who showed promise for a very talented and deep Cape Henry team this year, and he looks like he’ll be one of the top prospects in the 757 over the next few years. At 6’4” he has a terrific frame for his age and is a true wing that can put it on the deck, shoots it at a high clip from deep and has a ton of potential on the defensive end.
Darren Harris | 6’4” WG | Paul VI
Every year it seems like Paul VI has one of the top up and coming guards in the DMV area, and this year it was Harris who showed out as he made big time plays against big time competition throughout the season. The 6’4” wing has good size and a very advanced skill set as he can attack the rim in isolation situations, he shoots the ball extremely well both on and off the basketball and he has the athleticism and IQ that bolds well for development moving forward.
Dominique Bailey | 6’2” WG | Blue Magic
Bailey was a staple on a talented Blue Magic club team this past season, and what makes him so impressive at his age is that he doesn’t need to score the ball or have the ball in his hands to make an impact as he is a defensive specialist and elite glue guy. He will take on the assignment of the other team’s best player no matter how big the name is, he anticipates well and is able to draw charges and get guys in foul trouble and he’s a gritty competitor that will do whatever it takes to help his team win.
Damon Thompson | 5’11” PG | Blue Magic
Another freshman for Blue Magic who showed a lot of promise before getting hurt, Thompson is a highly skilled guard that can score it in bunches and is always a threat to make plays with the ball in his hands. He plays with good pace and is able to create space and make shots off the bounce, he gets hot quickly and can fill it up in bunches and he has a good basketball IQ and is able to make plays for others as well. He’s a talented player that just has a knack for making plays, and he’ll have the ball in his hands moving forward the next few years.
Kennard Wyche Jr. | 5’5” PG | Varina
Wyche is another young guard in the Richmond area to keep an eye on, and he comes from good genes as his father was a Richmond legend himself. He’s a pesky guard that will get underneath ball handlers and make them feel uncomfortable, he’s talented as a ball handler and shot maker and he can run the show and is already a reliable guy with the ball in his hands late in the game.
Chance Mallory | 5’2” PG | STAB
Mallory may not be the biggest guy, but he has a ton of confidence in his game and can play with the best of them as he’s shown playing for STAB’s varsity team the past two years. The diminutive guard is a lights out shooter from deep that has NBA range and is extremely consistent, he’s a pesky on ball defender and he has a good feel and high IQ for the game as well. If he can grow and get stronger he’ll be a very effective guy for years to come.
Abu Yarmah | 6’4” F | Patrick Henry (Roanoke)
Yarmah started as a freshman and was a big reason that PH was just one basket away from heading to the Class 5 state championship, and he shows tons of long term potential moving forward. The 6’4” forward was the tallest and most athletic guy on his team so he played center for them, but he has a lot of translatable skills to the wing including good lateral movement, the ability to put it on the deck in transition and he can step out and shoot the ball out to the three-point line. He’s a versatile defender and big time rebounder, and he can make plays at and above the rim already and is likely still growing.
Zekhi Darden | 6’4” F | King’s Fork
Darden is a high energy forward that shows a lot of potential moving forward as he continues to improve his skill set on both ends of the floor. He’s long and athletic and brings it on the defensive end already where he can guard multiple positions, he makes energy plays on the glass and fighting for 50-50 balls and he shows a solid base skill set as he can make shots when open and play above the rim in transition and when he gets downhill.