Showing Love To Some JV Standouts
I know we sometimes leave the JV guys out as we spend so much time focusing on the varsity guys, but I had a chance to lay eyes on a few JV guys at a recent Vestavia vs Helena contest,…
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Continue ReadingI know we sometimes leave the JV guys out as we spend so much time focusing on the varsity guys, but I had a chance to lay eyes on a few JV guys at a recent Vestavia vs Helena contest, and I enjoyed watching the following standouts.
Jordan Ross (6’5/Forward/2024)
School: Vestavia Hills HS
Instagram: Childsplay_205
Twitter: @Childsplay_205
Jordan was one of the most well-rounded players I saw at this JV game. He is still developing, and there is a lot of work to do in his game, but the things he showed that he can do now show the balance of his game.
He has size at 6’5 and defended in the paint and on the perimeter, he contested and altered shots, led fastbreaks, made good passes, and showed his ability to rotate on defense.
He plays physical in the paint and carves out space in the paint, especially on the offensive end when he is going after the offensive boards. He had several easy put-backs as Helena didn’t have anyone that could match his size and strength. If he can develop more of his offensive game to the perimeter, we could discuss JR differently next year.
Jackson Weaver (6’2/Point Guard/2024)
School: Vestavia Hills HS
Instagram: Jacksonweaver8
Twitter: @jacksonrweaver3
As I sat there and watched the JV game, I knew why Jackson was on the JV, but it was not clicking for a part of me. I understood that the varsity carries 15-16 players, so JW may not get as much PT on a loaded varsity squad, so being on JV is beneficial for his development. However, at 85% of the other schools in the state JW would be on varsity getting minutes.
He can score at all 3 levels, he is a good finisher at the rim, he has the mid-range pull-up working, and even though he is listed as a PG, he can step in between being on-ball and off.
He is an offensive weapon that I would be surprised doesn’t put up double-digit points in every JV game he plays this year. I literally saw JW shifts gears in transition at half-court and left Helena looking bewildered at how he got to the cup so quick. He is the caliber player that can get his in the flow of the offense or if he has to create his own shot. JW is hands down the alpha male on the team, but he is the leader not because something was just given to him, but he leads by example. The energy and effort that he showed on both ends of the court is what coaches look for from their alpha players. I was thoroughly impressed with JW, and I will be looking intently at how JW’s development and growth in the Vestavia system pans out over the next two and a half years.
School: Helena HS
Instagram: t_ward3
Twitter: @T_ward310
Torrey, aka T3, spent the fall on the gridiron and has made the transition to the hardwood and looks poised to have a fantastic season. He is gifted with physical tools that many players wish for. He is jumping out of the gym, has length that affects both ends of the court, and he is still growing. He used his length, his ability to contest shots, his ability to guard in space, his ability to rebound the ball and start the break, and his ability to score over smaller defenders all to impact the game.
T3 is continuing to improve as his level of comfort of playing on the perimeter and handling the rock is growing.
The only knock I saw and heard in the stands is that he is too unselfish, and his coach wants him to exert himself more when it comes to scoring opportunities. Keep an eye on T3. Great things are coming.
School: Vestavia Hills HS
Instagram: ben_evans44
Twitter: @Ben_evans1
Ben was a solid player in the game against Helena. He showed some sneaky athleticism that gave his game some pop appeal. At least two times, I thought Ben was about to throw it down as he attacked the rack. He has a nice off-the-dribble game that compliments the pieces on the JV squad. With the personnel assembled, Ben is a secondary creator who can create off the bounce for himself and his teammates.
He stays within his role for his team, but he has more in the toolbox than what was unleashed.
Ben has a lot of potential, and it will be interesting to see just how much of it he unlocks the rest of the 2021-2022 season.
Adam Barksdale (6’3/Combo Guard/2025)
School: Vestavia Hills HS
Instagram: adam.barksdale_13
Twitter: @barksdale_adam
Coming into the season, Adam was mentioned as one of our in-coming freshmen to keep an eye on. He started out on the freshman team but has already moved up to the JV squad. He is a lengthy guard that has good size as a freshman. During the match-up against Helena, there were several times that his length and size caused problems on both ends of the court. Offensively as he took defenders off the bounce, or when he was in transition, he was able to use his size to shoot over smaller defenders.
He’s an unselfish player that looks to get others involved early in the game.
Whether in the half-court or the open floor, Adam makes sure that his coach’s desires are executed on the floor. He did not shoot it much from the perimeter during this game, as he often found himself getting to the rack and finishing. Passing skills is continuing to improve. The physical tools, along with his skill set that helped him get pulled up to JV, is the reason that Adam’s ceiling is extremely high and why he is going to be a significant piece in the Vestavia program over the next few years.
I cannot guarantee I will be able to get a lot more JV coverage to you, but I will do my best, as we have some great varsity action coming up in December that I have to get out and watch.