It’s opening day of the recruiting period, which means coaches are allowed to visit with recruits at their schools or homes. They’ll hit the road hard these next couple weeks, mostly attending open gym sessions. Activity will slow down once official practices start, and eventually dry to a trickle as the season nears.
This isn’t like the summer live period stuff where media is there reporting which coaches are in attendance. We’re mostly dependent on the recruits and their coaches putting info out. We’ll learn where Tony Bennett has been, but it’s sometimes well after the fact. Assistants don’t pack the celebrity punch, so they often go unreported.
There will be a lot of reports involving UVA. It can be confusing to say the least. Best rule to keep it simple, FOLLOW TONY, THE REST IS STATIC NOISE. The work of the assistants is incredibly valuable but for fans trying to follow, not so much. They filter potential recruits and keep those already offered in play. Bennett wraps up the process on both ends, offering and closing. The exception this Fall is for potential 2020 recruits. That can get serious quickly. Any activity is worth taking notice.
And you can now safely slide Caleb Furst into the priority recruit category. To put this into perspective, Tony only visited four class of 2020 recruits with offers last Fall.
Virginia’s Tony Bennett will meet with Top-35 junior Caleb Furst tomorrow morning and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo + assistant will meet with Furst tomorrow afternoon, a source told @Stockrisers.
This one is interesting. Kaufman is a skilled modern 4 man with some similarities to Justin McKoy. Bennett watched his team multiple times during the AAU live period. Plays for Kyle Guy’s Indiana Elite program. Archie Miller has a couple of his friends already committed for 2020. I’ll be curious if that’s Tony paying the visit while he’s up there for Furst.
Indiana will host 2021 four-star Trey Kaufman for an official visit this weekend, a source told @Stockrisers. Virginia, Purdue, and Louisville will watch him this week as well.
I expect he’ll get one. He’s not nearly the no brainer people who haven’t seen him might believe based on national rankings. Way more potential than production right now. Heck he was probably the 6th or 7th best player on his 16u AAU team. Elite tools though. If/when he puts it together, look out.
Assistant in for 2021 Rutgers Prep (NJ) forward Trey Patterson. Probably Vandross. Trey is definitely his guy. I’d be surprised if he gets through the Fall without a Virginia offer. Was dominant this summer. Super versatile 4-man, can defend just about anyone on the court, with some skill development could become a legit 3/4 combo.
Five-star junior Trey Patterson with a slew of programs in today, he told @Stockrisers: Virginia, Vanderbilt, Villanova, and Rutgers, all watching him today.
Tony Bennett’s first stop of the recruiting period was at the Steward School in Richmond for 2021 big man Efton Reid. Confirmed by Wahoo fan Jay Rosenthal, whose son Zach, a Steward guard, assisted with Efton’s workout while Tony looked on.
Bennett seems to put a lot of thought and importance on who he sees first each opening day. Reece Beekman held that honor a year ago. Kyle Guy once upon a time. And several in between that bring up less fond memories. Consider Efton the top target on the board. He’s planning to come for an unofficial visit soon, possibly this weekend.
Interesting guy here. 2021 point guard was MVP of the Under Armour 16-under division this summer. Plays for Dre Hunter’s Philly Pride program. Very underrated nationally although it might not stay that way long.
Coaches from Virginia, Ohio State, Rutgers and Temple are attending open gyms this week at @Wilson_Bulldogs to see guard Stevie Mitchell.
Evan Flood repointing Reece will take his official this weekend. Seems like a great opportunity with the banner raising and fb game. You hearing about any unofficials coming?
I think it’s going to be a big recruiting weekend. I didn’t realize Reece was coming. Knowing that, I suspect all the commits are. Should get an answer on that soon. Reid is probable. So is Trevor Keels. As always with unofficials, it’s sort of last minute before anything is confirmed.
Very skilled. Earns his keep in the paint and showed off some extended range this summer knocking down open 3s. Agility is a work in progress but not bad for a 7-footer. More a finesse big man than physical.
Sidwell Friends (DC). Williford I assume. I had to hit up Houston Wilson to ask who this might be about. Probable player of interest is 2022 forward George Perkins.
Wanna thank UVA for waking up with us this morning. #grindisfair
Coach Williford out working the DMV hard today. Looking at 2021 forward Benny Williams here at St. Andrew’s (MD)
Thanks to the following schools for visiting open gym today: Virginia, American, Clemson (HC), Louisville, Wake Forest, Washington College, Georgetown, East Carolina, Mount St. Mary’s, Millersville, Lehigh, Syracuse, Clarion, Lafayette, Maryland (HC), St. Mary’s College #lionsden
