| 13 October 2010
Do we overuse this picture? Yeah, overuse like a fox!
With basketball season right around the corner, one-time contributor B-Dubs makes his triumphant return in this year's basketball preview. By "this year" we mean "our first ever." Enjoy.
THIS JUST IN! Virginia Tech to become a basketball school!
...Well, not entirely. Though lord knows, Seth Greenberg sure wants it that way. Listen, we all know how devastating our snub from the NCAA tournament was last year, but it was surely a step in the right direction. With the added strength to our out of conference schedule, if we perform up to expectations, we should see the big dance in March. So while that part is in place, how are the Hokies doing on the recruiting trail?
The answers are jump-tastic...
One word: AMAZING.
Highlighted by Dorrian Finney-Smith, a five star talent rated the #15 overall prospect in the nation by ESPN, the Hokies are puttin together their best recruiting class ever. With two other four stars and a three star recruit, Greenberg and co. are set up to have outstanding talent replace Delaney, Allen, and Hudson. Here is the breakdown.
Dorian Finney-Smith (Five star recruit, #15 overall, #4 SF): A product of Portsmouth, VA and standing at 6'7, 185 pounds, he brings outstanding athleticism to our team. Smith is a very skilled forward that can handle the ball both inside and outside the paint. He is a very smart player and an excellent passer. He is very difficult to defend because he can drive to the paint, but also spot up from the three point line. He is also very strong on the offensive glass. However, while he is very good on the offensive glass, he needs to become more aggressive on the defensive glass. He also is very light for a player his height, so he will certainly need to bulk up. If he can do this, he will be a much more effective rebounder and post player. Overall, like his rating indicates, he is one of the best high school players in the country and, barring injury, will start for the Hokies when he arrives.
Marquis Rankin (Four star recruit, #21 PG): Rankin's hometown is Charlotte, NC, but he currently plays for Hargrave. He is a very fast player who blew up his first two years in school; however, his stock has dropped a bit after some disappointing summer circuits - though injuries played a big factor. Rankin is actually a scoring point guard who can run the floor very well. He is very good at attacking the basket to create an easy bucket for himself or a quick dump off to a teammate. He will need to improve on his three point shot, however, so that teams will be forced to defend him in different ways. Like Smith, he will need to put on some muscle weight in college to be more durable since injuries are becoming an issue for him. However, he will easily play as a true freshman for us.
C.J. Barksdale (Four star recruit, #15 PF): Barksdale is homegrown from Danville, VA. He stands at 6'7 and weighs 195 pounds. He has an excellent post game, but can also spot up for jumpers up to 20 feet away, which is a great combination to have as a power forward. He is very aggressive, but still lacks some post moves and gets pushed around a lot with bigger guys. He has good hands and a nice touch and can pass well for a big guy. Like the first two recruits, he will also need to hit the weight room so he can be a more established post player. He is still somewhat raw, but has a better skill set right now than Jeff Allen did at the same age. Given our lack for big men, Barksdale should come in and contribute immediately.
Robert Brown (Three star recruit, #63 SG): A true shooting guard with excellent length. He is 6'4, 175 pounds and is a very good shooter when he squares up. Brown plays excellent in transition and is very good at getting to the basket. He is also extremely versatile as he can use both his left and right hand to score. He can also play point guard if need be because he is an excellent ball handler and a very good passer. He makes smart decisions, though he could use some work in high pressure situations. He could use a little strength so he can be a more effective slasher, but is very tough as it is. Brown also needs to work on his three point shot, as he is very streaky behind the arc and also could use some work on the glass. Overall, he is a definite sleeper and we see him as a guy to come off the bench for us initially, but he could be another Dorenzo Hudson.
As of now, that is our basketball class for 2011. We definitely need a big man, so hopefully we can lock one down before we close up this recruiting class. Currently, our recruiting class ranks #11 in the nation, but it is far from over. We are already pulling in our best recruiting class ever, but If we can land a high profile big man, and we are in it for a couple, then it will be flat out amazing.
So, is Virginia Tech becoming a basketball school? Nah and it never will, but if we can keep pulling in recruits like this, then we have a chance to contend for the ACC title and consistently go to the big dance.
GO HOKIES!!
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