As summer basketball recruiting moves into the fall, players narrow down their lists and make official school visits. Virginia Cavaliers A few different 2023 top recruits are vying for it. Blake Buchanan Committed in early July, UVA still has three additional players on the market, including a point guard, shooting guard and power forward.
Elijah Gertrude, SG
Gertrude, UVA’s supposedly best-positioned prospect, has been a skyrocketer this summer as his recruiting rankings haven’t really shown his potential as a player. He possesses great athleticism with great length and explosive speed, which makes him perfectly suited for the slasher role on offense. Gertrude made his five finalists, with Virginia being the frontrunner, alongside Kansas, Seton Hall, Rutgers and St. Johns.
One of the things that makes Gertrude so elusive is that not only is he fast, but he can change both speed and direction with a dime, using his varying speeds to lull defenders into a false sense of security. Being good at it. He is a great finisher at the rim, with the hop and strength to finish on contact. In addition, Gertrude has the chops to be a pure scorer in college, as his game pull-up his jumper his game is beautiful and his ability to stop quickly creates space to get off a smooth jumper.
The New Jersey native may need to focus more on three-point shooting in terms of volume, but he has the form to be a solid shooter in college. Given the tendency to rely too much on mid-range jumpers, players who are very dynamic off the dribble simply prioritize the extra effort to shoot the ball from deep.
Defensively, it’s clear that Gertrude cares about her efforts. He has excellent footwork and his athleticism translates well. He has good hands and a project to be a positive defender at the college level, but will need to learn to be more disciplined. The desire is there, and the mold he has is sometimes enough.
Gertrude walks the line between shooting guard and point guard. He doesn’t have the mindset of playing points, but he still sees the court well. His ability to change the pace is oddly reminiscent of former UVA point guard Ty Jerome. Still, he needs to grow as a passer when his competitors catch up and are able to go down harder on drives. Plus, while his handle suits his style of play, the Jersey City resident needs to hone his ball-handling skills in order to be less prone to turnovers in college.
Once Gertrude makes landfall, UVA’s 2023 class will stabilize. Neither Buchanan nor Gertrude are currently ranked or rated too high, but that is the result of recent developments not being fully reflected in the country’s expert rankings, which are spread too thinly. Each requires some polishing of its respective game. But starting the 2023 group with these two would be a real success, especially considering UVA’s 2022 class is stacked up.
TJ Power, PF
TJ Power, who is currently one of the most popular players to recruit for 2023, recently narrowed the list down to five schools, with UVA, Duke, UNC, Boston College and Iowa on the list. All reports indicate this is a toss-up for the fall, but Virginia staff are pushing hard to hire him for the time being.
Power is the top scorer at the power forward position. At 6 feet 8 inches, he fits the Sam Hauser type Wahoos mold. He can shoot the ball across the floor incredibly well and knows how to exploit the defense just by trying to make space when off-ball.
But what sets a player like Hauser and power apart is his ability to reach the rim himself. He can hit defenders off the dribble and this makes for a matchup nightmare. Given that he can also play with his back to the basket and simply shoot and drive smaller, faster players who can catch up with him on the perimeter. I know I will look for my teammates when the
Power fits like a glove into Virginia’s system. His purposeful and intelligent off-ball moves are underappreciated compared to his other talents and works very well for the UVA side in his offense. The Massachusetts native has a better, more bulky physique, and has the quickness and quickness on his feet to make him a decent defender if coached the right way.
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Another couple to watch at UVA in 2023 are point guard El Marco Jackson and shooting guard David Crosby. Crosby announced he’ll be visiting Charlottesville on Aug. 26, and Jackson has yet to narrow down the final list, so it looks like he’s set to visit in the fall.
These are two notable names remaining in UVA’s 2023 hiring. The point guard and power forward prospects Bennett and company were previously interested in are two realities to commit to by spring. It fell by the wayside leaving Jackson and Power as a viable option.
Stay tuned to Streaking the Lawn for additional breakdowns of Crosby and Jackson, as well as a broader view of the 2024 recruitment that began this summer.
