The Virginia Tech men’s basketball program will host three junior college prospects this weekend. Here is the rundown.
DeShawn Freeman, Forward, Hutchinson (KS)
Freeman is a 6’7″, 215-pound sophomore combo forward who attended Rocky Mount Prep (Rocky Mount, N.C.) before moving on to Hutchinson Community College. This past season, Freeman averaged 18.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game in 33 games according to NJCAA.org. He made 54.6-percent of his field goals including 31.8-percent from 3, and he made 64.9-percent of his free throws.
CBSSports first reported Freeman’s visit news.
Johnny Hamilton, Center, Jacksonville College (TX)
Hamilton is a 6’11” (per Jacksonville’s official site, but he has been listed as a seven-footer elsewhere), 205-pound sophomore. The Trinidad native averaged 9 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this past season. He made 61.7-percent of his field goals and 42.3-percent of his free throws.
Jucorecruiting.com reports that Hamilton has an offer from Virginia Tech as well as Oklahoma State, Old Dominion and SMU.
Ty Outlaw, Shooting Guard, Lee College (TX)
6’6″, 215-pound Ty Outlaw attended UNC-Greensboro for one season before transferring to Lee College. He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining with whatever team he chooses. In 30 games at Lee, Outlaw averaged 21.8 points, five rebounds and one assist per game. He made 50.2-percent of his field goals including 43.5-percent from beyond the arc. He also made 75.2-percent of his free throws.
Arkansas and Kansas are among the other interested parties according to Jucorecruiting.com, which first reported Outlaw’s visit to VT.
Scholarship Situation
There is currently only one scholarship available for Tech to use next season, so if head coach Buzz Williams takes more than one more recruit, further attrition within the current roster will take place. As it stands now, the scholarship breakdown for the 2015/2016 season is as follows…
Guards/Small Forwards (8) – Seth Allen (JR), Devin Wilson (JR), Justin Bibbs (SOPH), Ahmed Hill (SOPH), Jalen Hudson (SOPH), Malik Muller (SOPH), Chris Clarke (FR), Justin Robinson (FR)
Forwards/Centers (4) – Shane Henry (SR), Zach LeDay (JR), Satchel Pierce (SOPH), Kerry Blackshear (FR)
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It is now a Win Today situation. Cannot continue to be the Joke of the ACC. Buzz has lost a bit of Love, the TIME is NOW.
It would be cool to have a Guy named Outlaw, ESPN would love Us. Good Pub.
I like Devin Wilson – anyone think he will stay, though? I think he’s going to leave – and we will pick up two JUCOs this weekend.
At the O&M Tour event in Fredericksburg this week, Coach Williams indicated that picking up a JUCO might not be what’s best for the program in the longer term. He’d like to have a balance of how many recruits are coming in each year. If we get a transfer now, there would only be one spot for recruitment in next year’s class. Of course, with players leaving programs, it’s hard to know what the real scholarship situation will be at any time.
In this day and age of “one and dones” and “transfers” (I know WE are not quite there yet) we take great-to-good prospects and see what develops. Schollies should be earned on a yearly basis, no more of this “OK I made it so I’m good for 4 years”. Just because you got a schollie last year should not be a guarantee of next year.
It is a tough decision. Take someone that can make us significantly better next year, but we could regress after 2-3 years, when this group leaves. Or take a young guy that could turn the program into a year-to-year winner. I think you got to take the guy to win now. With the state of college bball, you can’t plan for 3-4 years from now, plus how much tougher will recruiting be for Buzz if he has another last place finish next year? As a fan, we need to get out of the basement. I like the talent on this team NOW, add some big guys and see what they can do… I’m tired of waiting til next year.
+1