Best of the 757

September 26, 2011

Matthew Hatfield
VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Analyst

Featuring many of the top athletes from the talent-rich Tidewater area, the Best of the 757 Basketball Showcase took place on Saturday, September 17th with nearly 100 participants at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, VA.

Throughout the event, High School Basketball coaches running the skills and drills portions of the event, VirginiaPreps.com staff, college coaches and trusted sources were asked to evaluate players to find the 12 best that stood out among them all as the top performers that day. Check out more on those individuals below, plus links to photos and a report from the event courtesy of our friends at Cox 11.

Boo's nephew, Williams is one of the Top 20 ranked prospects in the nation from the Class of 2013 as the explosive forward attacks the basket for some rim-rattling slams, plus hits the backboards hard for impressive rebounds. His overall athleticism is top-notch and when you combine all the attributes he brings to the table, it's not hard at all to see why Troy is in such high demand by numerous colleges around the country. No doubt about it, he's a special talent, and his game could be scary good by the time he's a senior.

Perhaps the best thing that can be said about Snowden is that he's a winner and an unselfish team player, helping turn around a Knights program that had gone 25-64 before his arrival and has since won 44 of their last 54 games with a school-record 27 victories last winter. The smooth 6-foot-5 wing from Virginia Beach has yet to pick up his first offer, but that should soon change as Division I schools start to study up on his overall court awareness and realize the potential of what he can be 3-4 years from now as he continues to physically and mentally mature. He has the tools to be a terrific player.

This ultra-quick point guard from Suffolk who checks in at 5-foot-10 continues to wow people every time he steps on the court, and he goes about his business almost in a quiet assassin type of way, not showing much emotion and performing with a calm demeanor. Not only does Brite deliver some nifty passes and has some creative moves off the bounce, but he also does an outstanding job of changing speeds. Out of all the participants at the Showcase, Brite finished up with the best SPARQ scoring, which assesses Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction and Quickness.

A tall guard approaching 6-foot-5, Hall is already considered a nationally-ranked prospect from the Class of 2014 with multiple offers from schools in the ACC as well as a host of others from some of the major College Basketball conference recruiting him.Smart and instinctive, Hall plays with tremendous savvy, and has the look of a guard that a few years down the road we'll be talking about filling the stat sheet when it comes to point, rebounds and assists. Watching Hall, you see a player that will have the ball in his hands in crunch time and make the right decisions, controlling the pace and setting the tempo.

Physical and strong in the low block, Self had the best Power Ball Toss at 31.7 inches, earning him two medals on the day. His scoring inside was more noticeable than it has been in the past, and that's definitely a big plus since he's labeled before as a rugged, undersized post that provides hustle and mostly rebounding and shot blocking instead of offense. Self recently transferred from Booker T. Washington to Norfolk Collegiate, where he's re-classified as a 2013 prospect in hopes of garnering more attention for the next level, and giving him another summer on the AAU travel scene with Boo Williams.

As far as raw talents go, Gray is one of the state's elite prospects from the Class of 2014 with an extremely high ceiling and upside. Gray has great length and couples that with superb burst and a first step that reminds me some of Maury's Jamal Ferguson from the wing position. Two years from now, few players anywhere around will be able to defend Gray when he drives and attacks the rim. Coach Erick Mays has himself a dangerous player the next few years that will slowly but surely become a major force, especially as he learns the game and starts to figure out how to take over.

One of the best post players at the Camp, Thompson came on during the second half of last season for Mike Donovan's Comets and even bigger things are expected of him for his senior year, which could translate into numerous Division II and even a few Division I looks. In the half-court, he's a very effective back-to-basket type of forward with the ability to show that touch from 15 foot out, plus his jump-hook is money. Thompson controls the painted area, rebounds well and if he plays with an aggressive mean streak on a consistent basis this year, it'll cause numerous headaches for Eastern District opponents.

Playing last year behind Beach District Player of the Year, All-State performer and Campbell signee Trey Freeman, Osuchukwu was somewhat of a hidden gem and x-factor for the Knights a season ago. Now he's thrust into a bigger role as the team's starting point guard, where he should blossom with some great traits that stood out at this showcase. He's an athletic guard that in some people's eyes is a cross between a '1' and a '2', and his quickness was evident by the fact in the three-quarter court sprint his 3.03 second time was tops at the entire event. A breakout year could be awaiting him.

New to the Phoebus program, Glover will quickly become a welcomed addition to James Daniel's run-and-gun attack and an ideal fit with their pressing style on defense as well as on offense where they aren't shy about pulling the trigger from behind the three-point line. He's an athletic slasher who can shoot it and also use his length to his advantage, something that will allow him to rebound and defend bigger wings. From and athletic standpoint and basketball skill wise, it's fairly obvious that he can play at the Division I level, and be a real impact player for Phoebus next season.

The son of former UVA Head Basketball Coach Dave Leitao, it's easy to see that the younger Leitao has an excellent understanding of the game, which ought to come as no surprise given the bloodlines. To go with the solid court sense and high basketball IQ,Leitao scored on several nice drives to the basket, and the shot selection was pretty good overall. Some may think the term system player has negative connotations, butLeitao kind of fits that bill because he plays within the team concept and that's a positive.

All off-season long, Joyce has made steady progress for the Warriors and should be an integral part of the team's front-court next season following a junior campaign where he had his moments, whether it was blocking shots, rebounding or providing a lift offensively with inside scoring against Kecoughtan in the regionals. The motor for Joyce is always running, and he works very hard around the basket, getting stick-backs and key rebounds that truly make him an asset to have on the court. Above all else, a great character kid with a work ethic second to none puts him on the radar of a handful of D-2 and D-3 programs.

Camps like these allow athletes the opportunity to make a name for themselves in front of their peers and quality competition, which Gamble did considering he entered the event as somewhat of an unknown to the common basketball fan. By the time it was over, some of the Division II and Division III College coaches in attendance took note of who he was and what he did, knocking down several three-pointers. His ability to stretch the defense from the outside as well as hit the stop and pop mid-range jumpers will help Mike Gardner's Hurricanes this coming winter and beyond.

Matthew Hatfield serves as State Basketball Analyst for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network. Check out Hatfield's Twitter page for more sports related info and updates. To contact Matthew, please e-mail  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and don't forget to listen to him on the VirginiaPreps.com Hour every Saturday at 11AM on ESPN Radio 94.1 and watch him on the Cox 11 Sports Report.

October 23, 2011

The final event of the Best of the 757 series concluded with the Baseball showcase at Old Dominion University. The event featured Nike SPARQ Combine ( baseball specific speed, power agility tests) as well as a Baseball Skills Challenge Showcase which including pitching, hitting, and fielding. The top players from around the 757 attended the event and 10 prospects were recognized for the Best of the 757 All-Camp team presented here: 

York High's Ben Edwards has learned this summer how to filter fantasy from reality when it comes to talking with college football coaches.

In his wildest dreams, he'd don the orange and maroon on the practice fields at Virginia Tech in the fall of 2010. Yet, the truth is he's still waiting for a scholarship offer from any school. After having dozens of promising discussions with college coaches, but receiving nothing in the way of an actual offer, Edwards has gotten proactive about his future this summer.

Speed has college recruiters interested in York's Ben Edwards (Daily Press, August 2009)

Edwards, a 6-foot, 185-pound quarterback for the Falcons, has been to two camps at Richmond and one each at Tech, Duke, Delaware, Old Dominion, James Madison and Temple. Though he excelled at quarterback last season, he's being recruited by colleges as a wide receiver or defensive back. "Every college I've been to has looked at me as an athlete," said Edwards, who added that Michigan State and Purdue have shown interest. "It depends on the college and what they want. A lot of them are looking at me as a defensive back and wide receiver, but not as a quarterback, because the typical D-I or I-AA quarterback is a little taller than 6-foot."

Last season, Edwards put himself on the recruiting radar by stepping in for his brother, Aaron, at quarterback. Aaron sat out the season with a knee injury. Ben responded by passing for 855 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and running for 843 yards and 13 touchdowns. He earned Bay Rivers District offensive-player-of-the-year honors and led York to a 6-4 record.

The numbers from last season were impressive, but Edwards' speed is the attribute that could ultimately earn him a scholarship. In early June, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds in Hampton on a track at the Boo Williams Sportsplex during the "Best of the 757" combine. This summer, he has logged times between 4.45 and 4.5 seconds on turf at various camps.

Edwards, who carries a grade-point average near 3.4, comes by his Hokie mania honestly. He's the product of a long line of Tech alums, including his mother, father, four cousins, three aunts and two uncles. While Edwards likely would sweep Lane Stadium after games for an entire season if it meant a scholarship was waiting for him, he's realistic about his opportunities.

"(Schools are) going to try to get you without spending any money," Edwards said. "They're going to try to get you with the walk-on spot until one (school) offers (a scholarship). Then, the (other schools) feel like they have to offer. I'm really close with six schools - Temple, Virginia Tech, ODU, JMU, Richmond and William and Mary. ... I'm just waiting to get that first scholarship offer. I feel like after I get that first one, I'll probably get another six or seven more."

Doug Pereira, who is entering his third season as York's coach, is learning a few things about the recruiting business through Edwards' experience. Pereira said he sent highlight packages and profile information about Edwards out to 25 to 30 schools.

"I've never worked with a Division I prospect of his caliber that's being recruited, so we're all learning on the fly," said Pereira. "I guess the one part I'm learning here is I've never been one to go out and oversell a player to college coaches. At the same time, I don't think there's overselling going on with (Edwards). He's earned it."

Edwards said his biggest recruiting resource thus far has been his father, Zach, who is the defensive-line and special-teams coach at York. Zach was a walk-on defensive end at Tech, so he has a feel for the waiting game a prospect seeking a scholarship offer has to play, according to Ben.

"With the whole recruiting process, (Zach) is a genius," Ben said. "He's teaching me how these coaches think and what they're trying to do with their systems and the (scholarship) money."

Ben said he has worked out this summer with his dad five times a week, focusing on speed drills. With York sophomore Alex Johnston showing promise at quarterback, Ben knows there's a good chance he could get on the field at receiver a few times this fall with Johnston under center. Anything to make himself stand out just a little more in the eyes of recruiters.

"I do get a little antsy," Edwards said. "I tend to bug my coaches at York a lot about recruiting and what they've heard. ... My dad definitely keeps me grounded. That's why I say all this recruiting will come in due time."

Norm Wood can be reached at 247-4642 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For more recruiting news, go to dailypress.com/recruiting.

Copyright © 2009, Newport News, Va., Daily Press