A Look at Paulius Joneliunas
Paulius Joneliunas, a skilled 6-10, 258 pound center from Roanoke Catholic H.S. in Roanoke, Va., is a prospect that has popped up on the radar screen for many high Division I programs this winter.
Rivalshoops.com had the chance to catch Joneliunas in action at the recent Basketball Hall of Fame H.S. Invitational in Springfield, Mass.
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Joneliunas has excellent footwork and can score reliably in the low post. On the down side, he's a bit slow footed and isn't always able to get back quickly enough to utilize his size on the defensive end of the ball.
Rivalshoops.com caught up with Roanoke Catholic Head Coach Dick Wall at the HOF Tournament. He said that Joneliunas enrolled at Roanoke Catholic in August. Paulius came over from Lithuania with the intention of finishing out his high school requirements, Wall added.
Among the programs that have offered Joneliunas include South Carolina, Southern Methodist, Texas, Richmond, Virginia and West Virginia, Wall said. Others, such as North Carolina, North Carolina State and Marquette, are keeping an eye on Joneliunas this winter.
Wall said that Joneliunas has scored an 870 on the SAT. For the season, he's averaging roughly 13 points and 10 rebounds per game.
"He is very polished offensively and has much better foot work than your typical American post man," Wall said. "Somebody took him at a very young age and told him what to do with his feet, and I think he is going to be a very good player in college."
As for his defensive shortcomings, Wall thinks that area will improve once the Lithuanian big man gets to college.
"You can fix that, and I think he will once he gets to college," the coach said. "He's not a jet, but I wouldn't call him a plodder, either. He is going to get better at that, and if I were a college coach, I wouldn't let that put me off."
Wall also thinks that Joneliunas needs to become a more consistent finisher in traffic, but feels a lot of that will come when he gets intense strength training at the next level.
"Speed, stamina and endurance -- I think a lot of that comes with strength," Wall said. "And that's not hard to fix."
"He's been in some weight lifting since he's here, but nothing like he'll get once he gets to college," Wall continued. "I am sure that they will start him out in the summer with that."
Joneliunas took one official visit to SMU in the fall and has four official visits left. Wall said that Paulius is definitely going to visit South Carolina once the high school basketball season is over, and that would leave him with three more to take if he so chooses.
Rivalshoops.com will keep you posted on Joneliunas' recruitment as the winter turns into the spring signing period, so stay tuned.