Commitment breakdown: Elijah Gertrude chooses Virginia
Four-star guard Elijah Gertrude is officially off the board, as the New Jersey-based standout made the call for Virginia on Wednesday afternoon. The Jersey City (NJ) Hudson Catholic High School star chose the Cavaliers over fellow finalists Seton Hall, St. John's, Kansas and Rutgers.
Below, Rivals has a look at what UVA is getting in its newest addition and explores what it means for the bigger picture of Virginia hoops.
WHAT VIRGINIA IS GETTING
Few players have had better a 2022 than Gertrude, who strung together an impressive end to his high school campaign with a breakout summer in the Nile EYBL. He’s long been a high-level athlete capable of playing above the rim and antagonizing ball handlers on the defensive end. The summer saw his skill begin to catch up with his raw tools, however, and he went from unranked to the cusp of the top-100 because of it. Now ranked as the No. 112 prospect in the 2023 class, Gertrude's rankings ceiling remains higher than that. The 6-foot-4 guard is capable of playing either backcourt spot and has showcased an improving jump shot to go along with his ability to finish at the rack with either hand. He handles the ball well and doesn’t mind taking his defender off the dribble in critical moments. He’s also one of the better on-ball defenders in the class. Gertrude will go as far as his jumper takes him, as that’s the part of his game that needs to become more consistent. He could also stand to make additional strides as a facilitator. His ranking could improve yet again following his senior campaign.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE CAVALIERS
The fit here seems obvious. Gertrude’s calling cards are his athleticism and defensive prowess and few programs value that combination as much as UVA. The versatile guard also fills a need from a class standpoint, as UVA’s only other 2023 pledge is from four-star center Blake Buchanan, who shines as a shot-blocker and a creative scorer in the low block. The foundation of Tony Bennett’s class is true to the coach’s established identity from a lockdown defense standpoint. Gertrude and Buchanan are among the two under-publicized prospects in the Rivals150, as neither is particularly flashy on the offensive end despite impacting winning in numerous ways.
IN HIS WORDS
“I really love the way [UVA] plays defense. That is something that immediately stands out when watching Virginia. They really get after it on the defensive side and they really focus on defense more than anything. You can’t say that about a lot of schools so it's unique in a way and I am a guy that prides myself on defense.” –-Gertrude to CavsCorner this summer