Four-star point guard Chance Mallory says he hopes to make his college decision by the end of October and is in the midst of a run of official visits that will go a long way toward determining where he lands.
Officially, the Virginia-based standout has a top six comprised of Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Virginia, Miami, Villanova and Clemson. Those programs don’t stand on equal footing, however.
Today Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy examines the major players in Mallory’s recruitment and breaks down which of them have a real chance of landing his pledge.
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THE FAVORITE: Virginia
The Cavaliers have long been among the favorites to land Mallory, and that line of thinking has only galvanized in the days since his official visit to Charlottesville last weekend. Virginia targeted the local point guard early in the process and that decision could be poised to pay off this fall.
The ‘Hoos are also involved with 6-foot point guard Keyshuan Tillery but seem to be moving on quickly from him as Cincinnati surges, a situation that suggests Virginia head coach Tony Bennett has now placed most of his eggs in Mallroy’s basket.
The St. Anne's-Belfield High School star has long felt comfortable with the UVA staff and it’s possible that the recent campus visit created a sizable swatch of separation between the hometown Cavaliers and the rest of his finalists.
THE MAIN THREATS: Miami and Virginia Tech
Mallory has already visited Virginia Tech and feels pretty unlikely to actually choose the Hokies on decision day. However, hope revolves around the program’s relative proximity to home along with his positive feelings toward head coach coach Mike Young.
Miami is the real wildcard by virtue of holding the final visit, a war chest full of NIL money and the fact that the Hurricanes seem intent on building a top-ranked 2025 class. UVA remains the favorite, obviously, but the Oct. 25 official visit to Coral Gables is worth monitoring closely. Strange things tend to happen on trips to Dade County, after all.
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THE PERIPHERY: Tennessee, Villanova and Clemson
The Vols, Wildcats and Tigers are all included in Mallory’s top six but none of the three seems particularly likely to actually land his letter of intent. Tennessee assistant coach Justin Gainey has forged an extremely strong bond with Mallory, which feels worth noting even if it’s unlikely to produce a commitment.
