Shaw's Takeaways: Big Shots Tip Off Classic
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – AAU weekends provide the evaluator a look into a variety of players, who at different levels, throughout different classes. Rivals.com’s Jamie Shaw was on hand for the two-day Big Shots Tip Off Classic to take in the action. There were 84 teams across seven different age groups all under one roof.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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Deante Green set on the 2022 class
De’Ante Green recently narrowed his recruiting down to a final six: North Carolina, Virginia Tech, NC State, Wake Forest, Tennessee and Florida State.
While the newly minted state champion called the North Carolina offer “a dream come true” and told us that NC State head coach Kevin Keatts “was the first coach and school to really even recruit me,” Green says that he wants to wait a little bit before deciding anything.
“I want to take visits, I am going to wait until I can get on the campus and visits the schools.”
Green showed poise and efficiency at Big Shots Tip Off Classic. On the block he was able to show a go-to move over both shoulders. At the high post he was quick and decisive with the rip through and jab step. He knocked in a couple catch and shoot threes and he finished with a double-double in both games.
There has been some conversation swirling about Green possibly coming out early, as part of the 2021 class, and Green was quick to nip that in the bud in a very matter of fact way saying, “I am staying in 2022.”
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Texas is getting a threat in Keeyan Itejere
Keeyan Itejere is a next-level type of athlete that does things throughout the course of a game that may be natural to him, but just are not routine for other people. Whether it be hitting his head on the backboard when dunking a ball or blocking a floater at its peak (both of which he did this weekend) his physical gifts can be truly tantalizing.
Itejere committed to Texas after a quick recruiting process last June, but this recruitment was different for the three-star prospect.
“People said this was a quick process, but really when you know what school you want to go to, you know what school you want to go to,” Itejere said. “I got a phone call after practice one day and it was coach (Shaka) Smart. We just connected immediately, really unlike any other coach I had ever talked to. That really set things off.”
If Itejere is going to make his mark early at Texas, it will be on the defensive end of the floor. Leading up to his final game Itejere averaged 12 rebounds and he added 5.5 blocks to go along with some truly breathtaking displays of athleticism.
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Kuluel Mading recruitment picking up
Kuluel Mading decommitted from Howard in January and fully reopened his recruitment.
While programs from all over the country have been contacting the agile 6-foot-10 forward, Mading says he is hearing the most from Georgia, UNC-Greensboro, North Carolina Central and Wichita State.
Mading, who is a recent state champion, kicked off the Big Shots Tip Off Classic with a pair of double-double performances to lead his team to the championship finale. He was able to showcase his length, his quick jump and some ball skills with touch to his game.
Mading expects his recruitment to pick up once the college basketball season ends and he is still open to more programs entering the mix.
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Greg Jackson hears from new suitor
Gregory Jackson, who recently told Rivals.com that South Carolina, Clemson and Virginia Tech have recruited him the most consistently to this point, has a new program in the mix as Stanford started the process with him this week.
The 6-foot-9 Jackson averaged just over 17 points per game this season and was the only sophomore named to the South Carolina 5A All-State team. At Big Shots Tip Off Classic Jackson was a mismatch as he was able to take smaller players on the block and the bigger players off the bounce. He showcased a tightened breakdown handle in the half court which enabled him to get to the rim. He also showcased some nice footwork on the block that allowed him to get over his left shoulder.
Once Summer rolls around and we head into Jackson’s junior year look for programs from across the country to be jumping on board.