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Shaw's Takeaways: Feast Fest and Sneaker Slam

Donald Hand, Jr.
Donald Hand, Jr. (Matthew Hatfield, VirginiaPreps.com)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The new Virginia Beach Sports Center hosted its first high school event over the weekend. Teams from all around the Southeast participated in Feast Fest and Sneaker Slam, and Rivals.com’s Jamie Shaw was courtside to see the talent.

Here is what he saw.

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Shaw's Takeaways: The Oak Hill vs. Hargrave Scrimmage

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

2024 Rankings: Top 40

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It was quite the performance for Hand, Jr. In the 40-minute running clock game, he finished with an event-high 36 points. However, the sheer volume of points scored was not the main takeaway; it was the efficient and translatable way he got his buckets. The 6-foot-5 Boston College commit scored at each level, off the bounce, and off the catch. He also set up his teammates, dishing out five assists in the win.

Ranked No. 102 in the 2022 Rivals150, the still 17-year old Hand is coming off a season that saw him average 31 points per game for his Virginia Beach (Va.) Landstown High team last season. He showed that number is well within reach again this season.

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Over the summer, Craft was one of the big stock boosters, ending his travel ball season ranked No. 56 in the 2022 Rivals150. Craft also transferred to Atlanta (Ga.) The Skills Factory for his senior season. The efficiency in which he scored was the storyline of this one. Like Hand, Jr., Craft’s outburst came in a 40-minute running clock setting. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard finished going seven of ten from beyond the arc, scoring off an array of pull-ups and ball screens.

Craft, a Xavier commitment, can heat up at a moment’s notice, and his teammates know this. When he gets rolling, they look for him often. Craft is unselfish and does not force his shots, but his ability as a shot-maker is apparent.

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Hall made a name for himself early in his career, most notably by going viral as “big guard.” Standing 6-foot-7 and 240 pounds, the big guard moniker is an apt one. Left-handed and playing on Atlanta (Ga.) The Skills Factory Post Grad team, Hall is a unique player with the ball in his hands. He has the quick first step, the court vision, and the shiftiness and balance to get wherever he wants to go. The body language and the motor will bring questions, but there is no denying his game's skillset and unique nature.

Recently, Hall claims offers from the likes of Illinois, Mississippi State, Wichita State, and Texas A&M. “I would say Wichita State and Texas A&M are recruiting me the hardest right now, but they’re all talking to me and interested,” Hall said.

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The 6-foot-9 2024 prospect for Atlanta (Ga.) The Skills Factory high school team is a big-bodied post player with good hands, touch around the basket, and understands playing around the rim. He should track as a high-level prospect.

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The 6-foot-5 wing in the 2023 class has the length to go with a smooth jump shot and ball skills. He carries multiple Div. I offers already, but the confidence factor is starting to click at Durham (N.C.) Good Better Best Academy. Tuck this name away, and watch his progression over the next six months.

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