It’s been a busy summer of recruiting for Tony Bennett and the Virginia coaching staff. They were on the road for four of the last five weekends taking part in live evaluation periods, checking on their top targets in the class of 2025 and identifying new ones along the way.  

Now that summer evaluations are in the rear view, the table is mostly if not all set.  It’ll soon be closing time.  September and October are the busiest months of the year for high school visitors and commitments, ahead of the fall signing period. 

Limited Space

Virginia’s 2025 recruiting class won’t be very big.  There’s only two open scholarships to work with for November’s early signing period.  The plan is simple.  They’d like to add one guard and one forward.  

With a young roster and limited space, it’s not an easy task.  Other teams have more of an obvious path to the court to sell.  UVA has been forced into a narrow search to find the type of players who could have an early opportunity.  It’s been a challenge.  But the coaching staff still managed to put themselves in position to have a shot at some really good players.  

We’re already in somewhat unfamiliar territory.  Bennett has typically gotten an early start.  It’s been a rarity for him not to have at least one recruit committed by now.   The last time this happened came during the class of 2021 cycle when the pandemic shut down all in-person activity.  High-stakes fall recruiting is the norm in college basketball,, but that hasn’t often been the case for Virginia.  

The good news is that, while it’s only been a small part of the past portfolio, Bennett has been pretty successful with fall visitors.  The majority of them committed to Virginia.  He doesn’t usually deal with prolonged fall battles though.  Every recruit who’s held an offer at this point either committed to UVA by the end of September or they went elsewhere.  

Going The Distance

As of last November, Virginia had already offered scholarships to 16 players in the 2025 class.  Four of those are still a realistic possibility.  That might seem like a poor ratio, but Virginia used to almost never stay involved in recruitments that stretched from one fall to the next.  By design.  They would make their push to close out early targets, then move on if unsuccessful.  But over the last couple years, Bennett has shown that he will pace himself to go the distance for the right recruit.  

The best examples this year are Gonzaga (DC) guard Derek Dixon and five-star prized forward Nate Ament out of Highland School (VA).  UVA had been a steady presence all along in both races, but Bennett didn’t really press the throttle until the last couple months.  Regardless of the result, and competition is fierce for both, the coaching staff has played those recruitments perfectly so that they have momentum at the right time.  

UVA is in line to get Nate Ament’s first official visit, tentatively set for the weekend of September 1st.  We’ll see what other visits he’ll schedule.  It’ll be a prestigious list.  UConn, Duke, and Kentucky are all coming hard.   Derek Dixon already visited in April.  We’re mostly just waiting for him to visit North Carolina in early September.  Never discount the Tar Heels, but Pitt still seems to be UVA’s main competition.  

The other two early targets still in play are St. Anne’s Belfield (VA) guard Chance Mallory and Largo (MD) forward Cam Ward.  Very different situations, more incidental than the product of some great strategy.  Mallory’s recruitment has been a roller coaster, but the Hoos are a finalist now with a real shot this fall.  And although UVA offered Ward in November, they weren’t that involved until this summer.  

Mallory has already named a final six of Virginia, VA Tech, Clemson, Miami, Tennessee, and Villanova.  He’s planning to visit all of them, with UVA’s turn set for the weekend of September 13th.  It seems to be an open contest, with a decision planned in late October.  As for Ward, UVA will need to get him back for an official visit to have a legit chance.  Marquette and Michigan State are among the serious contenders.

For a long time, I said Tony Benentt doesn’t do marathons.  Well, that’s no longer true.  Now, we’ll see if he’s capable of winning one.  Any of the four above would be a big prize, especially in Virginia’s position.  

Sprint to the Finish  

The other category is made up of the recruits who emerged over the spring and summer. Their races aren’t as solidified.  Most of them will probably name finalists soon, then schedule visits and decide on the same schedule in Sept/Oct.  But we don’t know for sure yet whether Virginia will be in contention.

New Hampton (NH) forward Mason Blackwood and Davidson Day (NC) guard Isaiah Denis were offered scholarships following the spring evaluation period.  Virginia coaches kept tabs the rest of the way.  There seemed to be a late uptick of involvement for Blackwood.  Bennett watched him multiple times at Peach Jam.  He’s taken an official to Rutgers with another scheduled to Penn State.  Denis may be out of reach, especially after his latest offer from North Carolina.  

Three new offers went out following last week’s AAU live period.  Bennett shadowed Utah Prep guard JJ Mandaquit at the Adidas Championships, usually an indication it will turn serious.  Sagemont Prep (FL) guard Matthew Able ended up being the breakout player of the summer, piling up new offers.  And maybe the most interesting of the group, Iowa City West forward Jack McCaffery, the son of Iowa coach Fran McCaffery.  

The main competition for Mandaquit seems to be Stanford and BYU.  McCaffery has said he won't play for his dad.  Butler is one to watch for him.  It’ll be fascinating to see how UVA handles those recruitments, the timing of any potential visits.   Able has really blown up.  It might prove hard for UVA to get their foot in the door with him, we’ll see.  

Pay attention to those last three.  Just about every class under Bennett has included at least one player who received their offer during or after summer.  Of course, there could be more in the weeks ahead.  

What’s Next

There should be a lot of list cuts, finalists named over the next few weeks.  We’ll probably get a few more visit dates as well.  August is a quiet recruiting month for the most part before we get into visit season.   

Despite the lack of a commitment, Virginia is positioned well heading into the fall.  The young roster, bolstered by the transfer additions, has made this a low stress recruiting cycle.  Bennett can afford to take his swings at some big targets coming up.  Should be a lot of fun seeing how it shakes out, knowing the roster is pretty well set for the next couple seasons either way. 

(Featured Image Credit: DMV Live) 

New recruits are emerging.  What to know about Virginia’s latest scholarship offers.  Where things stand with all the top targets left on the board.  And this weekend’s hot spots as coaches head out for the summer’s final live period. 

New Offers

Tony Bennett handed out three new scholarship offers following last weekend’s live evaluation period.  All to recruits in the class of 2025. 

Matthew Able was the breakout recruit of the week.  The 6’5” shooting guard out of Sagemont Prep (FL) averaged better than 22 points and shot over 50% from behind the arc through six games in Rock Hill.  He had already been on the rise, but his recruitment has officially blown up now..  Bennett called with an offer immediately after watching Able, something he hadn’t done in years.  It was a no brainer.  

Able has picked up a bunch of new offers. Baylor, Miami, Auburn, and Michigan to name a few.  There will surely be more on the way, as other coaches flock to see him this weekend in Atlanta.  He had set a few official visits to the schools that were previously recruiting him.  One of those being Boston College, where his dad played.  But everything has changed for him now.  We’ll have to see where UVA fits in when July’s dust settles.  

The next offer went to Utah Prep point guard JJ Mandaquit.  UVA clearly went into the weekend planning to give him a long look.  Bennett and/or Ron Sanchez were there every time he played.  He’s long been a popular recruit, ranked around the top 50.  Stanford and BYU seem to be the programs most seriously involved so far.  He’s also talked about Louisville and Creighton.  

Mandaquit is 6’2” pure point guard.  It shows the coaching staff is open to different types of players for the one spot they have available for a guard in the 2025 class.  I asked a UVA source about their thought process.  His answer was “We just want a really good guard.”  

On Wednesday, Jack McCaffery claimed his offer.  A 6’8” forward out of Iowa City West HS, he’s the son of Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery.  The sharpshooter has made it known that he won’t be playing for his dad in college, so it’s a wide open recruitment.  The UVA offer is a big one for him.  Butler is seriously involved.  He has other offers from Utah, Wake Forest, and VCU.  

McCaffery is a skilled prototypical stretch-four type.  Shooting is his best attribute.  Bennett hasn’t seen him play yet.   Presumably, Ron Sanchez did last week while in Atlanta.  After his performance last week and the new offers, he should be a popular attraction for coaches this weekend at the Under Armour Finals. 

I expect Virginia to be a serious contender for JJ Mandaquit.  The coaches had been in contact with him for a while and already felt out the terrain.  It’s more wait and see with the other two.  There’s no guarantee they’ll get a foot in the door with Matthew Able,  and Jack McCaffery hasn’t been evaluated as thoroughly yet.   

The main takeaway from these new offers is that UVA won’t sit around this fall waiting endlessly for recruits to decide.  Not surprising, as Bennett usually takes this approach.  Look for them to try to get the newly offered players for visits.   The ideal scenario is to schedule them as a second wave, around late September into early October.   That way earlier targets like Derek Dixon, Chance Mallory, and Nate Ament have a reasonable opportunity to accept before the door opens to others.   

Other Guards 

Gonzaga (DC) guard Derek Dixon has received a heavy dose of the coaching staff’s attention all summer, and that will continue this weekend at Peach Jam.  Of the current targets, he’s the best bet to decide first.  That could happen anytime after his scheduled visit to North Carolina in early September. He’s already taken officials to the other contenders, UVA, Pitt, and Syracuse.  The thing to watch is whether he schedules more visits, potentially stretching his decision out further.  

St. Anne’s Belfield (VA) guard Chance Mallory has already named his final six.  Virginia, VA Tech, Miami, Clemson, Tennessee, and Villanova.  He’s planning to visit all of them, with UVA getting their turn on the weekend of September 13th.  A UVA source said this week that they feel like they have a legit shot, but confidence in getting him isn’t very high.  And with Chance determined to wait until late October to decide, the spot could get filled before then.  

Davidson Day (NC) guard Isaiah Denis is planning to trim his list down to probably around seven soon after Peach Jam.  UVA has been coming around regularly to see him during these live weekends.  I would guess the Hoos make the list, but it’s not a given.  Actually landing him is shaping up as a longshot.  He’s already set September official visits to Pitt, Michigan, and Ohio State.  

Forwards

It appears Virginia will get the first official visit from Highland School (VA) prized forward Nate Ament, tentatively scheduled for the weekend of September 1st.  He’s planning a lot of visits though, maybe up to 10 of them.  The race could go on for a good while. He hasn’t ruled out taking it past the November signing period.  

A source close to Ament said the three schools he believes are at the top right now are UVA, Duke, and Louisville.  On3’s Jamie Shaw reported a similar group that also included Kentucky.  We all understand the odds when those schools are involved.  At the same time, UVA is clearly a very serious contender.  The new offer to McCaffery signals Bennett won’t sit around and wait forever, but he’ll take his best shot in September and then see where things stand.  

Largo (MD) forward Cam Ward is putting on a show at Peach Jam, averaging 27 points so far.  He was in Charlottesville for an unofficial visit last month.  I’ve heard that Bennett has loved what he’s seen from Ward this summer.  Whether or not the Hoos have a real shot is another matter.  His recruitment is all over the place.  He mentions different schools in every interview, with only Marquette and Michigan State as the constants.  There’s a list cut planned after Peach Jam, so we should at least get some clarity.  

Bennett watched Mason Blackwood for the first time last weekend.  The New Hampton (NH) forward was offered following the spring AAU period.  UVA is still figuring out whether they'll seriously pursue him this fall, so I think that’s what’s happening right now.  He has an early September official visit scheduled to Penn State.  

Live Weekend

This weekend is the last live evaluation period of the year.  Coaches will be out from Friday through Sunday attending AAU events, checking on their top targets and evaluating new ones.  

Nike Peach Jam in Augusta takes center stage this week.  The coaches will probably spend most of their time there.  Top guard target Derek Dixon looks to lead Team Takeover to the championship.  As I mentioned, Cam Ward is having a great week.  Those two are sure to get lots of UVA attention. Isaiah Denis is back after missing last weekend with an injury.  And we’ll see whether Bennett continues eyeing Mason Blackwood.  Even more interesting will be if any new players of interest emerge, as the coaches have kept track of the happenings there this week. 

Nate Ament will be in Atlanta, so Tony Bennett is sure to follow.  There are two events of interest in town. The Adidas All-American Camp for standouts from the Adidas circuit.  And the nearby independent Power 24 event features many top teams from throughout the south.  UVA will want to see both newly offered guards as well.  JJ Mandaquit will be at the Adidas camp, while Matthew Able is playing at Power 24.  I’m not sure yet if Ament is participating in the camp or playing with Team Loaded at Power 24, but he’ll definitely be in Atlanta.  

The Under Armour Association Finals in Chicago is a major draw for coaches.  UVA is sure to be on hand, especially with the new offer to Jack McCaffery.  I’ll be curious if Bennett makes that out of the way trip to get his first look at McCaffery.    

Then from Tuesday through Thursday, coaches can attend the NCAA Academy in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  That’s mostly an opportunity to evaluate 2026 recruits.  I’ll get into the details on the forum next week if you’re interested.  

What’s Ahead

Over this next month, 2025 recruits will figure out their plans moving forward.  We’ll be talking a lot about list cuts and who’s visiting where on what weekend this fall.   The in-person activity dries up until September, when we ease into the heart of commitment season as official visits get underway.  

There’s an August recruiting lull, actually a big portion of the month is a dead period.  During that time, I plan to see what sources have to say about how the current team has looked in summer practices.  That’s the upcoming VIP itinerary.  Finish up the July live periods, summer practice reports, then back into fall recruiting.  Appreciate you all for sticking with us.  Thanks for subscribing to Locker Room Access.

After a short break, Tony Bennett and the Virginia coaching staff head out this weekend for the first of two July live evaluation periods.  I preview the hot spots and names to know in this LRA Intel Report.  

Fall Visits

UVA’s schedule of fall visitors is taking shape a bit early this year.  September and October are the busiest months for visiting high school recruits, and commitments for that matter, ahead of November’s early signing period.  Once the upcoming live weekends are over, 2025 recruits will start naming finalists and setting visits.  Some are already doing so obviously.   

St. Anne’s Belfield (VA) guard Chance Mallory has scheduled official visits to all six of his finalists, from early September through late October.  He’ll visit VA Tech, UVA, Clemson, Villanova, Tennessee, and Miami in that order.  The UVA visit is on the weekend of September 13th.  Mallory’s plan is to announce his choice on October 30th, his dad’s birthday.  And I would expect him to stick to that.  He’s had his plan from the start and hasn’t deviated.  

Top forward target Nate Ament out of Highland School (VA) has also said he will likely take his UVA official visit on the same weekend, September 13th.  It’s yet to be determined which other schools he’ll visit.  It’s sure to be a prestigious group.  UNC and UConn for sure, probably Kentucky, and maybe Duke.  

Largo (MD) forward Cam Ward intends to come back for an official visit in the fall as well, following his recent unofficial visit.  No date is set yet.  He’s already taken officials to Notre Dame, Florida State, and Marquette.  Others in the running include Michigan State, Maryland, and Mississippi State. 

Add in Gonzaga (DC) guard Derek Dixon, who visited in April, and it sets up well for UVA to have a realistic chance this fall with each of what seem to be their four top targets in the class as things stand.  Dixon has already visited Pitt and Syracuse along with UVA.  He has a UNC visit scheduled for early September. 

Live Weekend

Coaches will be on the road from Thursday through Sunday for the first of two consecutive AAU live evaluation weekends.   All of the relevant action is bunched together this weekend, in South Carolina and Georgia.  Convenient for coaches, as they can easily hop between locations.  

The 2025 class is still the main focus.  However, activity involving 2026 recruits starts to pick up from here.  We should see Bennett show up this week to evaluate some of the rising juniors his assistants have identified. 

Rock Hill

This weekend’s main event is the Adidas 3SSB Championships in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  That’s probably where Tony Bennett will start off, watching Nate Ament on Thursday.  There’s no other obvious 2025 recruits of interest there, but we shall see.   Plenty of potential 2026 recruits though.  

2026 John Marshall (VA) big man Latrell Allmond, Ament’s AAU teammate, already holds an offer from UVA.  Bishop O’Connell (VA) point guard Darius Bivins visited for a game this past season. Bennett will surely check on Wisconsin guard Josh Manchester, another unofficial visitor last fall.  And Carmel Christian (NC) forward Cody Peck turned heads during last month’s scholastic live periods.  

Atlanta

The Under Armour Association event will be held at Lake Point, just north of Atlanta.  With Chance Mallory out injured, there aren't any current UVA targets playing there.  They may want another look at St. John’s (DC) guard Omari Witherspoon, one of the hottest recruits in the country of late.  There’s already a relationship with him.  He visited for a game late in the season.   

Another attraction in Atlanta is the NBA Academy event, featuring top overseas talent. Someone from UVA usually drops by to browse.  The name to know there is Oscar Goodman, a 2025 forward from New Zealand.  He’ll have a lot of eyes on him after a really good showing last week at the U17 World Cup.  

Augusta

Most of the players UVA is recruiting are in Augusta for Nike Peach Jam.  It doesn’t begin until Saturday though.  They’ve changed the format, so that Peach Jam occupies both live period weekends.  Tony Bennett will undoubtedly be there later this weekend and then it’ll be ground zero for coaches when they go back out next week.  

Prime targets Derek Dixon and Cam Ward should once again get a heavy dose of Bennett’s attention.  It’ll be interesting to see if the coaching staff starts to devote more energy toward the recruits that were offered in spring.  Bennett was on hand in June for Davidson Day (NC) guard Isaiah Denis.  He’s yet to see New Hampton (NH) forward Mason Blackwood and Cathedral (IN) forward Brady Koehler. 

2025 guard Legend Smiley from Seattle will get a look during Peach Jam. He caught Ron Sanchez’s attention in June.  And guard Courtland Muldrew, an Arkansas native now attending Oak Hill Academy, has been mentioning UVA interest since spring.    

There will be a lot of 2026 evaluation work at Peach Jam too.  Grace Christian (NC) wing Michael Phillips really impressed in June.  There’s serious interest in Putnam Science (CT) guard Imahri Wooten.  And the UVA coaches are already familiar with the Bishop McNamara (MD) guard duo, Prince-Alexander Moody and Qayden Samuels. 

These AAU weekends are a lot of fun.  Come join the discussion on the forum, where there will be frequent updates.  As always, thanks for subscribing to Locker Room Access.