2025 Guard Chance Mallory Names Finalists
Top available senior Chance Mallory is down to five finalists. The 5’10” point guard out of St. Anne’s-Belfield (VA) will choose between Virginia, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. According to a report from Joe Tipton of On3Sports, Mallory plans to announce his decision on March 22nd.
2025 4⭐️ Chance Mallory is one of the top players left on the board in the ‘25 class. He told @LeagueRDY he’s down to these five schools:
— Sam Kayser - 24/7 High School Hoops (@247HSHoops) March 6, 2025
Virginia Tech
Vanderbilt
Maryland
Tennessee
Virginia
Mallory has taken official visits to all five programs. Was previously committed to… pic.twitter.com/5x9TgnM5gU
Mallory previously committed to play for his hometown program Virginia under Tony Bennett. Later following Bennett’s retirement, Mallory reopened his recruitment. He’s taken official visits to all five finalists. The Virginia and Virginia Tech visits were in September, prior to his original commitment. Maryland, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt received visits in recent months.
Quick Reaction
The main question at the moment is whether or not Mallory has actually made his decision. His hope was always to come to a verdict around this point on the calendar, so as to avoid getting caught up in transfer portal traffic. His reported announcement date of March 22nd is two days before the portal opens, certainly fitting those plans.
With that date being 16 days away, it could be that a final decision isn’t made, or even that the date isn’t yet etched in stone. It’s a particularly relevant topic for Virginia. Currently without a coach, the Cavaliers are still considered a serious contender for Mallory. It was expected that he would wait to see who the new coach is first. Is he leaving a time window for the coach to be named? And if so, is that enough time? It would be cutting it very close.
On the other hand–if he has come to a verdict, that would bode well for Tennessee. Rick Barnes and the Volunteers have hosted him twice on visits in recent months. As Pablo Cong wrote this week for LRA-Tennessee, Mallory is the top candidate to replace graduating senior Zakai Zeigler at point guard next season.
The darkhorse of the race is Mike Young and the Virginia Tech Hokies. They’ve been a steady presence in Mallory’s recruitment, and that relationship is strong. Along with Virginia and Tennessee, those seem to be the three most relevant teams of his finalists.
Stay tuned to Locker Room Access for further recruiting coverage as the offseason nears.