HokieJonez

signed to the Hokies, there was very little online about his HS record. But there were some reports (can't remember where I read them) that he was actually very good in early HS years, but he suffered some injury that took him out when he should have been making news as varsity player. Then, when he was an upper classman, he only played a little, so didn't make much news, but people said he was pretty athletic. I don't really know, though. I'm just hoping he is a sweet surprise this year. Also, I have heard CMY say bigs generally take more time to develop. In past interviews, CMY has talked about the development process he had with Blackshear and Kidd and that both players were real good for him later in their collegiate career. When I compare the few vids I found on Davis in HS and recent VT posts, he seems much more agile/athletic than Blackshear/Kidd (he can really move/jump). However, he clearly doesn't have the bulk that Blackshear had to bang down low and Kidd was automatic from the charity stripe. All that to say, I hope he stays around long enough for Custis, Frazier, and CMY to turn him into what the others were in their late VT years. ** Edited by HokieJonez at 7/31/2026, 1:03:32 PM

together, so hard to really say, but I thought it was noteworthy/encouraging to see Davis getting fed buckets, including an oop. There was also another vid on there a while back of Johnson mic'd up, with an exclamatory, "Oooo, Solo can jump!", but the action was off-screen. That gets me excited, since he is the tallest guy on the team and a red-shirt freshman that we have never really seen play. He looked pretty boring in warm ups last year, even in his expression, but I think the dude is just really calm. Hopefully, he has some dog in him and he's just saving it for the competition. Back to your actual question though, haven't seen anything in person, but the vids they've posted thus far showed some Curry/Davis collab, as well as some Hammond/Atak/Sagnia plays.

That would be a real nail biter of a matchup, I think.

It's nice to have another warm body on the team. Though he won't be a starter, he seems solid defensively from some recruitment vid I saw on YouTube. Might not contribute much, but I like to see the team's spots nearly filled.

Anyone else see where that Goliath from Saint Mary's has transferred to Iowa? On another post, someone said Iowa plays slow, hopefully, enough that we can beat em in transition. Do you think that Bohemoth of a center will wear out our frontcourt too much for us to snag the W? ** Edited by HokieJonez at 7/2/2026, 10:43:47 AM

I'm less sure about the non-conference schedule, but that does not look super competitive thus far. He was injured in early 2026 and after 9 months of recovery/strength training he should be able to play with confidence. I am speaking from the experience of having ACL reconstruction myself, but I am not a doctor. After 9 months, I could do pretty much anything I did before and he is certainly getting more extensive conditioning/care. All that said, I do not expect him to put up the same numbers this year. The numbers might still be great, but we probably will not see so many double-doubles. There's a mental hurdle that you have to get over to play with 100% confidence against physical opponents that I don't think you can simulate in practice and training. On the other hand, if he plays with a nice brace, that can provide an immense amount of security and confidence (like nothing happened, you just have to get used to the feel of the brace). Only time will tell, but I'm hopeful. He's not one to back down. He's a bully on the court and I don't see this changing that mentality. P.S. Below is a picture from his medical team post-op. They are saying this is him flexing after his historic W over the ACL reconstruction.

are committed with three more spots TBA."

You're probably right. This probably won't be a critical game. If we win any games on our current non-conference schedule (from what has already been mentioned online), we probably will not see any significant boosts to rankings. The analyses that I read on this stuff kind of can make my head spin.

Edit: Should have put some qualifiers in that sentence/post. I meant to say that is a must-win game because it should be one of our tougher non-conference opponents, yet they don't have an incredible program so it is winnable. ** Edited by HokieJonez at 6/5/2026, 2:12:13 PM

to make a real difference and become the greatest shooter of all time. You clearly have no bias and understand the word "never".

I didn't previously know about him installing play/s. Keep up the good reporting.

(or more) for the entirity of ACC play. Our returning players are now seasoned and capable. If they can be healthy and some others can prove their worth, then CBS' assessment isn't a stretch.

Do you not consider them quad 1? I'm really banking on Avdalas choking when he steps back on our court, so I can gloat over my UNC alumni relatives.

Seems to be a site issue that was fixed fairly quickly. It's not just you.

We will not play one ACC team (Duke this year). We will play our rival and one other team twice. We will face every other ACC team once. Last year, we didn't play Pitt.

His form was nearly perfect though despite lack of arc/ball rotation. Jayden Young also had a really flat shot that somehow would go in from time to time.

guarding guards. Since he's so tall and agile, he's a solid defender. On the offensive side he hit a lot of 3's (with great form). Also, I'm pretty sure I saw a stat that only 29% of his shots are FGs. At the same, he can take a couple steps into the lane and dunk quite easily at 6'9". ** Edited by HokieJonez at 5/25/2026, 10:48:12 PM

so we could watch Atak play. One of his best games of the year, so hopefully it is a glimpse of what we will soon see. It could be a fun switch for us, a really tall dude that has a nice form and consistently drains 3s (like Schutt but taller with a better arc). Also, unlike Lawal, he has been playing longer and has a confident/limited dribble drive. Good hands. Good posture too (measures at 6'9" and actually stands at the same height, unlike slouching/sulking Avdalas). Since he doesn't slouch, dude seems bigger than originally advertized at 6'9", a little bulkier too, maybe 210 lbs (not 192 lbs), Here's a link to the full game replay for anyone who is interested. Note, he also had a very acrobatic dunk in first half. Last edit, I don't recall anyone getting around him. He has quick feet and is so tall that the other team avoided playing offense against him entirely, from what I recall. ** Edited by HokieJonez at 5/25/2026, 10:33:02 AM ** Edited by HokieJonez at 5/25/2026, 10:36:04 AM ** Edited by HokieJonez at 5/25/2026, 10:38:03 AM

#2 - not sure what can be done about the fanbase turnout, but for as cheap as our home tickets are/can be, the arena should be packed. Considering the small size of the coliseum, when it is not packed, the fans are practically begging the AD to throw funds into football. That said, it is nice to be able to take a family of 5 to a game without needing a payday loan, so I will win out either way. (by the way, someone mentioned that the students need a better turnout or more involvement and I don't have any reference point for that--they are practically the entire crowd. Last time I was there the student section was packed and the rest of Cassel was maybe 50-60% full.) #3 - more food options would be nice, i guess.

PSHHHH! I hope not. Also, it's kind of funny to be so pessimistic before we see them play. I'm a fan, so I'mma root em on.

Two years ago we were very shorthanded. Backups are good. That's my point.

The 1-spot is more about ball control than speed. I'm just saying he seems to have a good handle on the ball and an eye for assists. Of course, I'd prefer Hammond, but it's nice to see that we have several players now that look like they can handle the ball well. I'm still scarred by the TOs we had in the 2024-2025 season.

None of our "bigs" are really big. If/when we get into real competitive play and the other teams have a real big man, we will need more height/muscle on the floor. This seems to be the difference between how two games played out in Bahamas, we beat Colorado State who didn't really have anyone large enough to give us trouble, but we then lost to Saint Mary's (McKeever - 7'2" 285lbs.). Later in the season we had significant losses to Louisville (Fru - 6'11" 250lbs.) and Duke (Ngongba - 6'11" 250lbs & Ufochukwu 6'11" 240lbs) too. All of those losses were in the double-digits and they were some of the worst losses of the year if focusing on spread. I'm not saying that we can't win without another big, but when we are facing a powerhouse team, we will need either a big body or multiple bodies to wear down whoever the other team has as their "goliath". If you just want to get to the NCAA tournament, then we can do it with this lineup. If you want to win an ACC championship or get past the round of 32, then we absolutely need another big. Even another 6'9" to 6'10" 230-240lb guy would be better than having another guard.

I see him as a 3/4 depending on who else is on the floor. He seems like one of our best pickups (certainly, good enough to start) and everyone seems to agree Hansberry is the ideal 4, so I just don't see him playing at the 4 much. Seems more likely that Hansberry will be paired with Heide and Sagnia.

Kansas' program is well established as one of the top basketball programs in the country. They get what they want, similar, to Duke and the other "blue bloods". Turning down Kansas, would be like turning down a spot on the New York Yankees for the Washington Nationals. Also, I'm not sure that we need another guard. If I could get anyone else to commit, it would be a true 5-spot.

Also, I think Elohim will pair very well with Hammond. Both are explosive. Elohim provides the size that Hammond lacks. Elohim's ability to penetrate should also free up Hammond for the occasional 3.

I don't disagree that Elohim can play at the 3-spot, but I think more likely he will play at the 2-spot. Without a big body at the 5-spot, I think we will need Atak or Johnson at the 3-spot. Atak adds some height to the defensive play, whereas, Johnson is a proven banger (and smart) on defense--they both can sink 3s too.

After reviewing some of his reel from last year, he looks like more than just a shooter. Seems to have pretty good passing and ability to get inside. Could even see him playing backup 1-spot. The question is, can he keep those stats up in ACC play?

I was really excited for a new MBB recruit. Oh well...

The Hoya is still in the portal... had some medical procedure at the end of last year that would make him a bit cheaper... I wonder about how much money Coach MY still has to recruit a true big for the 5-spot...

Hansberry was Frazier's continued coach and he made serious gains from his time at WVU. Similarly Tobi looked much better with midrange driving and he had more acrobatic dunks (maneuvering around people), while maintaining steady RBs but was injured during most of ACC play. Johnson's stats showed significant increase in just about every stat, but also was out for most of ACC play. Hammond rose to the top, because of dependability and clutch mentality/poise, but the others could have made much more impact than what we witnessed.

I think that I'd rather have several good people in frontcourt rather than an amazingly athletic Lawal that has to stay healthy.

He didn't really jump at all. Heidi can jump and I thought Sangia looked overall good during last year's season at NC State. I think between Hansberry, Heide and Sangia, and a few options for the 3-spot. It is looking like an interesting group, but can they "gel". That's a win-or-lose issue in this NIL Age. Also, Solomon Davis is a big mystery card. We haven't really seen what he can do in the last two years, due to redshirting and HS injury. At 6'11", if he picks up some weight before the year's start and his hands are good, then maybe he could be a good 5-spot.

I just reviewed this ESPN summary of transfers, recruits and rosters in the NCAA and it doesn't look good for the ACC next year. Apart from Duke and Louisville, the conference is looking like it might be struggling right now. If the rosters do not improve significantly before next season, do you think this trend might help our chances for the upcoming year (possibly being in top 1/4 or 1/3 of conference) or do you think that it might hurt due to less tourney bids (despite expansion)? https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/4...

CMY let the last squad do it in non-conference, they just were less able to cause disruptions in conference play and when the time arose and they were inconsistent in delivery. That said, much of that inconsistency stemmed from them sorting out how to adapt without key starters with injuries (lawal & johnson early acc play, then avdalas & hansberry later).

That's a great point. Johnson too would be well suited for it. His defense causes disruptions and he can run the floor just as well as the others. He makes smart decisions even on fast breaks. Atak even seems like he could run it. His highlights don't pin him as only a 3-shooter. It seems he can handle the ball well for his size, nothing fancy, but a smooth driver.

Everyone keeps talking about Atak Kuol like he's a big. He's 6'9", but lean and seems to play like a 3-spot. He could be what we really wanted instead of Avdalas (who was 6'9", but wanted to be a 1-spot); we didn't need another 1-spot and his shooting was inconsistent. Also, Kuol is a much better shooter than Schutt (who was 4" shorter) from field: +8.1% FG%; +2.8% 3P%. Although, his FT% is -8.4%. 46.5 41.3 77

Yeah, he was stout, had a very aggressive post, block, and jumping ability when he was in. He didn't provide much scoring, but he has a great form and height/build. If he could increase his FG% (and quality shots taken), he could be a real asset. Highlights from his HS years looked amazing--I'm hoping he just needed last year to adjust to NCAA tempo. On the other hand, Davis is a real mystery. It is my understanding that he was really good in HS, but had an injury that kept him off the court his entire senior year. He's got the height and bounce, it seems. If his game is solid and if he bulks up, he could become an essential player for when we play competitive and big teams. We shall see...