Shaw's Takeaways: June Live Period, Session 2
The second live period of June did not disappoint. Some elite talent was able to take to the floor, and college coaches followed suit. Rivals.com’s Jamie Shaw spent his weekend at NCISAA Live Showcase in Winston Salem, N.C. on Friday, the DMV Live Showcase in Hyattesville, Md. on Saturday and the Virginia Live Showcase in Crozet, Va. on Sunday. These are some storylines he walked away with.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2023 Rankings: Top 30
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CAM WHITMORE IS A PRIORITY RECRUIT
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon made it a point to sit courtside for each of the Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spaulding games at the DMV Live Session 2. During the weekend, he was joined at times by Miami coach Jim Larranaga and his full staff, Villanova coach Jay Wright, Florida coach Mike White, Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry, Alabama coach Nate Oats as well as Power Five assistants from the likes of Illinois, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. The prospect in their sights was Cam Whitmore, the ferocious, above-the-rim forward who carries a world of upside in his 6-foot-7 and 215-pound frame.
Whitmore has already taken an official visit to Maryland. The No. 101 prospect in the 2022 class has also unofficially visited Villanova, Pittsburgh and Penn State this June. Whitmore tells me he is in the process of setting up future official visits to Alabama, Illinois, Miami and Notre Dame.
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JUSTIN TAYLOR COMMITS TO SYRACUSE
When Justin Taylor announced he would attend Syracuse University on Saturday, coach Jim Boeheim picked up a commitment from the No. 54 prospect in the 2022 class. The shooting guard said, “Really it was just the relationships I built with the coaches and the fit. Once I get there Buddy (Boeheim) will be gone and he set the blueprint for how I play.”
Taylor also suggests he has two targets he is recruiting to join him, “I have been talking a lot with Quadir Copeland and Kyle Filipowski. I really feel, with those two guys there and what we already have, we could be really special,” Taylor said.
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IS DEVIN CEASER THE FASTEST PROSPECT IN THE COUNTRY?
His true speed, with the ball in his hands, almost makes you gasp, and it is not something you can fully comprehend until you see the 6-foot-1 Devin Ceaser live. Coming into June, Ceaser carried four Div. I offers. With coaches watching him closely, Ceaser averaged 23.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists and he picked up offers from Virginia Tech, St. Joseph’s, UNC-Greensboro, Towson, Fordham, Fairfield, UNC-Wilmington, and St. Francis (Pa.) over the last several weeks.
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CHRISTIAN REEVES GEARS UP FOR SOUTH CAROLINA VISIT
If there is one thing you cannot teach in basketball, it is height. Christian Reeves is a true 7-footer, and with that he has good hands, he is mobile, and he has touch. South Carolina coach Frank Martin has prioritized Reeves as the Cannon School standout was one of the first prospects Martin brought on campus for an unofficial visit. South Carolina will also get the first official visit from Reeves, “Coach Martin is going to coach you hard, they preach to me that if you stay in the weight room, good things will happen,” Reeves said.
Reeves says he is looking to set up future visits with Virginia Tech and Clemson. Frank Martin was front and center at the NCISAA Live Showcase this Sunday, as were Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes, Boston College coach Earl Grant, Charlotte coach Ron Sanchez, NC State coach Kevin Keatts and many assistants throughout the weekend.
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DE’ANTE GREEN A PRIORITY FOR TENNESSEE, NC STATE, WAKE FOREST
It has already been a busy month for De'Ante Green, as he has gone on official visits to NC State, Wake Forest and Tennessee. Green kicked off his performance at the NCISAA Live Showcase with a 23-point, 12-rebound performance with NC State coach Kevin Keatts, Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes and Tennessee assistant Justin Gainey sitting baseline. All three programs were at each of Green’s games for the entire weekend.
Green is considering visits to Florida State and the North Carolina in August. As he goes on these campuses, he knows what he will be looking for, “I want to go to a place that I feel comfortable, will they take me in as family; somewhere that I will be happy on and off the court,” Green says.