Phenom Hoops has made it a point to find talent in surrounding states around North Carolina, which is why we are looking in Virginia. This is a state that has produced some terrific talent in the past and it seems like that trend will continue; but we will have to admit, this is a state that goes a bit under the radar as well.
One of my favorite teams to watch this season so far has been St. Anne’s-Belfield in Virginia, as this is a program that should have the attention of so many college coaches all over. 2023 Carter Lang highlights the team, who should be a nice piece in Vanderbilt. He is a physical forward that can be an absolute force in the paint and on the boards, also showing tremendous footwork. But there are others on this team that already have the attention of college coaches, but more should be coming.
2023 John St. Germain
Germain is a senior guard that already holds multiple offers but I still feel that he doesn’t get talked about like others do, which is why that narrative needs to change. He is a 6’2 high IQ guard on the floor, one that plays extremely strong and is intelligent on the court. He can be a force in getting downhill and attacking, he plays with a great pace, and is able to create for himself in a variety of ways but also makes unselfish plays for his teammates. You have to really like his feel and would be a nice piece for a program as he should only continue to get better at the next level.
2025 Austin Williford
This was our first viewing of Williford and we came away impressed with what we saw. You could see that he understands the game well at his age, coming from a basketball background. He has a great skillset and impacts the game in a variety of ways on both ends. Williford understands how to be the spotlight when needed but also doesn’t need to be the spotlight to be effective. He shot the ball well, scored off the bounce, got to the basket well, filled up the stat sheet, and made big plays in big moments.
2025 Chance Mallory
Mallory is another young guard that captured our eyes, as the 5’9 guard really stepped up and showed how big of an impact he can be in being a ball-handler on the court but also a knockdown shooter with range. Time after time, he hit big threes for his team with a ton of confidence, but he also was able to make plays with his ability to create. Holding a few offers already, he could be a target for other schools down the road with his production.