Hokie Hoops- More Early Fall Visitors

Last weekend, Virginia Tech's men's basketball program hosted three of their high-priority recruits. Rodney Rice, Tyler Nickel, and Braden Huff joined us for a visit and took in a lovely drubbing of UNC under the lights in Lane Stadium. Early reports suggest they all had a great time taking in the beauty of the campus, learning more about the program, and enjoying the loudest, most passionate fans in college sports.

This video was EVERYTHING...now over 12 million views!This is now a Top 5 ESPN college football tweet of all time. https://t.co/4rUfw1o96x— Flora ESPN Insights (@ESPNFlora) September 8, 2021

So- let's do it again!

This Saturday Hokies including alum and Super Bowl Champion Bruce Arians will pack Lane Stadium once again against MTSU. Looking to build off the nationally-praised excitement from last week, Virginia Tech's men's basketball program will be hosting 3 more very important visitors as they look for players to join current CG commit MJ Collins. Noah Clowney, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Jordan Williams will all be visiting our family in Blacksburg.

Noah Clowney, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ PF Dorman High School, Roebuck, SC, 6-10, 210
ESPN rank 66, Rivals rank 43, 247 rank 111, 247 composite #65 overall (0.9713)
Top 4- Virginia Tech, Indiana, Florida, Alabama

[excerpts from an earlier profile on Noah, linked above] Clowney is a joy to watch. With long arms and wide shoulders, the 6-10, 210 PF passes the eye test with flying colors. A four-star recruit with a 247 composite rating of 0.9692, Clowney is blessed with a frame that can put on an additional 25-30 pounds of good muscle weight, making his potential very exciting. Branded "the cleanest, meanest kid", Clowney's athleticism, intensity, and versatility stand out on tape. After transferring from Spartansburg High before his sophomore year, he frequently played at Dorman with his back to the basket and showed off his impressive two-way skills as a post player. Clowney has quick feet and exceptional length, making him an excellent defender on the perimeter and in the paint, as well as a great rebounder and shot blocker. He has a soft touch on the baby hook. He can bang inside with some nifty moves and finish off the glass.

As good as he is in the post, I see Clowney's true calling as a stretch 4 who Mike Young might occasionally move to the 5 depending on personnel matchups. Playing for Team Dickerson (an independent Georgia program on the AAU circuit), Clowney has shown he is born to play the stretch 4. Tasked with facing up, his range extends to the 3-point line, and you just feel bad for defenders who have to stop him on the drive. "I always look to drive first, but if they don't step out, I like to hit a shot or two and make them step out. Then I can get a quick step on them and use my length to try to finish," said Clowney. He's sneaky quick on the baseline and watching him finish above the rim is like watching a fish swim- just completely natural, effortless, and comfortable.

While Clowney's game is enough to make your mouth water, one must think Noah has liked what he's seen from all those VT games he's watched. Mike Young developed Keve Aluma from an unranked 6-8 kid with a Wofford offer, into a second-team All-ACC star after playing just one season in Blacksburg. With he and Justyn Mutts set to exit in 2022, the Hokies will have big spots to fill, and they will need skilled size to fill them. Noah Clowney would be an easy bet to make an instant impact on the program, playing a role very similar to Aluma. From a fit and development perspective, Clowney saw a no-brainer recruiting pitch for him to join the Virginia Tech family every time he watched Aluma notch 15 points and 8 boards per.

Ven-Allen Lubin, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ PF Orlando Christian Prep, Orlando, FL, 6-8, 220
ESPN rank 75, Rivals rank 63, 247 composite score #128 overall (0.9336)
Top 7- Virginia Tech, Florida, Auburn, Notre Dame, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia Tech

I was just getting to writing a profile focusing on Ven-Allen Lubin when it was announced he would be in town this weekend. So, right now you're going to get a quick rundown of this terrific prospect.

The son of Haitian immigrants, Lubin is a fun guy to watch. Humble off the court, he leads by example on the court, never shying away from getting inside and doing the dirty work. If you see the same guy in the air 3-4 times fighting for a put-back or rebound, it's probably Ven-Allen Lubin. He is built like a 4, but plays with the athleticism of a strong, slashing 3. He's very, very good around the rim on both ends of the floor, using long strides to cover a lot of ground, controlling his body and the ball, as well as grabbing tough rebounds and getting blocks. He's also a threat from deep, able to create room and hit a step back 3. While Lubin's a great producer, he's also an unselfish player, effectively drawing extra defenders, and finding the open man on the wing. I'd like to see him finish more with his off-hand, but that's a pretty minor quibble compared to all the strengths he possesses. Like most big guys making the jump to college, he will need to put on a little more ACC muscle, but definitely has the frame and the work ethic to do that easily.

Lubin currently holds offers from the likes of Florida, Clemson, Notre Dame, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Texas A&M, USF, and others. If Mike Young can pull him out of Florida, Lubin would be a terrific addition to the '22 class.

Jordan Williams, PG Second Baptist High School, Houston, TX, 6-3, 210

I almost hesitate to write anything about Jordan Williams because I feel like I'm letting out a secret. Unranked by major recruiting services, Jordan is a dual-sport athlete who looks like a linebacker but can flat-out ball. It's no wonder he looks like a football player because (1) he was and (2) he comes from a long line of great football players and athletes. His dad Jermaine played college ball at Houston and his brother Josh is currently on LSU's squad. Both his dad and uncles played in the NFL.

Jordan admires Chris Paul's game and it shows. Like Paul, he is a tireless worker who dedicates himself to his craft. He has a good feel for the ball, very solid shooting mechanics, good court vision and awareness, and delivers crisp passes on target. As one might expect for a former football player, Jordan plays with a lot of toughness in traffic, doesn't shy from contact, and is a very good on ball defender. He holds offers from Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Rice, St. Johns, and others. I've also read that he's held offers from Houston and Baylor, as well.

Another weekend, another great group of visitors! Let's Go Hokies!