Virginia set to host annual Elite Camp

By Whitey Reid

Published: June 15, 2008

It was at about this time last year when Mike Scott participated in Virginia’s annual Elite Camp.
Shortly after the camp’s conclusion, the big man from Hargrave Military Academy gave a verbal commitment to UVa, despite the fact the Cavaliers’ coaching staff hadn’t been recruiting him very long.
Scott’s commitment illustrated the value of hosting a two-day camp featuring some of the top high school prospects in the nation.
Beginning this afternoon, the Virginia coaching staff will have another chance to reel in some talent when the Elite Camp reconvenes at John Paul Jones Arena. An estimated 75 percent of the campers in attendance will go on to play Division I basketball.
Targets for Virginia include Cadarian Raines, a 6-foot-8 forward/center from Petersburg High; Ernest Ross, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Panther Creek High (Cary, N.C.); Jontel Evans, a 5-foot-11 point guard from Bethel High (Hampton); and Ian Hummer, a 6-foot-7 forward from Gonzaga High (Washington).
Virginia will have stiff competition for all of the aforementioned. Maryland and Virginia Tech have already offered Raines a scholarship, while Evans — also a standout in football — has been offered by N.C. State.
Virginia has yet to offer either player. With only two seniors on its roster next year (Mamadi Diane and Lars Mikalauskas), UVa has to be pretty selective since it only figures to have two scholarships available for the Class of 2009.
Three of Virginia’s top 2009 targets — Ryan Kelly, Tristan Spurlock and Mfon Udofia — will not be at the camp, but will be on hand for the NBA Top 100 Camp that kicks off on Tuesday at JPJ.
The Elite camp, which is open only to campers’ parents and media, will provide the first glimpse of incoming UVa freshmen Sylven Landesberg, John Brandenburg and Assane Sene. All three will be participating in the festivities, which will include a talk from Chicago Bulls guard (and UConn product) Ben Gordon on Monday afternoon.
Of course, the camp isn’t a guarantee Virginia will score. Ed Davis, UVa’s prime recruiting target for 2008, took part in the camp two years ago and wound up committing to North Carolina.
Eric Wallace, a 6-foot-7 swingman, verbaled to UVa after the same session but then changed his mind and committed to Ohio State.