UVA Basketball Target TJ Power Shines at EYBL Kansas City

Four-star forward TJ Power put the basketball world on notice this weekend in Kansas City

Author:
Matt Newton
Publish date:
Jul 10, 2022 1:43 PM EDT

TJ Power basketball — Is TJ Power the best shooter in the country in the class of 2023?

Before this week, TJ Power was already the No. 1 player in Massachusetts, a top-15 power forward in the nation, and one of the top prospects in the class of 2023. Yet somehow, he might still be underrated - at least that's what it seems after the performances he delivered on the court this week at Nike's EYBL event in Kansas City.

With several college coaches in attendance, including Virginia's own Tony Bennett, TJ Power put on a show. In four games, he averaged a near double-double with 30.3 points and 9.8 rebounds to go along with 3.8 assists per game. Power also shot 47.3% from the floor and a sizzling 51.6% from three, making a case as one of the top shooters in the nation in his class.

Playing for the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC), Power opened the weekend with 24 points, eight rebounds, and three assists against Team Thad. He made four of his six three-point attempts and was a perfect 8/8 from the free throw line.

Then came a drama-filled game against Seattle Rotary. After struggling with foul trouble early, Power exploded late in the game, pouring in 24 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to lead BABC to a thrilling victory. Power finished with a 33-point, 10-rebound double-double and also dropped six assists. He made five out of his six three-pointers and again was an unblemished 8/8 from the charity stripe. He followed that up with a 23-point, six-rebound effort against the City Rocks.

With the entire event on notice, Power somehow managed to raise the bar against Houston Hoops on Saturday. Power recorded a stunning statline of 41 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists on 11/19 shooting from the floor and 16/22 from the free throw line. He scored or assisted on over 50 of BABC's 76 points in the game.

The 6'8", 210-pound power forward from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts is currently the No. 53-ranked player in the country per 247Sports, which also ranks Power as the No. 12 power forward in the class of 2023 and the No. 1 player in Massachusetts. His rankings will probably rise dramatically to reflect his increasing stock when the recruiting rankings are updated.

Virginia is one of 20 schools to extend Power a scholarship offer, joining Indiana, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Iowa, Boston College, Providence, Wake Forest, USC, Stanford, South Carolina, Xavier, Oklahoma, Miami, Georgia Tech, Penn State, and others. Power took an official visit to UVA in the first week of June during what was a very busy recruiting period for the Cavaliers. They also hosted fellow 2023 prospects Jamie Kaiser and Milan Momcilovic, who both have included UVA in their final lists. Power took an official visit to Notre Dame in June and has plans to take visits to Indiana, Iowa, Providence, and Boston College.

Originally planning to commit in the fall, Power is reconsidering that timeline with his recruitment picking up drastically this summer. In addition to his official visit to UVA, Tony Bennett saw Power play in the NEPSAC Showcase in Connecticut in June and Virginia assistant coach Orlando Vandross went to see him play in Massachusetts in late June. This past weekend, Bennett got to see Power in person again as he stole the show at the EYBL event in Kansas City. When TJ Power begins to narrow his list down, expect the Cavaliers to be in the mix.

Virginia is looking to secure its second commitment in the recruiting class of 2023. Blake Buchanan, the No. 1 prospect in Idaho and a top 15 center in the country, became UVA's first 2023 commit when he chose the Cavaliers over Gonzaga on July 3rd.

Stay updated on all the latest Virginia basketball recruiting news, including offers, visits, and commitments here: Latest Virginia Basketball Recruiting News and Updates

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