Virginia Basketball Makes Top 2 for Top-Ranked Idaho Forward

The No. 1-ranked player in Idaho in the class of 2023 cut his list to two schools and the Cavaliers made the cut

Author:
Matt Newton
Updated:
Jun 24, 2022 1:34 PM EDT
Original:
Jun 23, 2022

In this story:

Blake Buchanan, Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball — Blake Buchanan (Coeur D'Alene, Idaho)

Blake Buchanan, the No. 1-ranked player from Idaho in the class of 2023, has cut his recruitment list to just two schools and Virginia basketball made the cut. Buchanan announced his top two in an Instagram post on Thursday evening and UVA and Gonzaga are the two remaining suitors.

Tony Bennett and Mark Few, two of the top coaches in college basketball, will go head-to-head for Buchanan, a 6'10", 215-pound power forward/center from Lake City High School in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Bennett and the Cavaliers were the first major conference program to offer Buchanan back on April 26th and Buchanan quickly scheduled a visit to Charlottesville for first first week of May.

Rated the No. 1 player in the state of Idaho, the No. 15 center in the nation, and the No. 107 overall player in the class of 2023 by 247Sports, Buchanan began to draw interest from several programs this spring, mostly from west coast schools. Gonzaga, UCLA, Oregon State, and Washington State were reportedly recruiting him in the last couple of months and Idaho, Penn State, and Iowa were also among the programs to take an interest in Buchanan.

247Sports' Eric Bossi had this to say about Buchanan after watching him play live in Kansas City in April:

"Buchanan is wiry strong, has good length, runs exceptionally well, and can move laterally. He’ll easily carry more weight on his frame without costing himself athleticism and then he’s got skill to go with his physical tools. Playing for Hooptown, he posted comfortably on either block, scored over both shoulders, showed a nice jump hook, altered shots, and climbed the ladder for an impressive tip dunk."

Buchanan has yet to schedule a decision date, but with only two schools left on the list, a commitment announcement seems to be coming soon. Virginia is looking to secure its first commitment in the class of 2023.

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

See a complete list of the players Virginia has offered in the class of 2023 in the video below:

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