Recruiting update: Kaiser moves back commitment; UVA coaches scouting prospects

By Jerry Ratcliffe

With the June recruiting period open, Tony Bennett’s coaching staff is scattered across the country checking out players Virginia has offered for the Class of 2023.

Much of the attention has gone toward Bishop Ireton wing Jamie Kaiser, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound prospect whose stock has skyrocketed in recent weeks. Kaiser, who announced his final nine schools recently and declared that he would commit at the end of June, has since decided to push that announcement back to a later undisclosed date.

Virginia made his list of nine along with Maryland, Michigan State, Miami, Indiana, Wake Forest, Iowa, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Boston College. Apparently some new schools have jumped into the race, including UCLA.

Bennett attended games being played at DeMatha Catholic on Friday, while associate head coach Jason Williford was there on Saturday to watch Kaiser, who officially visited UVA on June 3. Even former Cavalier great Ralph Sampson showed up on Saturday to get a glimpse of Kaiser.

They got an eyeful of the budding star. Kaiser has averaged 30 points and 8.6 rebounds per game over his first three games, including 33 points (14 for 21 from the field, 3 of 5 from beyond the arc) in Bishop Ireton’s win over Flint Hill.

Meanwhile, UVA assistant Kyle Getter was spotted at another hoops event in Arizona on Saturday, where he was scouting Blake Buchanan and Andrej Stojakovic. Buchanan, who visited UVA recently, is getting a lot more attention as the summer season advances.

The Cavaliers got some good news this week when Milan Momcilovic told On3Recruits that he had narrowed his list to six schools: Virginia, UCLA, Louisville, Michigan State, Minnesota and Iowa State.

Also, 2024 5-star Jarin Stevenson, a versatile big who is No. 8 on ESPN’s Top 100 for that class, said he has heard from Virginia, North Carolina, Oregon, Baylor and others.