Recruiting Update: Virginia is listed in combo guard Dilione’s top 10 schools

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia basketball got some good news Sunday when the state of North Carolina’s top-rated prospect, combo guard Freddie Dilione, announced that the Cavaliers made the cut for his final 10 schools.

The 6-foot-4, 4-star out of Raleigh’s Word of God School, is ranked the No. 15 combo guard in the country by 247Sports. UVA offered him in early May.

Dilione’s top 10: Virginia, Alabama, NC State, Tennessee, VCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Wake Forest and Charleston.

Virginia’s staff has been extremely busy during the July evaluation period and has watched Dilione several times along with several other prospects, including 6-3 shooting guard Elijah Gertrude, who will officially visit UVA this week.

Gertrude, from Hudson Catholic in Jersey City, N.J., is the No. 9 prospect in his state and the No. 27 combo guard in America for the Class of 2023 according to 247Sports.

TOP 🔟 @336edits pic.twitter.com/qArxKxGed6

— frederick (@Freddiedilione5) July 24, 2022

UVA coach Tony Bennett and associate head coach Jason Williford have attended several of Gertrude’s games in July.

He also holds offers from Kansas and Syracuse.

Meanwhile, two of UVA’s top targets, point guard Elmarko Jackson from Connecticut and forward T.J. Power, remain the Cavaliers’ top two objectives.

Jackson has offers from Villanova, Kansas, Pitt, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Rutgers and others. UVA’s staff has watched him heavily this summer, while the staff has been all over Power, who has visited Charlottesville. Power is the top target, although several traditional Blue Blood schools have approached him recently.