UVA Hosts JUCO Transfer

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Replacing the sharpshooting skills of Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome won’t be easy, but Virginia may have an answer for at least part of the solution.

The Cavaliers hosted junior college shooting guard Tomas Woldetensae on an official visit this past weekend. Originally from Italy, Woldetensae has played the past two seasons at Ottumwa Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.

Standing 6-foot-5, 198 pounds, the Italian sniper averaged 17.3 points per game and owned a 47.6 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.

With the majority of Virginia’s scoring gone with the declarations for early entry into the NBA Draft, Woldetensae, described as a “complete guard,” exactly what Coach Tony Bennett admires, could be what the Cavaliers are looking for to rebuild the roster.

The Italian guard has also visited Illinois.

Fans from four schools are awaiting a decision from southern California shooting guard Johnny Juzang, who announced a week ago that his final list was down to Virginia, Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon.

Insiders claim that Juzang is a Kentucky lean, and that may be why Virginia hosted Woldetensae over the weekend.

The Cavaliers have signed three players for the 2019 class: Justin McCoy, a wing from Cary, N.C.; Casey Morsell, a guard from Washington, D.C.; and Kadin Shedrick, a center from Holly Springs, N.C.

UVA is losing De’Andre Hunter, Jerome and Guy to the draft, and possibly Mamadi Diakite, who has left the door open to return by May 29.

Hunter, Guy and Jerome have all received invitations to the NBA Combine, and that today, Diakite was invited to the G League Elite Camp, which begins Sunday.

Senior Jack Salt will move on as will reserve guard Marco Anthony, who announced he is transferring.