Men’s basketball notebook
Theus and Daniels overseas, Top-ranked recruit considering VCU, VCU to build new basketball facilities, VCU coaching staff to conduct coaches’ clinic.
Quinn Casteel
Assistant Sports Editor
Commonwealth Times Sports’ Twitter
Theus and Daniels overseas
Darius Theus and Troy Daniels, both entering their junior seasons with VCU, recently returned from a tour of Europe with the Global Sports Academy. Theus played his natural position of guard and performed as if he were running the Havoc offense back home. In the final three games which took place in multiple different countries, Theus racked up 24 assists and 14 steals. Averaging nearly three steals a game is impressive regardless of the opposition, and it’s a good sign for the future of the Rams’ point guard position. The junior point guard also averaged 12.7 points and shot .533 from the field in five contests.
While Theus turned heads defensively and with his distribution skills, Daniels lit up the scoreboard, averaging 23.3 points per game. He also connected on 17 of his 36 three point attempts, a percentage that the Rams would like to see carry over into the regular season. The third-year shooting guard missed the last several weeks of last season with a broken foot, but is clearly back to form and ready to go.
Top-ranked recruit Purvis considering VCU
Rodney Purvis, a nationally touted high school senior from Raleigh, N.C., de-committed from Louisville last spring and revealed a short list of other schools he was considering. Among those schools were Connecticut, Memphis, Missouri, and North Carolina State. That list got a bit longer this week when he added VCU, among several others to the mix. Purvis is a pure point guard who played AAU ball for the Chris Paul All-stars. Rivals.com ranks him as a five-star recruit and the second-best point guard in the country.
Considering the multitude of options Purvis has, and the fact that Shaka Smart just signed a top point guard in Teddy Okereafor, it may be far-fetched to believe that he will end up with the Rams. But the fact that VCU is on his radar speaks volumes to the strides Smart and the Rams’ coaching staff have made on the recruiting front.
VCU to build new basketball facilities
A new practice facility is in the works for the VCU basketball team. It will be right next door to the Siegel Center, a more logical location than the Franklin Street Gym which is expected to be torn down eventually. Although the inside of the Franklin Street facility was just recently renovated, a $9 million proposal is being considered for approved for the new building.
Smart, VCU coaching staff to conduct coaches’ clinic
On Oct. 22, Shaka Smart and the rest of the VCU coaching staff will put on their second annual coaches clinic. Hoops coaches of all levels will be invited to sit in on a morning practice at the Franklin Street Gym, then pick the brains of Smart and the rest of the coaches for their knowledge of the game. Beyond Smart, there will be two other guest speakers as well.
One of those is Kevin Eastman, an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics. Eastman was part of the Celtics’ championship team in 2008, and has worked with some of the top players in the world.
Dave Macedo, the head coach of Virginia Wesleyan College, is the other guest speaker. Macedo has found his niche at Division III Virginia Wesleyan, building one of the best programs in the country.
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Photos by: Kyle LaFerriere
Those averages were not over 5 games, they were only over the last 3 games. No stats were made available for the first 2 games played. Please correct your information.
Fixed. Thanks, for the correction Fred.