Virginia men’s basketball’s 2018/2019 season roster is almost set after the Cavaliers received commitments from Argentinian center Francisco Caffaro and transfer Braxton Key. These additions give Cavalier head coach Tony Bennett just one more open scholarship spot for the upcoming season.
2018/2019 Season Scholarship Breakdown
Total Scholarships Used: 12 of 13
Point Guard: – Ty Jerome (Jr), Kihei Clark (Fr)
Wing: – Kyle Guy (Jr), Marco Anthony (Soph), Kody Stattmann (Fr)
Combo Forward: – De’Andre Hunter (R-Soph), Braxton Key (Jr – Ineligible to play due to NCAA transfer rules)
Post: – Jack Salt (R-Sr), Mamadi Diakite (R-Jr), Jay Huff (R-Soph), Francesco Badocchi (R-Fr), Francisco Caffaro (Fr)
Key, a 6’8”, 225-pound combo forward who fits a similar mold as De’Andre Hunter, is transferring to Charlottesville after spending his first two college years at Alabama. He’ll have to sit out the upcoming season because of NCAA Division 1 transfer rules but will have two seasons of eligibility remaining beginning in 2019/2020. While he won’t be able to play, Key still counts against the 2018/2019 scholarship tally.
Caffaro, a 7’0”, 230-pound center out of the NBA Global Academy in Australia, will be one of three incoming freshmen for the Cavaliers next season, joining point guard Kihei Clark and Australian wing Kody Stattmann.
With the final scholarship spot, the emphasis is finding perimeter depth in the form of a graduate transfer. It’s a must need as far as I’m concerned, or else cross your fingers that Marco Anthony or Kihei Clark (or maybe Kody Stattmann?) are ready to provide the needed depth off the bench. Stattmann is a likely redshirt candidate in my opinion, but if the Hoos can’t add a grad-transfer guard, he may be forced into action.
The Cavaliers came close to landing Wake Forest grad-transfer guard Keyshawn Woods, but he ultimately went with Ohio State. Virginia has contacted Matt Mooney of South Dakota and Brock Stull of Milwaukee. Mooney has eliminated UVA. Stull reportedly visited Xavier and may visit Minnesota. We’re not sure how newsworthy this is, but UVA associate head coach Jason Williford is following Southern Utah grad-transfer guard Jadon Cohee on Twitter. Cohee, a 6’4”, 200-pound guard, began his career at Seattle before heading to Southern Utah, where he averaged 12.6 points per game (39.7% FG, 37.4% 3PFG%, 79.5% FT) in 33.6 minutes per game as a redshirt junior last season. It appears he’ll end his collegiate career at a third destination.
2019/2020 Season Roster Taking Shape, Too
Last week’s commits plus the April 4 commitment from St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) junior Casey Morsell means Virginia currently has only one open scholarship in 2019/2020.
2019/2020 Season Scholarship Breakdown
Total Scholarships Used: 12 of 13
Point Guard – Ty Jerome (Sr), Kihei Clark (Soph)
Wing – Kyle Guy (Sr), Marco Anthony (Jr), Kody Stattmann (Soph), Casey Morsell (Fr – verbal commitment in the class of 2019)
Combo Forward – De’Andre Hunter (R-Jr), Braxton Key (R-Jr)
Post – Mamadi Diakite (R-Sr), Jay Huff (R-Jr), Francesco Badocchi (R-Soph), Francisco Caffaro (Soph)
Securing a commitment from Key, a former consensus 4-star recruit, is important on several fronts. Most notably, he has the size, ability, and experience to step right into De’Andre Hunter’s role (as a 3 or a 4) should Hunter bolt for the NBA after next season. The 6’8”, 225-pound Key is athletic enough to guard multiple spots, just like Hunter, providing Virginia with frontcourt versatility on defense. Offensively, while he hasn’t proven to be as good a shooter as Hunter, Key has a nice all-around game that he’ll be able to sharpen during his redshirt year.
The addition of Caffaro gives Virginia a second seven-footer on the roster. At the very least, Caffaro’s role could be to provide size, physicality and rebounding off the bench. Watching him in action in the U20 Australian Junior Nationals versus Queensland, I like his aggressiveness in attacking the basket and his mobility. Good feet for someone his size. Caffaro boasts some intriguing tools for sure, but we’re just not sure if he’ll be ready for a major role as a redshirt freshman or sophomore in 2019/2020.
As for Morsell, it’s becoming clear why Bennett coveted him in class of 2019 recruiting. The 6’2”, 175-pound prospect has been a steady, consistent force on both sides of the ball for Team Takeover in the first two sessions of the 2018 Nike EYBL. He is currently Team Takeover’s team-leader in minutes per game (19.2), points per game (11.5) and free throw attempts (26). He has made 49.2% of his field goals, 76.9% of his free throws and 37.5% of his 3-point field goals for a Takeover squad that is the only remaining unbeaten team (8-0) in EYBL competition.
I look forward to watching Morsell play in person when the EYBL comes to Hampton later this month, so I’ll have a better sense then, but from what I’ve seen so far this spring he can score from outside, he can get to the basket and score, and he’s a tough competitor and good decision maker. If his play this spring is any indication, he will be an instant impact player at Virginia.
So how will Coach Bennett use his final scholarship? The priority right now seems to be a good-sized wing with scoring punch. The scoring part speaks for itself. Taking a look at some of the names on the board below (those with UVA scholarship offers), they all have the ability to score from the outside as well as around the basket. The size aspect would give Virginia another player with defensive versatility.
– Greg Gantt – 6’7” wing out of North Carolina (video courtesy of M3 Media & Basketball)
Gantt and Williams are two of Virginia’s most recent offer recipients. Williams, a West Charlotte (N.C.) product who is listed anywhere from 6’6” to 6’8”, 170 to 205 pounds, is averaging 15 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game through eight games on the Nike EYBL circuit. He has made 46.4% of his 3s and 47.2% of his field goals.
Not all of these players are the same in terms of what they do best. However, we know they can all score and they all have the size and athleticism to defend multiple spots in the Pack Line.
A good question posed is if UVA will take more than one more commitment with Hunter expected to turn pro. My answer remains no. I just don’t see how Virginia can over recruit. If there is any chance Hunter returns, you have to keep a spot open. If there is no change to the current 2019/2020 roster projection this summer and Virginia takes two more class of 2019 recruits to join Morsell, that tells me that someone has indicated they will not return to UVA in 2019/2020 regardless of what happens next season.
