Tag: VJ Edgecombe

Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe put college basketball on notice during Olympic qualifiers

Baylor Bears incoming freshman VJ Edgecombe dominated for the Bahamas in the Olympic qualifiers.

Another year, another outstanding guard prospect for Scott Drew and the Baylor Bears.

Two years ago Keyonte George was among the best guards in the country, ultimately getting selected in the lottery of the 2023 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz. Last year Ja’Kobe Walter had an outstanding season with Baylor, getting selected 19th overall by the Toronto Raptors last month.

Next year the story will be superstar guard VJ Edgecombe – and he has a real chance to be the best of the bunch.

Edgecombe played with the Bahamian squad as they competed for a spot in the 2024 Olympic Games, ultimately falling to Spain in the championship game on Sunday.

On a squad with NBA stars like Buddy Hield and DeAndre Ayton – and competing against much older professionals – the 18-year-old Edgecombe averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, including multiple 20+ point performances, high-flying dunks, and a dagger three pointer against Poland.

“Everything [Edgecombe] does contributes to winning – offensively, defensively, getting downhill and the way he talks [on the court],” Bahamian head coach Christopher Demarco said. “He stepped into our training camp right away, and he belonged.”

The Bahamas may not have secured a spot in Paris for the Olympic games, but Edgecombe certainly did his part and gained valuable experience against older players.

He’s now set to head to Waco to prepare for his freshman season with Drew and the Bears, who have a new look roster after bringing in transfer stars Jeremy Roach (Duke) and Norchad Omier (Miami) in a quest to challenge Kansas, Houston, Iowa State, and Arizona for a Big 12 title.

Spain defeats Bahamas to clinch 7th straight appearance in Olympic Games

Spain relied on its veteran players on Sunday to defeat the Bahamas and clinch its ticket to the Paris Olympics.

With a trip to the 2024 Olympic Games on the line, Spain relied on its veteran players on Sunday to defeat the Bahamas and guarantee its ticket to Paris, France.

Lorenzo Brown produced a team-high 18 points, Willy Hernangomez scored 15 points and seven rebounds and Santi Aldama added 12 points to lead Spain to the 86-78 victory and clinch its seventh consecutive berth in the Olympic Games.

Spanish legend Rudy Fernandez chipped in nine points in 20 minutes.

The game was evenly matched in the first quarter as the two teams were tied at 17 points after the first 10 minutes. Spain outscored the Bahamas 25-17 in the second quarter to take the lead for good. In all, the group led for nearly 27 minutes.

The Bahamas, led by Buddy Hield’s 19 points and Deandre Ayton’s 17 points and 14 rebounds, cut the deficit to six points with just under two minutes to play but were unable to get any closer after being held to one point the rest of the way.

Spain finished its run in the qualifying tournament with a 4-0 record. The team emerged as the top country from Group A after defeating Lebanon and Angola. The Spaniards then knocked off Finland in the semifinal to set up their matchup against the Bahamas, who were 3-0.

The team claims one of the four remaining spots in the 2024 Olympic Games. It will be placed in Group A to start the Olympics, along with Australia, Canada and Greece, who defeated Croatia on Sunday in its qualifying tournament.

Spain will open up the Olympic Games on July 27 against Australia. The team will then face Greece on July 30 before wrapping up the group phase on Aug. 2 against Canada.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650262943]

VJ Edgecombe nears double-double to help Bahamas to Olympic qualifying finals

A pair of double-doubles helped the Bahamas defeat Lebanon to advance to the finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament.

A pair of double-double performances by its star players helped the Bahamas defeat Lebanon to advance to the finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament in València, Spain.

Deandre Ayton produced 24 points and 15 rebounds and Buddy Hield had 19 points and 10 assists in their 89-72 victory on Saturday. Eric Gordon contributed 13 points and VJ Edgecombe chipped in 13 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals.

The Bahamas led by as many as 20 points in the first half before Lebanon cut the deficit to five points early in the fourth quarter. However, the group outscored its opponent 22-10 the rest of the way to inch closer to securing its first appearance in the Olympic Games.

Edgecombe, who will play next season at Baylor, is one of six collegiate players on the roster and is representing the Bahamas for the first time at the senior level. He has emerged as one of their top players, averaging 18 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and two steals.

After beating Lebanon, the Bahamas (3-0) remained perfect in the qualifying tournament. The team will face either Spain (2-0) or Finland (1-1) in the final on Sunday (2 p.m. EDT), which will determine one of the four remaining spots in the 2024 Olympic Games.

The team that wins on Sunday will be placed in Group A to start the Olympics, along with Australia, Canada and the country that wins the qualifying tournament in Greece.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650262943]

Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe leads Bahamas to semifinals of Olympic qualifying tournament

Edgecombe produced another sensational outing on Wednesday to lead the Bahamas to a win over Poland in the Olympic qualifying tournament.

After scoring 20 points on Tuesday, Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe produced another sensational outing on Wednesday to lead the Bahamas to a win over Poland in the Olympic qualifying tournament in València, Spain.

Edgecombe scored a team-high 21 points and six rebounds, and Buddy Hield had 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in the 90-81 victory, which will send the Bahamas to the semifinals of the tournament after finishing as the top team in Group B.

The Bahamas, who also received 18 points and nine rebounds from Deandre Ayton and 12 points from Eric Gordon, did not trail in the contest and led by as many as 19 points. The team shot 51.7% from the field, including 44.8% from behind the arc.

Edgecombe, the No. 5 prospect in the class of 2024, is one of six collegiate players on the roster and is representing the Bahamas for the first time at the senior level. He has emerged as one of their top players and is tied with Hield in total scoring through two games (41 points).

After defeating Poland, the Bahamas will play next on Saturday in the semifinals against the second-ranked team from Group A, which features Angola, Lebanon and Spain. The game will tip off at either 11:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. EDT.

The winner of the qualifying tournament will claim one of the four remaining spots in the 2024 Olympic Games. That country will be placed in Group A to start the Olympics, along with Australia, Canada and another team from a qualifying tournament.

The Bahamas are seeking its first appearance in the Olympic Games.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650262943]

‘He has shown serious flashes’: VJ Edgecombe dazzles in Bahamas’ win over Finland in Olympic qualifier

Playing alongside three NBA players, Edgecombe dazzled to help the Bahamas defeat Finland to open the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament.

Playing alongside three players in the NBA, Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe dazzled on Tuesday to help the Bahamas defeat Finland to open the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament.

Buddy Hield produced a game-high 24 points and six rebounds, while Edgecombe finished with 20 points and four rebounds to lead the Bahamas to the 96-85 victory in Valencia, Spain. Deandre Ayton had 19 points and nine rebounds and Eric Gordon added 16 points.

Finland led by as many as nine points in the first half to take a 54-47 lead at the intermission. The Bahamas responded by outscoring Finland 49-31 in the second half, with Edgecombe scoring 10 points alone in the fourth quarter to help the group pull out the win.

“He has been a high-level talent all of his life,” Hield said of Edgecombe. “He even busted my (expletive) in practice, too. He has shown serious flashes, and he is very coachable. He just wants to learn the game and is fun to be around, fun to play with and responds the right way. He is a high-character kid and the game always rewards that.”

Edgecombe, the No. 5 prospect in the class of 2024, is one of six collegiate players named to the Bahamas’ final 12-man roster. He previously represented his country in the Nike Hoop Summit in April, recording 17 points and five rebounds in a loss to USA Basketball.

The 19-year-old quickly emerged as one of the top players in training camp to earn his first senior national team appearance. He averaged 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in two tune-up games before the start of the qualifying tournament.

“He stepped into our training camp right away, and he belonged,” coach Chris Demarco said. “You never really know what somebody is going to look like until you see him around your veterans and your best players… from Day 1, he was ready. He has been waiting for this opportunity and it has been really beneficial for our team.”

After defeating Finland, the Bahamas can become one of two teams from Group B to advance to the semifinals of the tournament by defeating Poland on Wednesday. They would face one of the top two teams from Group A, which features Angola, Lebanon and Spain.

The winner of the qualifying tournament will claim one of the four remaining spots in the 2024 Olympic Games. That country will be placed in Group A to start the Olympics, along with Australia, Canada and another team from a qualifying tournament.

The Bahamas are seeking its first appearance in the Olympic Games.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650262943]

Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe named to Bahamas 12-man roster for Olympic qualifiers

Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe was named to the 12-man roster that will represent the Bahamas in the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament.

Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe was named to the 12-man roster that will represent the Bahamas in the 2024 Olympic qualifying tournament in Valencia, Spain.

Edgecombe, the No. 5 prospect in the class of 2024, joins a roster that features three NBA players, including Deandre Ayton, Eric Gordon and Buddy Hield. He averaged 12 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in two tune-up games with the team.

The 18-year-old will be making his first appearance with the senior national team. He previously represented the Bahamas on the World Team in the Nike Hoop Summit in April, recording 17 points and five rebounds in a loss to USA Basketball.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C84XdINNAUF/

The Bahamas open the qualifying tournament in Group B on Tuesday against Finland and will then face Poland on Wednesday. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals and face the top two teams from Group A, which features Angola, Lebanon and Spain.

The winner of the qualifying tournament will claim one of the four remaining spots in the 2024 Olympic Games. That country will be placed in Group A to start the Olympics, along with Australia, Canada and another team from a qualifying tournament.

The Bahamas will seek its first appearance in the Olympic Games by winning the qualifying tournament. The team is coached by Golden State Warriors assistant Chris Demarco.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 tag=650262943]

VJ Edgecombe using NIL money to fund scholarships for Bahamas school

Baylor signee VJ Edgecombe launched a scholarship fund to help students at Gateway Christian Academy in his hometown in Bimini in the Bahamas.

On a thin strip of land surrounded by deep blue water on North Bimini Island sits Bailey Town. This Bahamian town, on an island about 95 miles from the country’s largest, Andros Island, and 55 miles from Miami, is home to Gateway Christian Academy, a middle and high school for students in the area.

This small academy was the school of five-star high school basketball prospect V.J. Edgecombe, who immigrated to the United States in ninth grade and is now completing his senior year at Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.).

Though Edgecombe has moved away, the school and community remain part of him. When he began making NIL money, Edgecombe wanted to help the academy in which he started his journey, Long Island Lutheran assistant coach Jay David said in an interview with USA TODAY High School Sports.

“The thought process was, ‘I want to try to give back to the school that helped me become the person that I am,’” David said.

Edgecombe and David worked with partners to develop a scholarship model and host a dinner when Long Island Lutheran played in the Bahamas this season. During the dinner, with the Gateway Christian Academy president and founder in the room, Edgecombe announced plans for a fund that would help cover tuition, books, and other academic necessities for students at the institute.

“Kids aren’t funded properly, (don’t) have a strong base, a strong foundation financially,” Edgecombe said during an interview ahead of the McDonald’s All-American game. “I just want to be able to help them, allow them to be happy, and give them the opportunity to get a free education at one of probably the best schools in the Bahamas.”

David said the group is still finalizing logistics, but the fund will cover at least three students this year.

“As it grows, they’ll start putting in some more specifications,” David said. “As of right now, it’s to help underprivileged kids who can’t afford school, and/or books, and different things like that.”

Edgecombe attended the academy for two years before moving to the U.S. Over the last four years, he has proven his legit potential to thrive at the collegiate level and reach the NBA. The dynamic shooting guard, listed at 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds, was named the Gatorade Boy’s Basketball Player of the Year in New York as both a junior and senior, posting averages of 17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.1 blocks this year to clinch the back-to-back recognition.

In 22 minutes of play during the 2024 McDonald’s All-American game, Edgecombe had nine points, five rebounds, and two blocks. In the Chipotle Nationals opening round, he recorded 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals.

While some prestigious NCAA coaches have criticized NIL money as the dismantlement of amateurism in high school and college, Edgecombe is showing the merits of how this money can be used for community-building means.

As his focus shifts to Baylor University, where he committed in January, he’s keeping his beginnings in mind and helping Bimini students get an education.

USA TODAY High School Sports’ Kristian Dyer contributed to the reporting.

Finalists named for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year

The Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year finalists were announced on Thursday.

On Thursday, the three finalists for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year were announced. The top two players in the USA TODAY High School Sports Top 10 were among the finalists.

Last year, class of 2026 forward Cameron Boozer Jr. of Christopher Columbus (Miami, Florida) won the national award.

The three finalists for this year’s Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year are:

  • Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey: The No. 1 player in the nation in the USA TODAY High School Sports Top 10. A 6-foot-8 forward from McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia), Bailey is committed to Rutgers.
  • Cooper Flagg: A Duke commit, Flagg is a 6-foot-9 forward at Montverde (Montverde, Florida). Flagg is the second-highest-ranked player in the USA TODAY HSS top 10 and is the Naismith Player of the Year.
  • VJ Edgecombe: Ranked as the ninth-best player in the nation by USA TODAY HSS, Edgecombe is a guard from Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, New York). He is heading to Baylor this summer.

The three finalists will also be named their state’s Gatorade player of the year.

Last week, the finalists for the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year Award were announced.

5-star V.J. Edgecombe commits to Baylor, using NIL for scholarships in Bahamas

V.J. Edgecombe, widely considered one of the top five boys basketball recruits in the 2024 high school class, committed to Baylor.

In the midst of another outstanding season, the University of Baylor men’s basketball team got another piece of good news. Five-star shooting guard V.J. Edgecombe, widely considered a top-5 prospect in the class of 2024, announced his commitment to the Bears program.

Edgecombe, who leads a stacked cast at No. 3 Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.), chose Baylor over other finalists Duke and Kentucky.

Edgecombe told ESPN’s Paul Biancardi that he chose Baylor for its “winning culture, a great staff and head coach.”

“Coach Drew is a genuine person; he has built an incredible program,” he said. “There was a deep connection with Baylor. They have a strong foundation of faith, and there was also a spiritual connection. That was important to me.”

That’s not the only new commitment Edgecombe is making. According to ESPN’s Ted Emrich, the Bahamas native is using NIL money he has received to create scholarships in his hometown of Bimini.

The Bahamas’ basketball scene has grown in recent years, and this summer, it earned a berth in the Paris Olympic basketball qualifiers, which will be a chance for the team to reach the Olympics for the first time. The team is building a foundation with proven talent, led by NBA players Buddy Hield, Deandre Ayton and Eric Gordon.

Next up is Edgecombe, a do-it-all player with athleticism and playmaking at 6-foot-5 and 180 pounds.

Biancardi wrote about Edgecombe’s game:

A powerful, athletic guard who is scoring the ball at a high clip from all three levels, Edgecombe is at his best attacking the rim and finishing. His 3-point shot has made big strides, and he decelerates into his pull-up game effectively. He has continued to develop his impressive playmaking ability, and his drive-and-kick game shows vision and accuracy to hit the open man quickly.

Edgecombe averaged 21.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists at the Sportradar Showdown in Las Vegas over the summer, according to Biancardi. One of his top games this season came against La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), in which he posted 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Baylor, who won the National Championship in 2021, has lost in the Second round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in the last two years. Midway through the 2023-24 season, the Bears are 14-2.

Down to three: 5-star VJ Edgecombe cuts down his list

VJ Edgecombe announces his top three.

Five-star guard VJ Edgecombe has narrowed down his recruitment to three programs.

Edgecombe, from Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, New York), is the top player in the state the fifth-best recruit in the nation according to 247Sports. He cut down his list on Wednesday to Baylor, Duke and Kentucky.

A member of the 2024 recruiting class, he is the second-highest ranked guard nationally only behind Texas Longhorn committ Tre Johnson.

 

Duke has the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation, headlined by Cooper Flagg. The five-star forward is the consensus top player in the 2024 recruiting class.

Four of their five commits in the class are top-20 in the nation according to 247Sports.

The second-best recruiting class in the nation belongs to Kentucky.

Edgecombe did not announce when he will be committing.