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Virginia head coach Tony Bennett is not a pitcher, but when he gets into a zone, Bennett is one of the best closers out there.
That is exactly what the reining ACC Coach of the Year did on Monday evening. Following a weekend visit, Bennett got the news he had been waiting for, when 2016 four-star guard Kyle Guy committed to the Orange and Blue.
The Hoosier State native held offers from over a dozen schools, including in-state programs, Purdue and Indiana. Virginia lost out to Indiana on local prospect Robert Johnson in the class of 2013, but the Hoos gained a measure of revenge in snatching Guy from right under Tom Crean's nose. The Cavaliers joined the list of suitors in July, but since then, Guy added offers from Iowa State, Northwestern, NC State, Iowa, and California.
Guy is a four-star prospect across the board, and is the 60th ranked player for 2016 by rivals.com.
The 6-2, 170 pound guard is one of the top shooters in the entire junior class nationwide According to scouts in the area, Guy has an excellent mid-range game, and can light it up from beyond the arc. The junior's offensive game goes way beyond shooting the ball, as Guy is not afraid to take it to the rack when needed. Like seemingly every Bennett guard recruit, Guy has a good handle, great on-court vision and is known for his high basketball IQ.
The class of 2016 will be an important one for the Virginia program, as the Wahoos will graduate Malcolm Brogdon, Justin Anderson, Anthony Gill, Mike Tobey, and Evan Nolte following the 2015-16 season. The early completion of the class of 2015 has allowed the staff to focus solely on the junior class and beyond. The juniors will not arrive on grounds for nearly two years, but Bennett is already 40 percent done with the class. In addition to Guy, UVa has already secured a verbal commitment from top combo guard Ty Jerome.
Guy and Jerome will be impact players in Charlottesville, but the pair will have plenty of talent in front of them upon arrival. Assuming everyone stays put, Virginia's backcourt for the 2016-17 season will be absolutely loaded, featuring London Perrantes and Darius Thompson (seniors), B.J. Stith, Devon Hall, and Marial Shayok (juniors), plus Guy and Jerome (freshman).
UVa has plenty of talented guards still on the board for 2016, but with two already on board, expect Bennett to turn the attention to the frontcourt. Virginia is in excellent shape for in-state bigs, Mamadi Diakite (Blue Ridge) and Sacha Killeya -Jones (Virginia Episcopal School).