Evaluating Mike Sharavjamts, Grant Basile, and Sean Pedulla

December 7^th, 2022

By Alan Lu

Today, I took the time to watch Mike Sharavjamts, DaRon Holmes II and Dayton play against a good Virginia Tech team in a midseason, non-conference college basketball game.  Sharavjamts is a tall, 6-8 playmaker that has some intriguing skills, and he is an agile, multi-positional player that can smoothly run the point.  This was also an opportunity to watch Dayton play, who generated some preseason buzz. 

When the game started, it was competitive in the early going, but Virginia Tech was able to get out to a big lead in the first half to eventually run away with a blowout win over Dayton.  They received a tremendous performance from their forward Grant Basile, as well as strong guard play, most notably from sophomore guard, Sean Pedulla.  Virginia Tech shot the ball really well and played stifling defense, as Dayton had trouble scoring the basketball all game long.  On Dayton’s end, they struggled mightily, but Sharavjamts showed some promise, as he consistently made good team plays in this match.

Dayton’s 6-8 freshman forward, Mike Sharavjamts had a fairly solid showing in his team’s loss to Virginia Tech.  He impressed me by showing an advanced feel for the game, and he is a tall, 6-8 point forward that passes the ball well, played solid team defense, and showed that he can consistently make plays off the dribble.  He struggled with his jump shot, but he would often make good passes and team plays in this game.

Sharavjamts showed off solid playmaking skills in this game.  He showed a knack for making accurate, long outlet passes to find open teammates on the break, and he is a pinpoint passer that has good court vision.  He does a good job of throwing touch passes, especially in transition.  He also handles the ball well and showed that he can comfortably run the point.  He did commit one turnover though, as he was crowded when operating as a pick and roll, ball-handler, and he threw an off-balanced, weak pass that ended up getting intercepted that time.

He also rebounded the ball fairly well, and he would sometimes push the ball quickly up the court off of defensive boards.  Sharavjamts also played solid defense.  He would consistently contest and close out on shooters to force misses, and he has very good length and positioning to do so.  He also was able to recover to block a shot off of a drive to a teammate due to possessing solid length, quickness, and timing.  On one play though, he allowed a smaller guard to get a step on him and ended up getting beat off the dribble, which led him to commit a foul and allow a score on that occasion.

In this game, Sharavjamts showed a decent ability to score off the dribble.  He was able to go coast to coast and utilized a pump fake to score in transition while getting fouled.  He also went to his left and used a nice hesitation move to score on a strong drive to the hoop.  Sharavjamts also was able to post up a smaller guard in transition, and he used his size, footwork, and scoring touch to score on a drop step move around the basket.

On the downside, he struggled to knock down dribble, mid-range jumpers or three-point shots.  He missed all of his threes in this game, and he was unable to make them either off the catch or dribble from beyond the arc.  On one play, he pulled up and appeared to make an open three, but it was waved off, so it didn’t count.  He struggled with his outside shot today, but he was able to play well in the other facets of the game.

Overall, Mike Sharavjamts played fairly well, and he was able to make some impressive plays that went untracked by the box score.  He consistently made good passes, and he also would often use his length to challenge shots to force misses.  Sharavjamts is a tall, versatile playmaker that could potentially fit into any offense in the NBA, especially if he can continue to improve his jump shot.  He is a skilled player that has a good feel for the game, and he could end up being a good value pick for an NBA team in the 2023 draft.

Virginia Tech’s 6-9 forward, Grant Basile had a strong showing to help his team get the win, and he had an absolutely dominant first half.  He is a skilled, crafty scorer that shot the ball well, and he showed off a very good shooting touch from the outside.  He made a slew of good team plays on both sides of the ball, and he played very well overall.

Basile did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball.  He really excelled at making spot-up threes off the catch, and he also showed that he can move off the ball to knock them down.  He also used a nice pump fake to make an open three-pointer another time.  He did seem to have a bit more trouble in trying to make pick and pop threes as the game wore on, but he really was able to take advantage of moving to open spaces to make three-point shots in this match.

He also showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble.  He has a solid spin move that enables him to score, and he also was able to score on a one-legged runner.  Basile also was able to score on a strong dunk off of a roll to the rim.  He struggled a bit to score in the post late in this match, but he is a crafty player that showed off the handles, agility, and finishing ability to score, especially in the early going.

Also, he showed off satisfactory playmaking skills.  Basile was able to throw a nice touch pass to help his teammate score on a mid-range shot.  He also set a good screen to help his teammate score on a drive on a separate possession.  He generally passed and handled the ball well, and he made good decisions with the ball in his hands.

Plus, he also rebounded the ball very well.  He was able to get multiple boards on both sides of the ball.  Basile also played satisfactory defense in this game.  He did a good job of blocking and altering shots out of the post, and he also was able to jump a pass to get a steal.  On one play, he got backed down in the post and got beat on a spin move to allow a score, but I was generally impressed with his anticipation skills, instincts, and positioning as a defender in this game.

Overall, Grant Basile played very well, and he showed a deft shooting touch and consistently made team plays to help Virginia Tech get the win.  He may not possess overwhelming athleticism, but I was impressed with his feel for the game and skill level.  He is a smart, skilled combo forward that reminds me of current Philadelphia 76ers’ forward, Georges Niang, and Basile could project to be a solid role player in the NBA.

Virginia Tech’s 6-1 sophomore guard, Sean Pedulla also played really well in his team’s win over Dayton.  He is an agile, skilled guard that shot the ball very well, and he showed off deft handles, shot making ability, and he also was able to make some solid defensive plays to help his team get the victory.

Pedulla did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball.  He is a crafty scorer that handles the ball well, and he was able to score consistently off the dribble by aggressively attacking the hoop and by using hesitation moves, and he also showed he can pull up to make nifty, step-back threes to really throw defenders into a loop.  He also was able to score on a pull-up, bank mid-range jumper, and Pedulla consistently thrived as a shot maker, especially down the stretch.

While he predominantly looked to score, he also made good passes off the dribble, and Pedulla showed off satisfactory playmaking skills.  He also defended well, as he would poke balls away to help force turnovers, and his pesky ability to rip balls away would make it difficult for opposing big men to try to score or operate out of the post.  He did end up fouling out, but Pedulla showed good hands and instincts as a defender in this game.

Overall, Sean Pedulla had a tremendous game in his team’s double-digit win over Dayton.  He really impressed me with his shot-making ability, footwork as a scorer off the dribble, and he consistently made smart, heady plays on both sides of the ball.  He is currently playing very well for Virginia Tech, and he could be a prospect to watch both this season and in the future.

Dayton’s 6-10 sophomore big man, DaRon Holmes II did not have a particularly good game in his team’s double-digit loss to Virginia Tech.  While he did technically come away with a double-double by getting 13 points and 10 rebounds, he only made 5 of 15 field goals, and he missed a lot of shots from the post.  He looked awkward in trying to score out of the post, and he often showed shaky footwork and scoring touch.  He does have good strength that allows him to back down his man, and when he gets in position and a step on his man, he will often use a powerful spin move to score with a layup or a strong dunk.  He did show some ability to draw fouls when posting up, but he often would miss awkwardly or get his shot blocked when operating down low.

He fared a little better in scoring on off-ball motion plays, but he was still prone to missing at times.  Holmes was able to score on a roll to the rim and on a couple of put backs, but he also missed on a put back another time.  Still, he showed better touch as a finisher when he would look to score on hustle plays rather than as a post-up or isolation player, and Dayton could be better served in limiting post-ups and by using him more as a roll man in a pick-and-roll and/or in a motion offense in the future.

He flashed some playmaking potential for a player his size, but he still didn’t show nearly enough court vision or court sense on offense.  For the positives, Holmes was able to set a solid screen to help his teammate get an open jump shot, and he also was able to kick a ball out when passing off the dribble to create a scoring chance for a shooter another time.  However, he tended to put on blinders when operating on offense, and he would get balls poked away or off of him to commit turnovers.

Holmes rebounded the ball well, and he is a strong, athletic center that was able to haul in multiple boards on both ends of the floor.  Defensively, he didn’t seem to have nearly as big of an impact on this game as hoped, but he did manage to block Basile’s three-point shot midway through this contest.

Overall, I was very disappointed with DaRon Holmes’ performance, and his post-ups often looked clunky and awkward.  He also didn’t look to take catch-and-shoot jumpers, and he didn’t seem to be impactful in the other areas of the game.  Right now, he will need to work on his low post game and to work on his low post moves, and he also will need to add a reliable jumper to his arsenal.  Skill wise, he’s probably very far away from being able to be a reliable contributor at the NBA level.  Still, he possesses good size and athleticism for a big man, and he has flashed two-way potential that could keep his draft buzz relatively afloat.  He will likely need to stay in school for another year, but in all probability, he is most likely a second round prospect whenever he decides to enter the NBA draft.

Virginia Tech’s 6-3 senior guard, Hunter Cattoor had some good moments to help his team get the win.  He struggled with his jump shot overall, but he was able to make an open corner three midway through, and he thrived as a scorer off the dribble.  While he didn’t look to attack the hoop nearly as often, he was selective in doing so, and he was able to score on a powerful, one-handed dunk off of a dribble handoff.  Overall, Cattoor is a skilled scorer that could end up being a backend roster player in the NBA.

Virginia Tech’s 6-10 junior big man, Lynn Kidd had a solid game off the bench in his team’s win over Dayton.  He is a strong, athletic big man that showed off a good mid-range jump shot, and he also operated well out of the post.  He was able to score on a strong dunk and he also passed out of the post to find a cutter to notch an assist late in this match.  While he didn’t see as much playing time as the players listed above, he played very well overall, and he could project into being an energetic, high-motor backup center at the NBA level.

Justyn Mutts didn’t have his best game, but he didn’t really need to, as his teammates picked up the slack to help Virginia Tech get the win.  He was beset with early foul trouble in the first half, which prevented him from playing much or getting into a rhythm. 

That said, he still showed off some offensive skills when he came back to play in the second half.  He did pass the ball out of the post due to possessing solid passing skills and court vision, and he also showed the ability to draw fouls and score off the dribble and rolls in the few times when he would look to score.  He wasn’t given continuation when he appeared to score on a strong drive, as he drew a non-shooting foul instead.  However, on another play was able to draw free throws on a roll to the rim.  Overall, he is a skilled passing big man, and he will need to improve his jump shot, but if he is able to make it to the NBA, he could end up being a backend rotation player in the league.

Darius Maddox had his ups and downs in this game, but the Virginia Tech guard was able to show off versatile scoring skills when he was on the floor.  He is an athletic guard that was able to score on a stepthrough move on a drive to the hoop, and he also ran quickly off of a ball screen to make a spot-up three off the catch.  He would sometimes play too fast and out of control that would lead to misses and turnovers, but he also showed that he could score from anywhere on the court.  He will need to be a more consistent player in games, but his scoring and playmaking skills could enable him to make his way to the NBA someday.

Dayton’s 6-8 junior forward, Toumani Camara didn’t shoot well overall as he especially seemed to struggle to score off the dribble, but he was able to make an open three and score in transition to show off the ability to score inside and out, and he also flew in to block a shot to prevent a low post player from scoring.  Camara will need to be a more consistent shooter on the floor, but if he can shoot the ball significantly better from the outside, he could perhaps project into a 3 and D role in the NBA.

Virginia Tech’s 6-4 freshman guard, M.J. Collins came in late in this game, and he made a swift, backdoor cut to score on a very strong, thunderous Fred Jones-esque dunk.  Collins looked to be arguably the best athlete in this game despite not having played many minutes in this game overall, and he was able to provide his team with a boost very late in this match. 

While he wasn’t able to knock down a jump shot from outside the paint today, Collins was able to score on a highlight reel-worthy play that perhaps both showcased his athleticism and potential.  He will need to show that he can shoot from the outside and will need time to develop as an overall player, but he could be an intriguing prospect to watch down the road.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Mike Sharavjamts and other various prospects fared in the Dayton-Virginia Tech game. Thanks for reading.