Sibling rivalry may be partially responsible for Tony Bennett's latest big get at Virginia.
Over the weekend, Class of 2014 Top 50 prospect
B.J. Stith of
Brunswick (Lawrenceville, Va.) made a verbal commitment to Virginia, becoming one of about a half-dozen players his age nationally to have made a pledge to a NCAA Division I program.
"B.J. is a special kid," Bryant Stith said of his son and rising sophomore star guard. "He knows exactly what he wants and knows what it takes to get there."
Bryant Stith is entering his fifth season as head coach at Brunswick.
Photo by Matt Merciez
According to Bryant, B.J. was partially motivated by the recruiting attention older brother
Brandan was receiving and decided to devote himself to basketball, giving up football and the quarterback position.
"I think he saw that and got a little bit jealous," Bryant said. "He made a concerted effort to put himself in a position to be one of the top recruits in his class."
B.J., a versatile 6-foot-4 guard with a 6-9 wingspan, had a busy summer with Petersburg-based Team Loaded. Bennett and staff trailed him extensively going back to March when he helped Brunswick win a state title.
"Coach Bennett watched him play throughout the state tournament last year. He came down for a workout and B.J. attended the UVA elite camp in June," Bryant said. "He played well at the right times and forged a good relationship (with the Virginia staff). He started to receive letters from other schools but he knew what he wanted and didn't want to get confused.
"He established an affinity for Virginia and didn't want that to be clouded."
The decision puts a smile on Bryant's face, who left Virginia for the NBA in 1992 as the program's all-time leading scorer. He played 10 years in the NBA for Boston, Cleveland and Denver. In fact, he even faced off against Bennett as a pro.
"I've played against Coach Bennett since we were in high school," Bryant said. "He is bringing in high-quality individuals to Virginia. Those players are going to be accountable and they are going to buy into the system. I think Coach Bennett will restore the luster to University of Virginia basketball."
Brandan, a 6-6, 200-pound rising junior, also has an offer from Virginia. Scholarship numbers may force him to spend a year in prep school before joining B.J. in the 2014 class, however.
"His situation is more complex and we are giving him the time he needs to make a decision," Bryant said.
Bryant has been as successful on the sideline at Brunswick as he was on the floor at Virginia and in the NBA, compiling a 78-15 record in four seasons with a state title in 2011.
