The Fit: On3 150 forward Darren Buchanan commits to Virginia Tech

On Saturday, Virginia Tech picked up a commitment from On3’s No. 121 player in the 2022 class with 6-foot-7 Darren Buchanan.

Buchanan led his Washington (DC) Woodrow Wilson high school team to a DC State Athletic Association championship. They finished 27-4 on the year, led by Buchanan’s 17.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. Buchanan picked Virginia Tech over a final group that also included Rutgers, George Mason, Georgetown, and George Washington.

The Hokies 2022 Class

Darren Buchanan is the fourth commitment of the 2022 class for Mike Young. Before the commitment, the Hokies had the 42nd ranked class, 9th in the ACC.

6-3 CG Rodney Rice, On3 No. 58
7-0 C Patrick Wessler, On3 No. 150
6-4 SG MJ Collins, On3 3-Star

Buchanan fits this class well. Already signed, the Hokies have a smooth shooting combo guard with Rodney Rice and a bucket getting wing with MJ Collins. Rice, from Hyattsville (MD) Dematha, is the No. 58 player in the 2022 class. Virginia Tech associate head coach Mike Jones coached Rice previously. Collins is a wing at Lincolnton (NC) Combine Academy. He has good positional size and straight-line explosion. Most notably, Collins is a scorer who is comfortable from deep off the catch or his two-dribble pull-up.

Wessler is a project big man. He has good length and is a legitimate 7-footer. The senior at Lincolnton (NC) Combine Academy, teammates with Collins, is a lefty with touch and good hands. The 2022 class was down for centers across the country, and Wessler is one of the best in the southeast/eastern seaboard region.

What Buchanan does

Buchanan is a connective-type player. The guy who is not afraid to do the tough guy stuff, the things others do not typically enjoy doing. For Team Durant, Buchanan defended the opposing team’s best wing or forward. He was an excellent rebounder and can finish plays.

For his high school team, Buchanan plays on the ball. He is comfortable bringing the ball into the frontcourt or playing on the wing and creating opportunities. He is always a good rebounder, tough defender, and comfortable taking on multiple roles on the offensive end.

It is a cliche for sure, but Buchanan makes winning plays, which is why he is the 121 ranked player in the class.

The Virginia Tech Pull

Buchanan was set to join AAU teammate Judah Mintz at Pittsburgh, but both players backed out after an early-season loss to the Citadel. The 6-7 forward has a long-standing relationship with Virginia Tech associate head coach Mike Jones, from Jones’ days as a prep coach in Maryland. Buchanan also played with top Hokie recruit Rodney Rice on the Team Durant EYBL team. There was a comfort level with Virginia Tech.

What Buchanan said

“It felt like home. I felt the family environment for sure,” Buchanan told On3’s, Joe Tipton.