Virginia Tech Basketball: Hokies Get Big Man They Need With Satchel Pierce

The Virginia Tech Hokies got a lot when they hired Buzz Williams away from the Marquette Golden Eagles earlier this spring. The coach not only brings his winning ways but also some recruits.

Possibly the biggest of the recruits, and not just in terms of size, could be Satchel Pierce. Pierce is a true 7-footer and weighs in at a sturdy 250-pounds. Scouts consider the Akron, Ohio native a valuable prize out of this year’s class because of what he can offer the Hokies in the paint. The ACC is gravitating more towards wing players and point guards, but having a player who can dominate the post like Pierce will cause problems against opponents. Pierce is known to keep defenders pinned deep in the paint and he uses his height and size well. He can get close enough to the basket to score easily and will demand double teams. Pierce will draw fouls, grab rebounds and clog up the inside. He will have to develop into a solid passer so he does not turn the ball over and can find teammates for easy jumpers.

Pierce does need to condition himself into a more up-and-down player and continue to work on his footwork. Still, his size and power will make him a valuable player for Williams and a true center in every sense of the term.

If Pierce can even change the game a little bit with his skills inside and find teammates like fellow freshmen Ahmed Hill and Justin Bibbs, the Hokies could turn around very quickly during the 2014-15 NCAA basketball season.

Gregory T. Philson is an ACC basketball writer at www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @GTPhilson, “Like” him on Facebook, and add him to your network on Google. Read more here.