Ahead of signing tomorrow, three-star Anthony recaps his UVa visit

When three-star small forward Marco Anthony committed to Virginia this summer, it was the culmination of a brief recruitment between the Texas standout and the Cavaliers. Weekend before last, he got to see the program in earnest on his official visit before signing with UVa this week.

And needless to say, he's pretty enthusiastic about making it official.

"I was just excited to get back to Charlottesville for my official visit," he told CavsCorner this weekend. "Going in, that was the biggest thing: Just seeing the school as a whole. The time I was there for camp, I didn't really get to explore everything. I got to see one part of it. So getting back and getting to see everything was great."

Having come to town for the ScoutsFocus camp meant he wasn't exactly a stranger to the area. But the extent to which he got to experience the school was sort of relegated to playing inside University Hall.

This trip, however, allowed him to spend plenty of time with head coach Tony Bennett as well as the players, giving him a much deeper feel for things.

"I think I got to see pretty much everything," he recalled. "We were in the stadium for a while, we toured the Grounds and the Lawn, which was amazing walking through there. We walked through JPJ and it was crazy how everything is there under the one roof. They have multiple courts and all that. I really enjoyed getting to see all of that."

The time spent with his future head coach was not only beneficial but it was also a stark example of why he picked this coaching staff and this school.

"I got to sit down with Coach Bennett for a long time," Anthony explained. "When I first got there, I went up to his office and he talked about what he saw in me and everything. Then we went into the film room and he showed me like an evaluation video of me, which like highlighted my strengths as well as my weaknesses.

"And I thought that was really cool, because he showed me a lot of weaknesses and I don't think many people would do that," he added. "Most coaches would just tell you all of the good things that you do. Him showing me those things tells me he really cares about me a lot."

So what was it that Bennett said he wanted the San Antonio (TX) Holmes standout to work on?

"Just staying alert," Anthony said. "Especially on defense, because that's what Coach Bennett and UVa are all about. They thrive on defense. He wants me to move my feet well and do all of the little things right."

The 6-foot-6, 222-pound forward also got a chance to spend time with UVa's current players and he could tell pretty quickly that he fit right in.

"We had dinner and Jack Salt and Isaiah Wilkins were both there and after that I hung out with them as well as Marial [Shayok] and some other guys," he said. "They were all really cool and I got to see the scrimmage because it was the day before they had the Blue and White Game. I thought they were really good and I could see myself in that system.

"I really enjoyed how unselfish they were," Anthony added. "They're not just trying to get their own, which is the way I play. I really liked that."

Anthony has been committed for several months now, meaning that his recruitment has been over for a while. But signing day tomorrow signals the true end of his recruitment and that allowed him to look back a bit.

"It was a blessing from the man upstairs," Anthony said of being able to pick UVa. "When I first started playing in the EYBL, I didn't get many minutes and I wasn't playing much at all. I just did my best to stay ready and kept working hard. And then I got some chances and played well and the coaches started calling.

"That's when I heard from Virginia," he added, "and from there, everything changed. And I really couldn't say no."

Led by associate head coach Ron Sanchez, the Cavaliers quickly moved on the Lone Star State native and he could not have been more receptive.

"Coach Sanchez called me before Peach Jam and told me that he had enjoyed watching me play and that he was looking forward to seeing me play again," Anthony noted. "He said he saw something in me in Brooklyn, which kind of surprised me because I thought I struggled in Brooklyn but he said he saw something.

"So he told me he was going to bring Coach Bennett to see me and he did and I played well," he added. "Coach Bennett called me after that and told me he wanted to see me one more time but that he really liked what he saw. And after that, he called and that's when they offered me the scholarship."

Despite it being such a monumental and life-altering decision, it was one Anthony came to quickly.

"I told him that I was going to think about it and the more I did, I just couldn't say no," he said. "I woke up that next morning and I just knew. I was a Cavalier."

So, on the cusp of finally becoming an official member of the program, it's easy to see why Anthony is pumped.

"I'm so excited, man," he said. "It's a dream come true to be able to sign with a Division I basketball team, especially one that plays in the ACC. I'm signing at my school and I know there will be a lot of people there. That should be pretty cool."

And how will he remember and think back on his recruitment?

"I mean, it's crazy, right?" he said with a laugh. "I just kind of can't believe it, honestly. It's indescribable really. I just don't have words for it. But I'm excited, that's for sure. It's all just such a blessing."