Hargrave Military Academy (VA) 2026-27 Player Profiles
Founded in 1909 by T. Ryland Sanford and John Hunt Hargrave, the Hargrave Military Academy is a private, all-boys military boarding school, preparatory institution for college and United States service academies in Southside VA, roughly an hour south of Lynchburg near the North Carolina line. Hargrave serves boys in grade 7 through post-graduate. Hargrave is affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values. The school's campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places due its architecturally cohesive campus and educational history.
The Hargrave post-graduate basketball program is one of the most successful in the country. Over the past five seasons, the team has played high level prep team competition and compiled an overall record of 200-16, National Tournament appearances every single year, two Final Fours (2017, 2020), an Elite Eight (2019), and 67 players continuing onto play DI college ball. Last year, they earned themselves a national Top 10 computer ranking. They compete in the highly competitive Elite Prep League.
The coaching tree is remarkable in that Hargrave has repeatedly functioned as a launchpad into a DI college coaching career. This season starts a new era with Austin Burnette having returned to take over as the post graduate team's head coach. He's a Hargrave alumnus and a member of the 2016 National Prep Championship team. He also started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Hargrave. From there, he assisted coached at the University of North Alabama (2023-24 and 2024-25) and then at Campbell University last season. Jon Mebane ('18) is the associate head coach.
The 2026-27 Hargrave team will be featuring the players profiled below.
#0 TJ Troy (2027) 5’10 point guard - From Columbia, SC, Troy is a quick, creative point guard who plays with good pace and understands how to change speeds. He sees the floor well, gets to his spots, and a very good shot off the bounce. Troy is currently gaining steady collegiate interest, which motivated his reclass and move to Hargrave. 4.3 gpa PH profile
#1 Chris King (2027) 6’3 guard - From Southfield, MI, King is an extremely explosive athletic that can put his head on the rim. Elite overall athleticism. Gets paint touches at-will. Streaky shooter. Most of the time is the fastest and bounciest person on the court even at the prep level. Averaged over 22 points a game on the PUMA circuit. Almost unstoppable to contain 1 on 1. Has received multiple DI offers, including UC Santa Barbara, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Long Beach State, Queens University, and Coastal Carolina. PH profile
#2 Karon Watlington (2027) 6’4 point guard (Committed to UNC-Greensboro in September) - From Burlington, NC, Watlington is a silky smooth point guard with a 6’8 wingspan. A point guard in every sense. Loves to facilitate and get teammates involved, rarely looks for his own shot first. Top 10 EYBL assists/turnover ratio. Scores effectively on all 3 levels. PH profile
#3 DJ West (2028) 6’5 small forward - From Raleigh, NC, West is a high IQ sharp shooter who plays above the rim. Hits tough shots and a great passer for his position. Has been offered by Toledo. PH profile
#4 CJ Hairston (2028) 6’1 guard - From Detroit, MI - Hairston is a sharpshooting combo guard that can really stretch the floor. Understands how to read close outs once he has knocked a couple down. PH profile
#5 Tyler Caouette (2027) 6'4 guard (committed to Naval Academy) - From Tampa, FL, Caouette is a strong wing who can stroke it from deep. He plays extremely hard and is an excellent rebounder.
#6 Isaac Amoako-Boateng (2027) 6’1 guard - From Williamsburg, VA, Amoako-Boateng is a crafty, strong guard with good feel. Looking to create off the bounce and a good catch and shoot spot up shooter. Plays hard.
#7 McCoy Williams (2027) 6’2 - From Raleigh, NC, Williams is a quick guard with a good stroke. Scans the floor well and passes well. He can get hot quick. PH profile
#8 Owen Dowel (2027) 6’10 forward - From Melbourne, Australia, rom Melbourne, Australia, Dowel is a dominate-the-paint bully who has good feet and good hands. He is really crafty around the rim. He sets hard screens and can step out and hit the 3 consistently.
#9 Rylee Baker (2027) 6'0 guard - From Winchester, VA, 2025-26 All-Region 4D 2nd Team. 2024-25 Team. Winchester Star All-Area 1st Team. 2024-25 All-Northwestern District 2nd Team. Baker is a strong and tough guard who is best when catching and shooting. His strong handle allows for constant paint touch and pressure on the rim. 3.2 gpa B2H profile PH profile
#10 Loch Brezeault (2027) 5’11 point guard - From Charlotte, NC, Brezeault is a strong guard with high IQ who controls the game. A knack for the ball. 3 level scorer but his bread and butter is getting to the rim and finishing through contact or a nice mid-range pull up. Great decision maker off PnR. Great strong on ball defender. Will pickup 94 feet and cause havoc.
#11 Josh Choat (2027) 6’3 guard - From Burke, VA, Choat is a wing with a good feel for the game. Makes shots and is always active on and off the ball defensively. Plays hard.
#13 Thomas Rouse (2027) 6’3 guard - From Greenville, SC, Rouse is is a sneaky athletic guard f that is as tough as nails and smooth off the bounce. Can create more than enough space for himself with a very good catch and shoot stroke. Will dunk on unassuming defenders. PH profile
#15 Wes Hilldale (2027) 6’7 small forward - From Raleigh, NC, Hilldale is a sniper in every sense of the word. Long range threat who can also put in on the floor to create for himself and others. Shot upwards of 45% throughout the summer on the 3SSB circuit. A threat everywhere on the court. Defensively solid due to his long frame. Has been offered by Oral Roberts, Toledo, Southern Indiana and New Mexico. Plays club ball with Garner Road-3SSB. PH profile
#22 Jim Gatehouse (2027) 6’5 wing - From Charlotte, NC, Gatehouse is a high flying sharpshooter with great college ready size. He can score from the perimeter, create for teammates and rebound his position. Finishes through contact well and can guard multiple positions. Has berth offered by Iona, Bucknell, George Washington and Campbell. PH profile
#23 Johnny Bol (2027) 7’0 - From Rualbet, South Sudan vis the MacDuffie School (MA), Bol is a mobile, athletic and agile floor stretching forward with an unmatched motor. Abnormal length helps protect the rim and defend all 3 levels. Can guard 1-5 effectively. Very vocal. Has been offered by Rhode Island. PH profile RTB profile
To accommodate college scout visits, Hargrave holds a schedule of Fall Open Gym runs, the details of which can be in the title graphic above.
The team’s 2026-27 game schedule and results can be found by clicking here.