Hargrave Military Academy head coach Ben Veshi joins Cory to give a straight, inside look at prep school basketball, player development, and college placement in 2025. Veshi explains Hargrave’s structured, military-style environment, why it accelerates maturity and on-court performance, and how the program’s two-a-days, weight room cadence, and ~50-game schedule prepare athletes for college intensity. He breaks down today’s recruiting reality—why the summer evaluation period and a program’s reputation/relationships now drive offers more than fall open gyms, how the transfer portal and NIL changed timelines, and when a D2 full ride can be the smartest path to a future D1. Finally, Veshi details what it actually takes to be a Division I guard right now: tight handle, credible shooting, physical defense, and floor leadership. If you’re a parent, player, or coach weighing NEPSAC vs Elite Prep League, post-grad options, or the best route to college basketball, this conversation cuts through the noise and gives you a clear plan to follow.
💡Key Topics
- 📌 Military-style structure → on-court gains (prep school basketball, player maturity, accountability)
- 📌 Summer recruiting > fall open gyms (transfer portal era, NIL, coach relationships)
- 📌 Hargrave development model (two-a-days, weight room, ~50 games, elite skill work)
- 📌 Placement strategy (right-fit D1/D2, scholarship math, reputation & events)
- 📌 D1 guard requirements (tight handle, shooting credibility, defensive physicality, leadership)
🏀 About Ben Veshi
Head Coach, Hargrave Military Academy (Post-Grad). A Marianapolis Prep alum and former Catawba player/coach, Veshi has a decade at Hargrave and leads one of the country’s most demanding prep environments, producing college-ready athletes through structure, skill development, and high-level competition.
🔗 Connect with Ben Veshi
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hargravebasketball/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ben.veshi/
Twitter | https://x.com/HMAVBB
Twitter | https://x.com/HargraveHoops
Emai | veshib@hargrave.edu
Website | https://hargrave.edu/
🔗 Connect with Cory:
Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166
🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:
iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic
His four-year tenure at Marianapolis Prep, playing under Coach Dave Vitale and reaching four straight NEPSAC championships.
The family discussion leading to the decision to pursue the prep route over local public school.
The significant benefits of the prep school culture at Marianapolis, including diversity, structured environment, and applying these values to Hargrave.
Coaching lessons from Marianapolis (boys/girls teams): learning that coaching is not a one-size-fits-all approach, emphasizing respect and accountability.
Key takeaways from Catawba: managing day-to-day operations on a shoestring budget and mastering player evaluation in the recruiting process.
Discussing how quickly to evaluate players at an AAU showcase—distinguishing between Catawba and Hargrave level talent.
Coach Veshi's pitch for Hargrave Military Academy as both a school and a prep basketball program.
Hargrave's unique structured environment: 6 AM to 10 PM schedule, military-style uniform, 31 NBA players, the historic Walter Davis Gymnasium, and the lifelong "brothers" bond.
The challenge of the "Grit Factor" in 2025 recruiting; the declining interest in military culture among high school players.
The Hargrave experience as preparation for college basketball; the need to overcome early adversity ("the hair grows back").
The demanding high-volume schedule (playing almost 50 games a season, similar to an NBA rhythm) and strategic player management for recruitment.
Navigating college placement in the current landscape dominated by the Transfer Portal and NIL.
The reality of year-round placement; managing high Division I (D1) aspirations and advising players to secure a full DII scholarship as a strong immediate return on investment.
Ranking the most crucial phases for D1 placement: summer, program reputation, games, and fall open gyms.
Why the summer period is paramount and why fall open gyms have become less important in modern college recruiting.
Future expansion plans: adding a second Hargrave basketball team for the 2026-2027 season.
Addressing the perception of NEPSAC being superior to other options.
Suggesting a "Palestra Showcase" for NEPSAC vs. EPL Challenge.
The debate on quality versus quantity in player development.
Hargrave's comprehensive player development model: daily coached weight room sessions, a guaranteed block for individual skill work, and optional morning/evening sessions for players to master specific skills.
Academic requirements for post-graduate (post-grad) students.
The specialized post-grad academic curriculum: courses in weightlifting, public speaking for athletes (media training), SAT prep, career exploration, and a seminar focused on NIL and personal brand building.
The definitive question: What are the non-negotiable requirements to be a D1 guard in 2025?
Key traits: being a coach on the floor, having a tight handle (paramount), being a capable shooter, and having excellent defense/physicality.
