He found his footing in the second half of his freshman year, which could be a promising sign for his future at UVa. Ames started the final 13 games of the season, and in that span, averaged 5.7 points per game, shooting 44.8 percent from the field, and 14-of-31 (45.2 percent) from deep. In his final game with K-State, he scored a career high 16 points in an NIT loss to Iowa.
Ames was a prolific scorer in high school and in time could become a significant contributor on that end of the floor. He scored 21.4 points per game as a senior in high school, on 51.3 percent shooting. Ames had a 65-point game in December 2022 against Southland College Prep, while dishing out seven assists and recording seven steals.
Ames also brings some attributes that are a bit different from what UVa already had on the roster. The Cavaliers had added some shooting and size in the offseason but lacked guards that had proven they could put the ball on the floor and either make a play at the rim or get creative in finding teammates. His clips from K-State, as well as his prolific high-school career, indicate that he has those abilities. Both he and Warley have the ability to go get a bucket, but unlike Warley, Ames has some upside as a pull-up shooter, given how he performed as a freshman and particularly how he closed out the season.
The Projection: Ames is probably the hardest to project of any of the transfers but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. If he was an older player who had done what he did as a freshman at K-State as a third-year player, the upside that he seems to have wouldn’t really be there. But with three years of eligibility left, Ames’ time at Kansas State may have just been him scratching the surface.
Having said that, UVa has other options at point guard and Ames isn’t going to be handed the starting job, necessarily. Tony Bennett trusts experienced players, and given Warley’s background at point guard and his experience playing in the ACC, he could be the default choice going into the fall. Bliss also has a year in the program, and while he hasn’t played, was a valued prospect in the 2024 class that the staff set out to bring in early.
Still, Ames was brought in for a reason and therefore very likely has a chance to be the starting point guard from the start of the season. If he does that, and builds on what he did as a freshman, he could end up being UVa’s answer at point for two or three years. And if Ames doesn’t take to the pack-line, or his offensive game stalls out and doesn’t improve from what we saw this past season, he could be relegated to a bench role, and ultimately might not be a long-term fit.
It’s tough to say exactly how Ames will fit in but the opportunity is certainly there for him to take it and run. The Windy City product could be a great fit for what UVa currently has on the roster, as a creative player that can break down the defense but also get his own shot while opening things up for spot-up shooters around him.
As always though, Ames’ role will probably come down to how quickly he picks up UVa’s defense and if he can earn the trust of the staff to be a creative player while also playing within t
heir structure.
