Recruiting Report: Braxton Key (2016)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — If you haven’t seen him first hand, it’s hard to describe Braxton (Blackwell) Key’s game. A strong, powerful player, Key can play all over the court at both ends. He can shoot from the outside, or drive…
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Continue ReadingSPRINGFIELD, Mo. — If you haven’t seen him first hand, it’s hard to describe Braxton (Blackwell) Key’s game.
A strong, powerful player, Key can play all over the court at both ends. He can shoot from the outside, or drive the ball to the basket. And, at the defensive end, he is strong enough to defend a post, but is often matched up with players six inches shorter, defending small, quick guards on the perimeter.
“He is probably our most versatile player, he does a lot of things really well,” Oak Hill (Va.) head coach Steve Smith said. “He rebounds, scores, and his shot is a little off right now and we are working with him. He’s a little frustrated because he’s not shooting it as consistently as he’d like.
“He can score inside and out and has 3-point range. He’s a very good passer. He’s probably our best defender for a kid his size and can guard multiple positions. I like his versatility. He’s gotten a lot stronger physically, he’s spent a lot of time in the weight room and gotten better in that area too.”
Key said he likes to pattern his game after NBA players who can do it at both ends of the court as well.
“I switch it up all the time,” Key said. “I like Draymond Green who can do it all — he had five triple doubles in a row. And I also like Kwai Leonard and Jimmy Butler, guys who defend well and can get triple doubles night in and night out.”
A native of Nashville, Ten., Key played his grassroots basketball with Team Penny this past offseason and signed to play at Alabama on Nov. 19, choosing the Crimson Tide over Texas, Kansas and a host of others.
“I had a great relationship with one of the coaches at Alabama, (assistant) Bob Simon and he has been recruiting me since my eighth-grade, freshman year,” Key said. “I had a great relationship with him and coach (Avery) Johnson coming in, it is a new spark of life down there. He has played in the NBA and coached in the NBA and he has made it in the Finals as both a player and coach. He knows how to win and what it takes.”
Key said he still needs to improve his work on the perimeter to take his game to the next level.
“Shooting and being able to make open jump shots and create off the dribble,” Key said. “I’m always known for passing, rebounding and doing the little things, but shooting and scoring the ball is something that I need to do at the next level.”
Key and his Oak Hill Warriors, currently the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, won the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, held in Springfield, Mo. The team knocked off Missouri’s Bolivar, then ran the gauntlet, first defeating nationally ranked programs Rainier Beach and Sierra Canyon to capture the title
“The tradition, wearing Oak Hill jersey means a lot,” Key said. “Every night you’re going to get the other teams best shot and a lot of guys are going to make shots that they normally don’t make. We just have to come out every game and play hard.”