Recruiting report: Antonio Blanton (2017)
One of the reasons that Elyria has become one of the hottest teams in Northeast Ohio is the play of junior guard Antonio Blanton. The 6-foot guard is a hard worker who is always focused on getting better and making…
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Continue ReadingOne of the reasons that Elyria has become one of the hottest teams in Northeast Ohio is the play of junior guard Antonio Blanton.
The 6-foot guard is a hard worker who is always focused on getting better and making his team better.
“I want to work on basketball IQ, ball-handling, and to shoot a little faster,” Blanton said. “I want to work on every asset of my game to get better in every way.”
Blanton already has a strong game to work with. He’s an elite outside shooter, who is second on the team in scoring behind stud senior Blake Furcron. Blanton, who is averaging about 16 ppg, has taken his game to another level this season, as he’s hit the 20-point mark four times this year after not reaching it all last year as a sophomore.
That type of contribution has given Elyria the second scoring option it needs to succeed.
“Most everyone knows about Blake,” Blanton said. “But sometimes he’s not on the floor and the team needs a lift. I can help us with scoring and get defensive stops too.”
Blanton says that the reason he’s been able to play so well is that the chemistry is high on Elyria, and he’s working well with his teammates.
“This year we have a better team, and the reason I’m having a good year is that we’re all in it together,” Blanton said. “When we all do it together, I play better individually.”
Not only a good basketball player, Blanton does well in the classroom. He hopes to graduate next year with a GPA as high as 3.8.
Another one of his goals is to make sure Elyria has a season to remember while he’s still in the fold, and he knows what it takes to get there.
“We have to focus and be ready to play each game,” Blanton said. “We just have to keep playing hard as a team. If we keep doing what we do, we’ll have a chance to go very far in the tournament.”
Because of his shooting ability and size, Blanton is a big Stephen Curry fan. The blend of ball-handling and shooting is something he aspires to have.
Another thing he’d like to have is an opportunity to play in college. While he’s got a great shooter’s touch, he also believes his coachability is something college coaches will hopefully see.
“I’m focused on what the coach and the staff has to say,” Blanton said. “During timeouts, I focus on what we need to do to win.”