Recruiting Report: Elijah Blake (2017)
(Photo credit: Aurora Sentinel) Don’t expect Elijah Blake to shy away from the lofty expectations his Billups Elite 17U squad will have entering the upcoming grassroots season. “We’re going to put Colorado on the map this year,” said the 6-2…
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Don’t expect Elijah Blake to shy away from the lofty expectations his Billups Elite 17U squad will have entering the upcoming grassroots season.
“We’re going to put Colorado on the map this year,” said the 6-2 2017 guard, an all-state selection this year for Rangeview. “That’s our goal. It’s something we need to do. It’s been a long time coming.”
There is plenty of reason for Blake to be optimistic about his team, which will play on the top Adidas Gauntlet circuit this season. Last year, the group was one of the region’s most successful 16U outfits, and they’ve added two of the best players in Nebraska in David Wingett Jr. and University of Nebraska commit Aguek Arop.
And those players to Jaizec Lottie, perhaps the state’s best true point guard, and talented wing Jalen Sanders, and this squad will have the chance to do major damage.
“I’m very excited,” Blake said. “I’m playing with a bunch of great guys. Especially with, Jaizec Lottie, we’ve been playing together since fourth or fifth grade, so our chemistry is there. I’m just blessed to be a part of something like that.”
Of course, Blake himself will have a major role in the success that Billups has this summer. He said his coaching staff is keeping much of his recruiting attention close to the vest, but he has drawn interest from Colorado’s Division I programs.
“Pretty much every local school has recruited me and Jaizec,” he said. “We’ve got some out-of-state schools. As soon as we get to tournaments, we’ll start knowing about those programs. I’m ready for it.”
Blake averaged 10 points, 3.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game for a Rangeview team that didn’t lose until the state semifinals. He can play both guard spots and gets after it defensively from the perimeter. With the ball in his hands, he’s a great change-of-pace ball-handler, and he has the athleticism to accelerate past defenders and finish at the rim.
Last week, Blake tweeted, “This spring/summer is going to change my life.”
He knows what is at stake as Billups hits one of grassroots basketball’s biggest stages, and he’s up for the challenge.
“The Adidas Gauntlet, it’s big,” Blake said. “They’ve got great players in there, ranked players. We’re just trying to be a part of that. I think we can compete with those guys. Chauncey (Billups) is getting us ready for that, so it’s going to be big for us.”