Recruiting Report: T.J. Collins (2018)
Last season’s Class 5A second-round matchup between Bonnabel and Landry-Walker was one of the more highly–anticipated games in the postseason because of the assortment of talent on the floor, but it was a surprise to some which player took centerstage…
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Continue ReadingLast season’s Class 5A second-round matchup between Bonnabel and Landry-Walker was one of the more highly–anticipated games in the postseason because of the assortment of talent on the floor, but it was a surprise to some which player took centerstage that night.
2018 guard T.J. Collins outplayed 2016 Mississippi State signee Lamar Peters and 2017 UNO commit Lamont Berzat, pouring in a game-high 16 points and putting himself on the map in some recruiting circles during his team’s 50-45 upset over Landry-Walker—which had won state championships each of the previous two seasons.
“I mean, they were the back-to-back champions, so that had to be my biggest win at Bonnabel,” Collins said. “That gave us a lot of confidence because some people thought we wouldn’t be able to hang with a team like Landry-Walker.”
While Collins’ Bonnabel teammate Joe Thompson has received the majority of attention on the recruiting trail because of his size and athleticism, Collins provided the offensive balance for the Bruins with his deadly shooting stroke.
With his 6-foot-2 frame, Collins should be able to play either guard spot at the collegiate level, but he said his focus during the summer will be getting stronger and improving his ball-handling skills so he can become more of a threat to finish at the basket and create for his teammates.
“I’m trying to handle the ball better because I think I will have to play point guard more,” he said. “I’ve been working a lot on my passing and my court vision. Once I get that down, I don’t think anybody will be able to guard me.”
Collins joined Under Armour’s Beast Mode team during the spring along with Thompson, and while Collins has yet to receive his first offer, it will only be a matter of time before schools start noticing Bonnabel’s success and what Collins can bring to a program.
The only schools he’s received interest from so far are Tulane and Richmond and his focus when picking a school will be based on “their attitude, the way they take care of people and treat people.”