Prospect Watch: Nick Bulanda (2017)
Class of 2017 shooting guard Nick Bulanda of Marquette High is a solid performer who has been operating under the radar for the Mustangs. The 6’2″ Bulanda has a strong body with plenty of athleticism and bounce in his game.…
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Continue ReadingClass of 2017 shooting guard Nick Bulanda of Marquette High is a solid performer who has been operating under the radar for the Mustangs.
The 6’2″ Bulanda has a strong body with plenty of athleticism and bounce in his game. He is also an excellent three-sport athlete, who gets it done on the football field and baseball diamond as well as the basketball court. He has received collegiate interest in basketball from Division III Millikin (IL). He is also getting looks in football from Northern Iowa.
“It’s tough to pick one because I like all three sports,” Bulanda said. “If I had to pick one, it would probably be basketball.”
Bulanda is a versatile offensive player with one valuable weapon in his arsenal being the pull-up mid-range jumper. He has the confidence and ability to get his pull up jumper off in just about any situation. Bulanda gets excellent elevation on his high-arching jumper, which he converts at a high rate. He was one of the top offensive players at the University of Central Missouri Team Camp in Warrensburg in June.
“I really like the pull up jumper,” Bulanda said. “I like to use it against more athletic teams where it’s harder for me to get in the lane. I’ve worked on it the most during the past few years.”
Bulanda raised his level of play in July while playing with the St. Louis Gym Rats. He enjoyed an excellent weekend at the KC Hardwood Classic in Lawrence, KS, which was the last tournament of the July evaluation period. He went on a couple of scoring binges in which he scored 27 and 26 points in back to back games. In one sequence, Bulanda knocked down four consecutive 3-pointers. He was in that kind of a zone on offense throughout the weekend.
As a junior, Bulanda averaged 14.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists to lead the Mustangs to a 17-11 record and a berth in the Class 5, District 7 championship game. He also shot 47 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line.
“Our goal next year is to have a better record and hopefully win a district championship,” Bulanda said.