Recruiting Report: Christian Flaherty (2018)
There’s something to be said about a player who goes all out and wants to win whether it’s the state championship game, a summer league game or just a pick up game. At the Randolph Macon team camp, Takoma Academy…
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Continue ReadingThere’s something to be said about a player who goes all out and wants to win whether it’s the state championship game, a summer league game or just a pick up game. At the Randolph Macon team camp, Takoma Academy (MD) guard Christian Flaherty demonstrated that kind of competitive fire, even though the games didn’t really count.
A 6’1” combo guard with good feel and a knack for filling it up, Flaherty played his tail off throughout all three of their games, even when they were trailing big late. One of the top scorers at the camp, he was always looking to make a play for himself or his teammates, and his teammates fed off of his high motor and leadership skills. It’s something that he believes is one of his strongest traits on the basketball court.
“I feel like I bring energy to every game, if someone’s being sluggish I can help bring my team back up,” Flaherty said.
While he isn’t the biggest or most explosive guard out there, Flaherty’s motor and edge that makes him so tough on the court is also the reason many scholarship level schools are interested in him so early. At the camp he claimed a division two offer from Bowie State of the CIAA, along with interest from a slew of division one schools including Campbell, Lehigh, JMU, Central Arkansas and UNC Wilmington. He understands that it’s as much about his mentality as it is about his game.
Christian Flaherty was one of the top scoring guards at Macon team camp.“I feel like I play harder and will do what it takes to win. If someone on the other team is a big scoring threat, I think I can take the role of stepping up and guarding that person,” he said. “I’m always in attack mode and I’m willing to do whatever the coach needs me to do to help them win.”
As for on the court, Flaherty’s a smooth assassin that will come at you all game long. He can play on or off the basketball, understands how to get to his spots and he gets easy shots from all three levels. He has good feel on both ends of the floor, and his understanding of his game is almost as impressive as his competitive drive. Still, he knows that you can’t settle in basketball and that you can continue to work on your whole game.
“I’m really good at attacking the basket and finishing around the rim, also in keeping my teammates involved,” he said. “I know I need to continue to work on my three-point shot and my midrange, also keeping my head in the game when my shot’s not falling.”
His unselfish attitude also shows when we asked him about his goals for the season, where he quickly and proudly stayed on the team subject and he just wants to help them improve each day throughout the long school year.
“I want us to get better as a team everyday, get better chemistry wise and each of us get better individually.”
With his work ethic and unselfish attitude, it is by no stretch of the imagination a possibility that division one schools turn from just interest to full offers in the next couple of seasons. Be sure to check out Christian Flaherty and Takoma Academy this season, you won’t be disappointed.