Recruiting Report: Justin Hardy (2018)
Justin Hardy is a 6’5” small forward out of St. Charles East that plays with a lot of toughness and grit. He started out early in his career as more of an interior player and has made the transition to the perimeter successfully. Likes to get in the lane and hit runners. His range off the catch stretches out to beyond the arc. Really enjoy watching how much Hardy competes on both ends of the floor and how high of an activity level he plays with. Quality wing rebounder. Low-major prospect.
Hardy broke down this past high school season with St. Charles East.
“I felt I had a great junior year. We had a lot of wins. I think we ended up 18-13 so it was a pretty successful year. Personally I learned how to score the ball more in different ways. I was the leader of the team and team captain. I had to rebound the ball. I did a little bit of everything. We came up short in the playoffs losing our first game. We are going to be hungry for next year.”
The biggest thing with Hardy has been the progression from a post to legit three man over the last year.
“I have always been bigger for my grade so I have been in the post a lot. I have learned that I am going to have to be a perimeter player at the college level so I have been getting shots up every day and being able to work toward being a knock down three point shooter. I want to be a great driver that can get by anyone no matter there strength or size.”
What is going on with recruiting?
“I am talking to a few schools that seem pretty serious. Cornell, Green Bay, Lipscomb.”
Cornell is intriguing to him because of the off the court aspect.
“I like the academics and that they are in the Ivy League. I think that is somewhere that would be intriguing as I value my academics highly. I am a good student.”
Green Bay is a school that the Illinois Wolves wing has taken a visit to already.
“I went up there for a game in the winter. They were really nice. They showed me all around their campus. It seems like a good group of guys that like to play basketball.”