Florida Top 250 Expo Prospect Report: Jalan Black (2020)
2020 North Florida Christian guard Jalan Black was one of 33 underclassmen and 86 total prospects in attendance at the Prep Hoops Florida Top 250 Expo on Saturday at DME Academy in Daytona Beach.
I sat down with Black to talk about his time at the expo.
The 6’3″ guard called his showcase experience “beyond amazing.”
“I was elated to compete against some of the top sophomores and freshmen in the state of Florida,” Black said.
He first heard about the event through Twitter.
Black says the best thing he learned was from trainer Aubery DeNard’s introduction speech.
“He spoke about the importance of knowing and understanding the different levels of college basketball,” he said. “Everyone can’t play Division I basketball, but playing at a high Division II can be a great fit for you.”
In terms of what grew in Black’s game, he said that was his defense.
“I realized it was just as important to defend as it was to be an offensive player. I took pride in trying to guard the toughest player on the opposing team,” he said. “I came to the Expo with an open mind to be positive and to be a great teammate. If I had to choose one negative thing, I could have rebounded better.”
Black says he would definitely recommend the Expo to his peers.
“It was a great experience and a good opportunity to gain exposure,” he said. “I met some great basketball players in the Florida area.”
Heading into his sophomore campaign at North Florida Christian, Black says he plans to the best all-around player he can be.
“Along with playing great defense, I plan to be a complete player on offense as well including scoring, rebounding and passing,” Black said. “I really just want to be a great leader by encouraging other players and by being vocal and bringing positive energy.”
Black is smooth down the floor and works hard to get into open areas in the paint. He is going to be a factor for the Eagles this season.