Recruiting Report – Prince Aligbe (2022)
Prince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN of Minnehaha Academy is a top 100 talent in the 2022 talent and he has the scholarship interest to back that ranking up. Prince is…
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Continue ReadingPrince Aligbe Prince Aligbe 6'6" | SF Minnehaha Academy | 2022 State #167 Nation MN of Minnehaha Academy is a top 100 talent in the 2022 talent and he has the scholarship interest to back that ranking up.
Prince is a standout student athlete. He is excellent on the basketball court but also a strong student in the classroom and a busy participant in other activities as well. Not having the daily interactions with classmates and teachers has been tough.
“Right now a lot of families are being cautious and that’s a good thing considering what everybody is going through,” Aligbe said. “One thing that I have had to learn through distance learning and being at home this summer, is learning how to be disciplined on my own.
“At school, your teachers, and other people that you talk to every day that give you wisdom and offer help, I really miss them as they help me be so productive in the classroom. I’m still doing that now working hard to improve on the court but their help is so important in school. And of course I miss the interactions with friends.”
Aligbe is the type of student that enjoys the challenge of academics in every period of the day.
“Every day is different. Every day they bring different challenges. Some day math is the most fun, some days physics is the most fun. History can be fun, and choir is usually fun. That is what I love about Minnehaha Academy and school, it’s just really fun.”
He is motivated in other areas as well.
“One thing that really motivates me is that my recruitment is still on the rise even though we aren’t playing,” Aligbe said.
“Keeping pushing myself is the daily goal. I don’t have a coach or teacher that is in my ear 24-7 pushing that right now so I have learned to be more disciplined in doing that myself. Luckily my dad is really supportive as is my mother. They don’t know much about basketball at all but they are always there trying to help.”
Part of Prince’s daily work ethic is what he has received from his parents. And in the last several months he’s continued to learn from them.
“I’m learning right now that it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Prince said. “My parents have taught me to always look out for those who truly help you in life. Right now I have friends that are working out with a lot others and that is cool but my parents want me to be on the safe side of things. They want our family to be safe.”
As far as the daily workouts Prince is really trying to expand his ability.
“One thing that I have learned over this period of time is that when you are in the gym you are focused on this one thing, and then that thing. And as you keep working you are building and building your strengths together. That one thing that I have really working on is my shooting.
“Of course I am known as a spot-up shooter, but I am have really been working on my pull-up game and of course I want to keep finishing at the rim, but I am really working on my shooting and being able to pull up and make shots at different spots on the floor. I have been working on ball fakes, the footwork, and pull-ups in different areas.
“I am also starting to work on weight lifting a lot more. That’s something I wasn’t really doing in the past. I was just working on body training in the past. I’m working on that to see how that helps for my junior year.”
Prince has one of the most impressive offer lists of any 2022 talent. On June 15th the following schools immediately reached out to Prince between midnight and 10am:
“I heard immediately from Villanova, Florida, Purdue, Ohio State, LSU, Cal, Marquette, and Arkansas,” Prince said.
Later that day more called on the 6-foot-6 wing.
“Also heard from Iowa, Xavier, Minnesota, USC, Missouri, and Gonzaga, and then Notre Dame offered.”
How has that recruitment continued over the past 5-6 weeks?
“I lot of those schools are starting to have regular contact with my parents as well as myself. They have been setting up phone calls as well as a lot of photo edits. For example Ohio State is recruiting me really hard right now. They are talking to my dad and myself daily. The Ohio State will send us plays and such from the past showing me how they think I can fit within their program. They send me plays showing me what they are looking for, showing me how I would fit for them, and can fit for them in the future.
“Teams are really doing their best considering they can’t come out and see recruits themselves. The are still watching older games.”
And what teams are recruiting Prince with the most effort from those June 15th calls through this conversation on July 24th?
“Since June 15th there has been a handful of schools that contact me a lot,” Aligbe said. “That would be Ohio State, Purdue, Gonzaga, Tennessee, Arkansas, Villanova, Western Kentucky, and a couple more, but those schools have really been on my case and I’m really thankful for it.”