The second time around Blakeney made sure he did his homework before making his decision.
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“I’ve done a lot of research on all of the programs so I’ll feel good about my decision,” Blakeney said at the Team Takeover Hoopfest in December.
At the City of Palms Classic in Ft. Myers, Fla., Blakeney again proved that he is a lethal scorer, averaging a little over 23 points a game. Perhaps the most telling part of City of Palms was the number of coaches in the gym for Blakeney. LSU made sure to be there for his games, while fellow finalists Kentucky and Missouri did not have a presence at the event.
The Tigers already have one five-star recruit locked in in combo-forward Ben Simmons and they have made Blakeney their number one priority in this class. Ultimately that’s what helped them to land that talented shooting guard.
“Really just because the relationship I have with the coaches and the plan they have for the program, It’s a football school right now but they’re coming up as a basketball program and I would love to be a part of that,” he explained to ESPNU as they broadcasted his annoucement.
With two five-star recruits in the fold, and talented pieces already in place, it appears that LSU is primed to become one of the SEC’s top programs.
With one more scholarship left in this class, Johnny Jones and company will look to land the best in-state prospect in this class in Brandon Sampson. While he also plays shooting guard, there is a chance that he could still commit and stay in state as well.
Regardless, landing Blakeney is nothing short of massive for the Tigers as they continue to rebuild as a program. While he has backed off one commitment, don’t expect him to back off this one, as he should be an impact player from day one.
Brian Flinn is a national recruiting analyst covering high school hoops across the country. You can follow him on Twitter at @BflinnHoops.
