Coming in to his junior season, Dudley Blackwell was intent on building on the strong summer he turned in leading NIGHTRYDAS Elite (Fla.) to the Final Four of the prestigious Nike Peach Jam.
Still, nearly three months in, he finally decided it was time to make a change from Somerset (Fla.) Academy Charter.
“We had a lot going on,” Blackwell said. “Lots of injuries and things like that; I just needed a better fit.”
In late January, the 6-foot-5 wing decided to take his talents to Huntington (W.Va.) Prep for the remainder of his junior season.
“I felt like it was an all-around better situation for me,” Blackwell said. “The platform is bigger and it’s an opportunity for me to get better. It’s the perfect situation for me going in to spring and summer ball.”
Blackwell was averaging 19 points, six rebounds and six assists a game for Somerset and is being pursued by everyone from Virginia to Virginia Tech to Ohio State to Florida, among many others.
Among the pros for Blackwell suiting up for Huntington Prep was playing with talented players like Jaemyn Brakefield, a 6-9, versatile forward who is ranked No. 15 overall in USA Today Sports’ Chosen 25 for 2020.
“Jaemyn just makes the game a lot easier for me,” Blackwell said. “He does a lot of things really well and he spaces the floor out well. It’s cool not having to be the center of attention all the time. I know they’ve had some great players come through Huntington, and I’m working as hard as I can to be the next one.”
Follow Jason Jordan on Twitter: @JayJayUSATODAY
