By JACK LeGWIN
WHEELING W.V.- When Antonio Blakeney announced Friday afternoon that he had committed to LSU, there was only one person more excited than the fans. That would be Ben Simmons.
“That’s big,” Simmons told SNY.tv after a 100-79 win over Whitney Young in the Cancer Research Classic in which he went 11-11 from the field, scoring 26 points. “We were watching it before we came over here. That’s a big get for me, because I really know how to play with him. We play really well together, he likes to shoot the ball and I like to pass it. He’s always open around the three, so I like to find him.”
Not only are Simmons and Blakeney cohesive on the court, they also get along very well off the hardwood.
“We’re definitely cool,” said the 6-foot-10 Simmons, who could end up as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. “We live close to each other [in Florida], so we’re friends. I see him a few times a week, so getting the chemistry now is good for us.”
Ranked No. 1 in the nation, Simmons teamed up with No. 17 ranked Blakeney during the summer on Each 1 Teach 1 Elite, leading them to the Elite 8 at Peach Jam.
When Blakeney announced his decision to head to Baton Rouge, he cited his relationship with Simmons to be a big reason why he chose LSU. Both players were recruited by LSU assistant David Patrick, Simmons’ Godfather.
“[Simmons] factored in a lot, because I know how good he is and how good he can make a team,” said Blakeney. “Me and him together can take a lot of stress off each other on the court. We have good chemistry on and off the court.”
Next year is setting up to be a big one for the Tigers with Simmons and Blakeney coming into the program alongside veteran guards Josh Gray, Tim Quarterman and Keith Hornsby. In the frontcourt, the Tigers are loaded with Jarrell Martin, Jordan Mickey and Elbert Robinson.
“It’s really good to have a deep team,” Simmons said. “It’s great to go to the bench and have those guys bring the same effort as the guys who are starting, so it’s going to be big.”
Photo- J Hardy LeGwin
