By Jeff Halpern | Photograph by Braeden Botts
LITTLE ROCK – Layden Blocker is in his senior 12 months at Dawn (Kan.) Christian Academy and Landren hopes to guide LRCA to a state championship.
Layden Blocker performed at Little Rock Christian Academy two years in the past, transferred to Dawn Christian Academy in Wichita, Kan., and signed with the College of Arkansas in November.
Landren Blocker, Layden's brother, is having a stellar season within the LRCA this 12 months. Landren, a 6-5 junior, is averaging 16 factors, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and three steals per sport for the Twenty first-ranked Warriors (21-7), who superior to Friday's 4A-East semifinals in Clinton. . Within the Arkansas Basketball Rankings, Landren Blocker is listed because the fifth finest participant within the state.
On the Wooten High 150 Camp in Mansfield, Texas, in October, Blocker caught the eye of 247 Sports activities nationwide analyst Brandon Jenkins, who mentioned, “It appeared like Landren Blocker was in the best place on the proper time. Layden Blocker's brother, Landren, was the king of creating issues occur above the rim this weekend.”
As well as, Tobias Bass of Athletic, referred to as him one of many three “most enjoyable” prospects in camp. Bass mentioned, “Blocker had some spotlight performs all through the weekend, whether or not it was blocking pictures or making layups. Along with his robust construct and athleticism, he has the potential to be a defender, spectacular rebounder and efficient finisher across the rim on the subsequent stage.”
Landren Blocker has provides from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Tulane, Central Arkansas, Creighton, Mississippi, Missouri, TCU, St John's and Texas A&M.
“Landren has been actually profitable all through his highschool profession,” Layden Blocker mentioned. “He's carried out plenty of issues and gotten recognition for his sport. I see Landren dominating on the Division I stage. He's powerful and bodily together with his measurement and athleticism. As soon as every little thing else falls into place and he builds on that, his general sport will probably be polished .”
Layden is a 5-star prospect by the 247 Sports activities Composite and projected by NBADraft.internet because the twentieth decide within the 2024 NBA Draft. At Dawn Academy, his workforce is 17-6 and ranked 14th nationally by SBLive. He performed for Bradley Beal Elite within the Elite Youth Basketball League over the summer time and averaged 15.8 factors, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per sport in 27 video games.
As a junior, he averaged 9 factors, 1.3 steals and three.7 rebounds whereas taking part in with two different Sports activities Illustrated All-People. He averaged 20 factors, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and a pair of steals per sport as a sophomore within the LRCA in 2021.
After signing Layden Blocker in November, Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman mentioned in a press launch. “We’re thrilled to formally add Layden to our Razorback household. He’s a participant who is continually bettering his sport and has an enormous upside.Layden is a tenacious defender and versatile common. He comes from a well-coached program and has expertise competing in opposition to a few of the finest younger gamers within the nation.”
Whereas Blocker's father, Lenard, who’s an assistant at LRCA, has been given a front-row seat to what the recruiting course of seems like, he is able to take the teachings of final 12 months and apply them to Landren's recruiting course of.
Throughout Layden's recruiting course of, Lenard Blocker mentioned he was initially passive and hesitant to ask sure questions, however grew to become extra direct because the recruiting course of progressed. With Landren, he mentioned he desires to ensure the colleges accepting his youthful son are real and have a transparent imaginative and prescient for him. “We'll have a good suggestion between March and July earlier than his senior season begins,” Lenard Blocker mentioned. “Coaches may have a greater thought of their wants and what their roster seems like after they shut the 2023 class and portal this spring.”
Lenard Blocker mentioned his most important job is to assist collect data and ensure Landren is doing his due diligence to make one of the best choice about the place he desires to go to varsity.
“We're not tied to a particular demographic,” Lenard Blocker mentioned. “The primary factor is to discover a faculty that can assist him maximize his potential as a basketball participant and develop as an individual.”
When Layden determined to depart the LRCA and go the prep faculty route, it was in order that Layden might play with different prep All-People who’ve the potential to play main school basketball and ultimately turn into a lottery decide within the NBA draft.
Lenard Blocker mentioned Landren had the chance to go the prep faculty route, however selected to remain within the LRCA and play for brand spanking new head coach Kyle Pennington. “He believed in Coach Pennington and appreciated how Coach deliberately constructed a relationship with him. We’ve got no plans to go the prep route. Proper now we’re centered on the regional and state event.
“I'm attempting to forge my very own path and discover methods to make myself and my workforce higher,” Landren Blocker mentioned. “Our purpose is to win the nationwide championship. That is what we try for in observe.”
And the Warriors hope to complete the season in Sizzling Springs with the Class 4A state championship trophy.
“I really feel like we’ve got one of the best workforce within the state no matter classification,” Lenard Blocker mentioned. “We’ve got nice management in Ben Fox, TJ Watson and Cooper Jones. Nice manufacturing from our juniors Trey Howard, Corliss Williamson Jr., Jameel Wesley, and Landren and freshman JJ Andrews has phenomenally exceeded expectations. I like our possibilities. The primary factor we’ve got to do is lock in, defend at a excessive stage and be who we’re.
“We attempt to make coaching troublesome and hold everybody centered. Our convention was not as aggressive because the non-conference schedule. We’ve got to seek out methods to maintain our gamers engaged and aggressive so we don't decide up unhealthy habits.”
The Warriors' resume has loads of high quality wins. Defeated No. 13 Cabot 70-49 on Nov. 22; No. 25 Maumelle 73-56 on Dec. 3; No. 22 Watson Chapel 64-37 Nov. 5 in season opener; No. 24 Vilonia 54-42 on Dec. 1; and Poplar Bluff (Mo.) 75-69 on Dec. 29. Their losses got here to robust groups. They fell to No. 1 Bentonville West 73-66 on Nov. 15; No. 5 Little Rock Central 71-64 on Nov. 19; Chicago's Whitney Younger 51-49 in Hoop Corridor South Basic; Memphis Christian Brothers, 60-51 on Dec. 21; Haywood (Brownsville, Tenn.) 65-47 Dec. 28.
Lenard Blocker mentioned the massive factor Landren has to do is belief his skill, belief the work he's carried out and never overthink issues on the courtroom. “He must really feel comfy and free to be who he’s and what he brings to this workforce.”
Landren Blocker mentioned he considers himself a wing who can play and guard a number of positions. He was prepared to play inside and put up smaller defenders to assist the Warriors win and guard the opposition's finest participant.
Because the Blockers put together to spend the subsequent spring and summer time finding out the recruiting course of, within the meantime, they hope to have a lot to have a good time within the subsequent few weeks.