The spring evaluation period is a great opportunity for the state's unsigned senior prospects to boost their individual college recruitment, but it is also a period where many of the state's top young prospects can put themselves on the recruiting map. One player that made a strong case for himself this spring to be considered among the state's top young talents is Apollo High School's athletically gifted 6-foot-3 sophomore guard/forward Chris Hakilimali.
Hakilimali is a sure-fire athletic talent that showcased his ability to play the game of basketball inside and out - proving that he is definitely worthy of very strong consideration among the state's top young prospects.
While playing for the 16 & Under version of the Arizona Magic West Elite this spring, Hakilimali was a very bright spot for the team, as he competed hard and helped lead his program to one tournament championship and several strong tournament finishes during the club season. He will now turn his attention to competing for his high school program this June, and looking to lead his Hawks in preparation for next high school season.
This past high school season, Hakilimali was a young force for head coach Jacob Marin - averaging 10.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per/game. Hakilimali helped lead the team to a 14-11 overall record in the state's Division-II Class.
Hakilimali is one of the state's top performers in Arizona's 2015 class, especially when it comes to playing the game of basketball on the wing and also in the painted area of the floor. He is able to score from the perimeter and on the low block, where he is very effective as a result of his quickness, athletic lift off the floor and physical strength and toughness. Hakilimali is a mis-match for opposing teams as a result, and is very difficult to defend. He plays with a very high motor and competes at a high level - commonly a rare find among today's Arizona athletes.
He is a strong rebounder on both ends of the floor and also a good shotblocker. He runs the floor very hard and is very good in transition, where he often makes plays for his team. He is also a very good slasher to the basket. A good finisher, Hakilimali plays much bigger than his size suggests.
At the collegiate level and as he continues to mature as a player, Hakilimali will be asked to play as a shooting guard and as a small forward - depending on how much he continues to grow physically. As a shooting guard prospect, he will need to continue to develop his ability to shoot the basketball with consistency from the perimeter and from three-point distance, while also handling the basketball efficiently for his team. To develop into the small forward position for college, he will need to grow in stature to be effective, but either way, his athleticism and high-energy play will suit him nicely for the future.
I will continue to keep a close eye on this young man in the future, as he continue to develop into one of the state's elite young prospects. He is definitely one of the state's better young prospects already and should become a nice recruiting target over the next two years of prep play.
