6'2' 2019 Trae Hannibal
Hartsville (Hartsville, SC)
Just as suspected, 6'2' junior Trae Hannibal is off to a tear this season. After all he is one of the best point guards in the region and had an unbelievable summer, taking on some of the highest ranked players and elevating his game above theirs. However, somehow Hannibal is still unknown and not getting his just due when it comes to regional and national reputation.
Throughout last year, as a sophomore, Hannibal averaged 12.8 points, shooting 49% from the field. He also added 7 boards, 6.2 assists and 2.4 steals per game. Hartsville High School plays in Region VI 4A against the likes of Lakewood, Crestwood, Darlington and Lugoff Elgin. For the year, Hannibal finished top 5 in the conference in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game…Astonishing numbers really for the sophomore.
As with the majority of the top prospects throughout the state, Hannibal attended the prestigious South Carolina Top 80 event. Here he competed against the absolute best the state had to offer. After the event we wrote,''Moving onto one of the most tantalizing and explosive prospects in all of South Carolina, Trae Hannibal. Upon entering the gym, Hannibal brings this unique excitement and presence that his teammates seem to always feed off of. He's a hard-nosed guard that can play with or without the ball, though he is at his best when slotted at point guard. Offensively, Hannibal gets what he wants on all three levels and is unstoppable when he's determined to finish at the rim; he is a constant threat to rise up and throw down ferocious dunks, especially in transition. His ability to play without the ball will help him tremendously at the next level, as he displayed the ability to get buckets by utilizing spacing and IQ off-ball. Next in his development process is speeding up the release on his three-point shot, as the rest of his game is extremely well rounded.'
So far this season, Hannibal has seen an uptick in his recruitment. The likes of Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Wake Forest are getting involved and that is the level that feels right for him. Hannibal has everything you want a high level guard to have, he has an incredibly strong frame and is very explosive, finishing through contact and above the rim. He plays with a great pace on the ball, as he is able to get where he wants on the floor and he has excellent vision, setting up his team mates as he gets into the teeth of the defense.
After watching his performance at the 2017 South Carolina Top 80, scout Jason Porter walked away incredibly impressed,'Trae is an easy scorer that ate all day in transition; he goes from defense to offense in the blink of an eye. He's a strong kid with more bounce than you think, finishing so easily at the rim. Trae rebounds bigger than his size would suggest he can and he hits the three and he's always looking to make the extra pass.'
So far this season, through 4 games, Hannibal is putting up eye-popping stats. Playing 3 of his games against 5A playoff teams, Hannibal is putting up 20.8 points, 13.3 boards, 6.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game. He already carries early offers from Stetson and South Carolina State.
The high level offers will come, he has a magnetic game that you cannot take your eyes off of. And one thing is for sure, when he is on the floor you had better keep your video cameras rolling, be it a no look pass, and crossover that leaves his man on his knees or a high flying dunk on someone, he is unbelievably exciting to watch.