The Commitment - by Khalif Battle, as told to Christian Mordi / @thedribbledrop
Coach Falchi at Trenton Catholic is a great guy. He means a lot to me and he really cares about me. Coach strives only for the best for his kids. I could’ve played for a powerhouse up north, but he instilled pride in building something of my own here in South Jersey in Trenton Catholic. I knew it was a great decision and the right fit because he cared about us before anything.
I started off playing AAU basketball on the EYBL circuit for Team Final, but I decided to finish my senior year with the New Jersey Playaz. Let me start by telling you about my time with Team Final. I loved my time there and they are truly a family over there. With that being said, I decided it was time for something new and that finishing my last year of AAU basketball with The Playaz was the right fit for me. The energy and love I got here from the door was amazing. We qualified for Peach Jam and I know we have a chance to go all of the way.
My recruitment really picked up for me last year during my AAU season. We didn’t make it to Peach Jam with Team Final, but we played in an event and I picked up around 15 offers. It gave me a lot of confidence in myself and I felt like I was on to something as a player. That event gave me the push to go harder than ever before to push myself to another level.
I didn’t announce a top five before I committed. The reason I didn’t is because I knew after numerous visits which school stood out the most to me.
I’ve decided to continue my academic and athletic career at Butler University. My campus visit was amazing. The energy was great. I felt like they took academics seriously but basketball was a serious priority there and they have a strong student community behind them. They are also in the Big East, which is not only a great conference, but I will have the chance to play many games in front of family and friends as a lot of the colleges within the conference are in the Northeast. I loved the coach there. As a group, they never fell off in regards to recruiting me.
I want to thank my dad and mom for their continued support. I also want to thank my brother Tyus, who is playing for Syracuse University right now. My little sister has also been supportive to me as well. I also want to say thanks to my best friend Jalen Riley and my cousin Isaiah. I play this game for all of them.
Go Bulldogs,
Khalif