Alith Ayuen Prospect Report (2018)
As Alith Ayuen searches for a college home, his Hillwood High School Hilltoppers (2-3) need to right the ship.
Three times this young season Hillwoood failed to reach 50 points in a game. All three games resulted in losses. Senior Ayuen and fellow college prospect Chris Nix (PrepHoopsTN #41) should share the burden. Change has to come fast and they have the faculties to make it happen.
Who is Alith Ayuen?
Background
“A year ago I moved here from Chicago, Illinois,” said Ayuen.
Forgive Ayuen if he calls most of Illinois Chicago. It is common mistake for anybody not from the Midwest. He played and lived in Rock Island, Illinois on the far western border. Rock Island is a lovely town on the Iowa-Illinois border and one of the Quad Cities.
“I am originally from South Sudan,” said Alith Ayuen.
Around 2004 he moved to the United States. He ran cross country and track, while picking up basketball a few years later.
“I like Luol Deng and Manute Bol,” answered Alith about his favorite Sudanese basketball players growing up. “Those are big influences on South Sudan basketball players.”
Bol Bol is a really exciting Class of 2018 star and son of Manute Bol. Alith confirmed he has seen the younger Bol.
“I like his game,” said Alith Ayuen. “Proud to see another Sudanese player like that. He is nice. I saw him in Kansas. ”
Alith himself played with EAB, but missed the last AAU season due to injury.
“Spinal surgery,” said the It went pretty well. Quick recovery. So that is good.”
Typically the surgery takes over half a year, but Alith Ayuen was a quick healer.
“I had it in March. It usually is six months, but I was ready to go end of July, so that is a l0t quicker than usual.”
Everybody who endures a significant surgery early in their career faces tough emotional battles. Alith Ayuen also searched his soul for answers to brutally fatalistic questions.
“First, when I had the surgery I was like, ‘How will I be able to play again?’ He thought, ‘Will I be the same?’
Now Alith Ayuen is playing just fine and planning on rehabilitating the Hilltoppers season.
College coaches like his length (6-4 wingspan) and quality endurance. Ayuen’s older sister Agok (pictured right) is a track star on scholarship at UT Martin.
“She is a distance runner,” said Alith Ayuen. “She runs cross country too. She does 400, 800, mile, everything like that. She was nice. She went to state (in Illinois) a couple times.”
After enduring his surgery earlier this year Alith Ayuen is poised for a strong senior season. Right now D2 colleges are expressing interest. He is going through the recruiting process and reciprocating to each invested coach.
Like most unsigned seniors Alith is just eager to turn some heads and get noticed.
Flegler College, Motlow, Trevecca Nazarene are the earliest schools to discuss college basketball with Alith Ayuen. As his list grows PrepHoops.com/Tennessee will keep him in the spotlight.