Prospect Spotlight: Bralin Toney (2019)
Photo via: River Rouge Basketball Twitter (@RiverRougeBB)
Great defense has become a staple of River Rouge, and Bralin Toney is a big reason why.
The 5-foot-10 guard is one of the best on ball defenders in the state, averaging 4.3 steals per game. However that is not all he does, as he also averages 12.3 points, eight assists and three rebounds. Toney is one of those players that coaches love to have, because he does the little things that are necessary to win.
River Rouge has done a lot of winning with Toney on the team, as the Panthers finished last season with a 24-2 record and have started the 2017-18 season undefeated. One of the main goals he has this season is to make it back to the Breslin Center and win the Class B State Championship. Individually, Toney would like to average 12 points, 10 assists and five steals per game.
“My biggest strengths are defense, ability to see the floor, breaking down defenders and scoring,” Toney said. “I’m a point guard first, scorer second. I like to run, get everyone involved and control the tempo.”
His play hasn’t gone unnoticed, as a couple of college programs have contacted his AAU coach. Cleveland State and Niagara are the two teams that have expressed interest in Toney. One of the biggest factors in his recruitment will be academics. Toney is a great student and would like to major in mechanical engineering.
“I’m dedicated, I’m coachable, and I’m a leader on and off the court,” Toney said when asked what he’d like college coaches to know about him.
To get to the next level, Toney knows he has to keep working on his game everyday. A few of the things he is still working on are three point shooting and finishing around the rim. Toney says that he is in the gym every day and is motivated by all of the struggles he’s had growing up and the fact that his mom is working two jobs to support him and his sisters.
“I play hard nosed defense, I’m a floor general with excellent court vision and a coach on the court,” Toney said.
Toney likes to watch and mold his game after Kyrie Irving and Rajon Rondo because they’re leaders on the court and they play with a swagger. Toney is a good mix of the two. He’s one of the best passers I’ve seen in the Detroit area, and his ability to break down defenders with the ball in his hands is comparable to Irving. If he continues to improve his jump shot, watch out. His ability to create space with a great jump shot would be deadly.
Toney is currently a junior and has a lot of room to grow. He’s not ranked in Michigan’s 2019 class, but he is without question a player to keep an eye on throughout the rest of his high school career. His on ball defense, endless motor and selflessness set him apart from other plays around the state, and he should get more recognition soon.