Player Spotlight: Langston Love
The best sophomore basketball player in San Antonio also happens to be the top ranked shooting guard in the state for his class. Langston Love of Cibolo Steele proved why at the Allen In-N-Out Burger Tournament last weekend. He had big time scoring performances including a 31-point game vs. Fort Bend Hightower and he went on to average 25 on the weekend.
A 6-foot-4 big guard with a strong basketball frame, Love gets to whole whenever he wants and is a consistent finisher through traffic. The high school game has came easy to the underclassman as he played two years above his age group on the Under Armour Circuit with Texas Hardwork 17U last summer.
“Playing up has helped me become a better one-on-one defender guarding bigger and stronger players all summer. It also helped me with shot selection and upped my I.Q,” says Love. When asked if it has made the high school game somewhat easier Love answered, “Yes because playing on the circuit is a different level of basketball. It is faster and the difficulty is higher, which makes high school basketball slower and not as tough.”
Love’s performances in the summer and school season have caused schools within the state and across the country to take notice. Baylor and UT-San Antonio have both offered, while Butler, Purdue, Stanford, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech have shown interest. When talking about his recruitment, Love says, “College coaches say they like my body and that I am a big strong guard that can attack from different levels.”
IN LANGSTON’S WORDS
Baylor: “I really liked Baylor. I enjoyed the coaching staff and the atmosphere. I went on a visit to the campus and took a tour of the school and basketball facilities.”
UT-San Antonio: “I took a visit on UTSA’s campus also. It’s my hometown school so I’m more familiar with it. The school seemed as if there are a lot of positive things going on now and in the future.”
When mentioning what parts of his game he needs to improve on to be ready for the next level, Love states, “I feel like I need to improve my three-point shooting, off the ball movement, and my vocal leadership skills.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
Love and the Knights are favored to win UIL Region IV District 26 this year. Expect more schools within the region to begin extending offers to the strong-bodied guard as he looks to perform well against the best competition throughout the winter, spring, and summer.