2013 Liberty Hill F Blake Danielak To Texas Tech

While other folks are getting ready for their Super Bowl Parties and what turned out to be a heck of a game, the D1 Nation never sleeps.  It’s basketball all day, every day.  The pulse of grassroots basketball has a lot in common in that respect with Texas Tech Head Coach Billy Clyde Gillispie. 

Today, Texas Tech offered and 2013 F 6’7″ Blake Danielak accepted.  Texas Tech fans and most of the basketball world will say “who”.  That’s understandable as he plays under the radar at 3A Liberty Hill. However, playing for the Panthers he’s under the daily tutelage of Coach Barry Boren who is one Texas’ most accomplished basketball minds.  Blake is the son of a former player, Ray Danielak one of Texas State’s most decorated players. (In the “It’s a small world” department, Coach Gillispie was the student manager at old Southwest Texas State when the elder Danielak starred there.)

We’ll have an in depth article tomorrow but for now the tidbits are this.  At only 16, Danielak is 6’7″.  He’s athletic, can step out and hit the three, put it on the floor some and has nice timing as a shot blocker.  He’s constantly working on his game away from the bright lights and is dedicated to his sport specific strength and agility training under the guidance of T.J. Garza of Speed Killz. 

Danielak first came to my attention when Garza made me aware of him early last fall.  I had a chance to see him in the Pflugerville Fall League and then in October at my D1 Nation Prodigy Camp.  I loved him!  Fast forward to December when I had a chance meeting with Coach Gillispie when we were both watching a Junior College game in Phoenix, AZ.  He asked me for names of some young guys in the Austin/San Antonio area who could help him win at the Big XII level.  Danielak was one of those guys.  Coach follows up as well as anyone in the game and he showed up for a Liberty Hill vs Salado game on Friday night.

Danielak quickly impressed by running the floor, hitting a turn around jumper and blocking a shot. Bam! Just like that and another young D1 Ambassadors player has earned a college scholarship.  Danielak is the complete package, who also has a 4.0 GPA.  He has a sister playing basketball at Cornell and is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Ray Danielak of Liberty Hill.  Right now he’s focused on helping Liberty Hill get to the Drum and the Texas State Tournament next month.  Once that order of business is over he’ll suit up for the Texas D1 Ambassadors squad which will be coached by my son, Chip Ivany. Congratulations.-Coach Max Ivany