La Salle Institute in Troy may have their next breakout star on hand in junior forward Elijah Burns. During his sophomore season last year, Burns averaged 10.3 points, and 5.9 rebounds per game, earning him honorable mention Big Ten honorable mention honors.
“Elijah is a rising star. His length, size and athleticism make him one of the premier players in the Capital Region,” said La Salle head coach Steve Sgambelluri in a recent interview with Upstate Scouting. “He features an extremely versatile offensive game, demonstrating both guard and post skills. He has range from beyond the arc, can get to the rim off dribble drives, and can also post up and score inside. Defensively, he can guard all five positions. He rebounds with great tenacity and intensity, and blocks shots well. Additionally, his basketball IQ is tremendous and he is extremely coachable.”
Given his potential, it comes as no surprise that Burns has been contacted by several Division I schools, including Boston University, George Mason, James Madison, Canisius, Siena, and Monmouth.
Burn’s versatility at 6’7’’ is what has caught the eye of college scouts. “Elijah can effectively play multiple positions. His natural position at the next level could be anywhere from a three or four. He also has the ability to play the two position and, if needed, can play the point, as he has a solid handle on the ball”, Sgambelluri said.
During his offseason from La Salle, the junior plays for Albany City Rocks, with whom he will be participating in Rumble in the Bronx, plus AAU Nationals in Florida and South Carolina, which should only further his exposure at the college level.
Sgambelluri praises Burns and his capability both on and off the basketball court. “His solid practice habits, combined with an incredibly high work ethic and attention to detail make Elijah both a pleasure to coach and a treat to watch on the floor. Along with his outstanding individual skill set, Elijah is a wonderful teammate who makes everyone around him better both on and off the court.”
Off the court, Burns will be attending the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington this year,and Sgambelluri tells us that he not only excels on the court, but in the classroom as well, noting, “he is as hard a worker academically, as he is athletically.”
With two more years before he goes off to play college hoops, Burns has high expectations about the upcoming season at La Salle. Sgambelluri states some of Burns’s goals for next season as ranking among the section leaders in scoring and rebounding, and doing everything he can to be a leader on the floor, while trying to lead his team to a sectional championship.
Upstate Scouting thanks Steve Sgambelluri for answering our questions and wishes Elijah and La Salle the best of luck in the upcoming year.
Ross Bentley-Staff writer
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