Phenom Hoops has made their mark in the state of West Virginia in the past, checking out some of the premier talents that don’t always get the attention they deserve. Looking back not long ago, we stumbled across a highly intriguing forward at Chapmanville High School in Obinna Anochili-Killen. The 6’8 athletic forward possessed a ton of intriguing talent to go along with upside with his game, which is why he was an absolute steal for a program like Marshall.
And making him a priority seems to be paying off well for the Thundering Herd, as Anochili-Killen is now blossoming into a fierce presence down in the paint on both ends of the floor. Marshall is off to a great start early on and the sophomore 6’8 forward is leading the charge, as he has been a dominant presence offensively and as a shot-blocker.
Rewinding to when we were watching him at Chapmanville, here are just a few things that we said about his game:
“What do you not like about Obinna! His offensive game is tough to defend due to his mobility and ability to handle/put it on the floor. He has good footwork and runs the floor really well, usually beating his opponents down the floor. On the defensive end, Obinna has fantastic timing as a shot-blocker, altering shots left and right with his athleticism and length.”
“Arguably no prospect entered this event with a stronger reputation than Obinna Killen, especially since the event was hosted at his high school. He had a solid showing against Charles Bediako, one of the top big men in the country, but really came alive and displayed pure dominance against The Miller School. Killen’s tough, rugged, high-motor game has only continued to become more refined over the last few months. He’s shooting the ball as well as ever but has maintained his strong, athletic interior presence quite nicely. Killen thrives when teams decide to switch because he has so many tools and knows how to balance his options effectively on offense. He moves very well for his size, making him fairly versatile and a constant threat to control the defensive action around the rim. Killen is a willing passer with an improving handle and a body that will only continue to add strength at the next level. It’s easy to see a scenario where Killen is an immediate contributor for Marshall.”
Well, now he is bringing that same skill set quickly to Marshall, as he has been posting some incredible numbers to start the season. Through six games, he is averaging 14.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor. That doesn’t even mention that he is the nation’s leading shot-blocker, averaging 5.5 blocks per game (which includes a game in which he recorded 10 blocks vs. Jackson State.
Anochili-Killen is quickly rising up the ranks and proving that he was an underrated prospect coming out of high school but he should now be catching the eyes of a few more fans and scouts, as he still could be scratching the surface of what the final product may look like.