WHEELING, WV. -- Despite being a player that has been known for quite some time, Wheeling Park (WV) forward Phil Bledsoe is finally getting the recognition he is deserved of. Bledsoe first put his name on the map with a 29-point, 17-rebound game in front of a slew of national scouts at the 2015 Cancer Research Classic. Follow this up with a strong AAU season with DB Hoops Blue, and there is no question that with a Phil is firmly on the radar of colleges as a mid-major prospect in the 2016 class.

Bledsoe operates well as an undersized mismatch forward, with the ability to drive and overpower smaller defenders and take bigger defenders outside and knock down a mid-range jumper. He can still operate around the rim, as he rebounds very well inside and plays tough all the time, and is an extremely tough matchup for most players.

To take his game to the next level, Bledsoe will need to develop a consistent three-point shot, something he tells us he has been working on in his free time. His handle is currently good, but he  could definitely use improvement in that area of his game as well.

He currently holds offers from multiple Division I schools: Air Force, Army, Bryant, Cornell, Kent State, Marshall, Navy, Radford, Stetson, Western Carolina, Winthrop, and Wofford.

Heading into his senior season, Bledsoe figures to be among the handful of favorites for the 2016 Evans Award, presented to the best player in the state of West Virginia. Individual awards are great, Bledsoe says, but there is one major prize at the end of the season that the senior wants to close out his high school career with.

“I would be foolish to say I didn’t want to win a state title over an individual award. It’s my senior year and I want to go out on top.”