Former Butler star Braylon Littlejohn ‘starting to feel comfortable’ with SRU men’s basketball
The drive between Butler High School’s gym and Slippery Rock University’s Morrow Field House is nearly 18 miles.
The path between the two basketball courts felt much longer for Golden Tornado graduate Braylon Littlejohn, now a redshirt freshman on The Rock’s men’s hoops team.
Littlejohn, rated by 247Sports as a top-50 football recruit in Pennsylvania’s Class of 2024, briefly joined Miami (Ohio)’s football program at first, then decided against continuing his athletic career in that sport.
He didn’t play sports for a year after graduating from Butler — his longest time away from organized competition since he was 5 years old — before joining Ian Grady’s team during the spring semester last year.
When he was subbed in during the first half of SRU’s season-opening 114-76 win Nov. 14 over West Virginia Wesleyan, the gravity of the moment wasn’t lost on him.
“It was really a big moment, for real,” Littlejohn said. “I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m in my first college game. A lot of people said I really couldn’t do this.’ And another thing that was going through my mind was just what I’m capable of doing.
“It kinda hit me where I’m like, ‘I could compete with these guys.’ I don’t even remember what my stats were those games, but I definitely contributed.”
Littlejohn netted a modest six points, two rebounds and two assists in that victory. He poured in 10 points the next night against Davis & Elkins, but rolled his ankle during that game and was sidelined for nearly two months.
The process of getting back to action took longer than he would’ve liked, but he’s squarely in the swing of things again. He’s played in eight games for The Rock, averaging 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per outing. He’s shooting 50% from the field, too.
“It feels good,” Littlejohn said. “Honestly, it’s amazing. ... Getting back in the groove of everything. It took a little bit getting used to the different speed of the game. There’s definitely levels.
“I’m starting to get comfortable up here and find my little groove.”
Littlejohn noticed the contrast between high school and college basketball right away.
“Going live in a practice, seeing what it’s really like and then getting to the game, there was definitely a big difference from high school to college,” Littlejohn said. “Everyone’s obviously a lot lengthier. Everyone’s bigger, taller. Passing lanes are shorter. Less time to really think.
“I was just walking into a whole different ballgame almost.”
Littlejohn was “staying in the gym” as he waited to get back into competition, but the conditioning side of things factors in on the court, as well.
In the classroom, he chose to study safety management last semester.
Littlejohn, who scored 1,208 points at Butler — fifth-most in program history — has taken on a much different responsibility as a role player. For now, he considers himself a glue guy, trying to rebound, play defense and chip in offensively when needed.
“I feel good about the future,” Littlejohn said. “I honestly feel good about right now, as well. I feel like I’m in a really good spot and just gotta basically keep doing good with the opportunities that Grady keeps giving me.”
SRU (13-8, 6-7 in PSAC West play) will aim to snap a five-game losing streak when it hosts Pitt-Johnstown in another PSAC game Saturday.
