Battle is credited with fueling the resurgence of the Bulls men's basketball program,[citation needed] which went from 5–23 during his sophomore season to a 23-win senior campaign.
The Bulls announced the signing of Battle on November 10, 2000, out of East Forsyth High School in North Carolina.
There, he led the Fighting Eagles to a 15–8 record and a conference championship as a senior, while averaging 17 points, five rebounds and five assists per game.
Following his senior season, "All-Star Sports" Editor-in-Chief and college basketball recruiting expert Bob Gibbons had Battle rated as one of the top 100 prospects in the Class of 2001.
In addition, Battle was named to the Academic All-MAC squad after his final three seasons with the Bulls.