Prep Hoops Missouri Top 250 Expo: (2017 Forwards)
The inaugural Prep Hoops Missouri Top 250 Expo was held last weekend at the Center of St. Louis. Nearly 200 players were in attendance at what was a very successful event. For the past week, we have been posting positional breakdowns from the event by each class. Next on the list is a look at the top Class of 2017 forwards from the Top 250 Expo:
Isaiah Sears 6’8″ Life Prep: The top front court player at the expo, Sears is a long and lanky post player who can excel down low or out of the perimeter, making him a huge matchup problem. Sears made a bunch of 3-pointers off the catch and also put the ball on the floor and scored on drives and short jumpers. He also did a nice job of going inside and scoring in the post, especially with a very effective turnaround jumper.
DuVonte’ Beard 6’5″ Ruskin: An excellent all-purpose player who you can fit into many different roles. He has the size, the versatility and the desire to defend almost any position on the court. He guards the pick and roll up top and he can also defend the post well. He handles the ball well on the perimeter for drives and he rebounds well on both ends. He’s a valuable player for any coach to have.
Tyler Dancy 6’6″ Belleville West: One of the best post players in the camp, Dancy was a beast as a scorer and rebounder in the low blocks. He used his big body to get great post position and he finished well with both hands. He displayed nice drop steps, jump hooks and the ability to step out and knock down a mid-range jumper off the catch. He loves the action down low and was very productive.
John Yeager 6’4″ Lutheran South: A career post player who has continued to showcase his skills on the perimeter. Yeager handled the ball well and made good decisions with the ball. He found open teammates with nice passes and displayed a nice jumper. He is strong around the post for his high school team, so it’s nice to see his game continue to evolve.
Spencer Levi 6’6″ Lindbergh: I watched him do some nice things during the summer with the St. Louis Majestics and I saw much of the same last weekend at the Expo. He is a very active post player who has the ability to score around the basket, but he also has a versatile set of skills. His effort level and confidence were very good.
Sam Frank 6’6″ Clayton: Sam has developed into an ideal Stretch 4 with his ability to knock down 3-pointers on a consistent basis. He has excellent range and confidence in his long-distance stroke. He also displayed a nice step back mid-range jumper off of one leg during the one-on-one drills. He earned a scholarship offer from William Woods after the workout.
Codi Whitlock 6’6″ St. Charles: The improving Whitlock has continued to improve as a quality post player and he did a nice job around the basket during the camp. He grabbed his share of rebounds and scored with both hands around the hoop. He also has a nice shooting touch from 15 feet.
Luke Thornburg 6’8″ Northwest (Cedar Hill): A long, agile post player who plays the game with a lot of activity.He runs the court and jumps well and has a high motor. He attacked the glass on both ends and did a nice job blocking shots. He plays hard and doesn’t cheat you on effort.