Prospect Watch: Garrett Francis
Class of 2017 forward Garrett Francis of Salisbury is a do-it-all performer in sports at the Class 2 school. The 6’3″ Francis is an All-State performer in basketball who has started since his freshman year. Francis just completed a successful…
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Continue ReadingClass of 2017 forward Garrett Francis of Salisbury is a do-it-all performer in sports at the Class 2 school.
The 6’3″ Francis is an All-State performer in basketball who has started since his freshman year. Francis just completed a successful football season where he was an All-Conference quarterback. Francis is also a standout in track and field, where he has received interest from Central Missouri State.
“I’ve been contacted by quite a few NAIA and Division III schools for basketball,” Francis said. “But I’m leaning towards doing track and Central Missouri because I think I’m better at track.”
Francis is gearing up for a big senior season for the Panthers after earning All-District honors during the past two seasons. As a junior, he led Salisbury to a 16-7 record while leading the team in almost every category. He is looking at accomplishing something similar to his sophomore year, when the Panthers finished 27-2 and advanced to the Class 2 state quarterfinals.
“My goals this season are to average 25 points a game and have a double-double every game,” he said. “I also want to make it to the state tournament.”
Francis has the size, athleticism and skill set to make a run at the lofty goals that he has set for himself and his team. He is a versatile player who can score inside against the smaller players that he normally plays against, but he has also developed his perimeter skills as well.
“My best strengths are my rebounding and getting to the bucket,” Francis said. “Due to being at a Class 2 school and being over 6 feet tall, coaches usually put you as a 4 or 5 inside. But over the years, I have moved to the perimeter.
Francis spent his summer playing basketball for the Missouri Hustle Central 17U team, which featured kids from all over the state. During the summer, Francis had an opportunity to play on the wing and work on his perimeter skills.
“Over the summer, I felt like I improved my ball handling enough to where I can play any spot on the court now,” Francis said. “I’ve always wanted to play every position.”