Recruiting Report: Noah Abbasi (2017)
Fordland, Missouri isn’t quite a basketball Mecca, but senior Noah Abbasi is looking to help change that. The 6’3 combo forward is coming off of a junior season that saw him average 18 PPG, 6 RPG and 4 APG. But,…
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Continue ReadingFordland, Missouri isn’t quite a basketball Mecca, but senior Noah Abbasi is looking to help change that.
The 6’3 combo forward is coming off of a junior season that saw him average 18 PPG, 6 RPG and 4 APG. But, after an of offseason work with Scott Decker’s Missouri Dawgs, Abbasi is poised for a monster senior season.
Through five games his Eagles are unbeaten and he has been stuffing stat sheets with 22.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 5.4 APG, including three double-doubles. Abbasi believes spending his summer working on his body has added another dimension to his game.
Abbasi added 30 pounds to his bench press, 40 pounds to his deadlift and 50 pounds to his squat.
“Over the summer my main focus was my physical abilities; I worked on just adding overall athleticism,” said Abbasi. “I’ve never been the most athletic kid out there and I knew just becoming more athletic would help me out a lot.”
For Fordland he’s had to adjust to playing more on the interior, especially on the defensive end, so the added strength has come in handy. Collegiately he will play a 3 or stretch 4 at the right level. His ability to shoot the basketball is something that comes from a guy whose game Abbasi tries to emulate offensively.
Dirk Nowitzki.
“I’ve always tried to model my game after Dirk,” says Abbasi. “I love how he plays and how well he shoots the ball for a big man and how he can go bang inside a little bit.”
Fordland has also been helped by the progression of 6’3 junior Noah Sparks. Sparks – a rangy, bouncy athlete with a knack for scoring – is averaging 17.9 PPG for the Eagles. Abbasi credits Sparks for helping to elevate his own game.
“Playing with Sparks makes life so easy. Having a guy who understands the game and is such a good leader like him is such a big help to all of us,” said Abbasi. “He’s one of those guys who are almost impossible to keep from getting to the rim and sometimes if you get caught up you can throw the ball up by the rim and he will go get it.”
Fordland will play its biggest game of the season on Friday when the Eagles visit reigning Class 2 state champion Hartville. Fordland hasn’t won the “Battle of the Eagles” since 2010 and Hartville enters with a 23-game winning streak.
They haven’t lost to a Class 2 team at home since 2013.
Abbasi has no official offers, but is receiving a range of interest. Friday’s matchup gives Fordland – and Noah Squared – a chance to officially get on the map.
“Heading to Hartville this Friday is a huge game,” said Abbasi. “We know they are the defending state champs and we know they are a very good team but we feel like we are a good team and we are ready. It’s never easy heading there but we aren’t going to back down from the challenge.”