St. Louis Spring Showcase (Class of 2019 Forwards)
Here is a look at some of the top Class of 2019 forwards from last weekend’s St. Louis Spring Showcase:
Dominique Hardimon 6’2″ SEMO Bulls: He is the smallest forward on this list, but that doesn’t bother it. He is used to it because he was the best of the group this weekend after leading the Bulls to the 16U championship. We’ve talked about Dominique’s high motor before, and nothing has changed. He is just a young beast on the court with his muscle in the low post and ability to take bigger defenders off the dribble. Hardimon also grabbed a number of offensive rebounds and scored on put-backs, including the game winner in sudden death in the championship game. He just has to work to develop a consistent perimeter jumper to make himself really good.
Moses Opkala 6’7″ STL Hardwood Hunks: The muscular 250-pound post had a very productive weekend. In my opinion, he was the best defensive rebounder in the tournament. He went up and grabbed boards and did a nice job of keeping the ball above his head. In one game, I had him counted for 18 rebounds in a bracket play victory. His offensive game is still very much a work in progress, but I saw a couple of really nice moves in the low post where he swung through the lane and converted some good jump hooks.
Will Elbert 6’7″ T.E.M. Select: An improving post player who is poised to become Borgia’s next inside scoring threat for the next two seasons. He did a good job of using his size to his advantage in the paint. He keeps the ball up well and can finish shots. Will is a solid rebounder who battles to get good position. He also displayed some good mobility by scoring on a few run outs. Looking forward to seeing his continued development.
Tycen Gray 6’3″ STL Express: An undersized power forward who gets positive results because he will simply outwork the opposition. He is an excellent rebounder because he is strong enough to hold his position and he has a desire to get the basketball. He has the ability to score well around the basket. Gray is now starting to take a few more shots from the perimeter, which will take his game to another level if he can become more proficient in that area.
Tanner Bergmann 6’5″ Team Spark: A solid power forward from Nashville, IL who has a good shooting touch around the basket. He scores well in traffic and does a nice job with his footwork and creating shots from different against in the post. He has good mobility and he catches the ball well and in position to do something positive with the ball.
Michael Brewer 6’4″ STL Express: An active power forward who was very good in the two games that I watched him play. The kid is strong and he plays an aggressive style that really works for him. He is very good around the basket as he works the baseline for buckets and offensive rebounds. He also has a good shooting touch from 10 feet. Brewer is constant motion, which makes him a very productive player.