Wilson Elite Tourney: Standout Forwards

Charles Clark April 20, 2019 @ 08:15 PM

There was a nice group of talent at the SF and PF spots that we got the opportunity to see, some played above the rim while others played below. Rebounding, shot blocking and interior scoring are all some of the things that we saw them bring to the table. NC Hustle Freshman Forward Ishan Shouler: Has a build like a football player, he is one that can bang with other bigs inside the paint with no problem. Once he finishes inside at a consistent rate, he will be that much more dangerous of a player, was decent crashing the boards. NC Breakers & John A Holmes Junior Forward Keimonte Raynor: Taller player with a long wingspan, he looked like he was about 6’5 ish and he understood how to use his height. He rebounded the ball and blocked shots, ran the floor well and played his role on the team to the best of his ability. They allowed him to make some plays from the high post and for the most part he made the right decision when he was put in that position. Royal Knights Sophomore Forward Akhiris Holden: The upside that he has is something that we really like, if he locks in and plays at a consistently high level, he will be one that could turn quite a few heads. About 6’3-6’4 with a long wingspan and nice leaping ability, you can see why we are excited about what he could possibly be. He rebounded the ball better as the game went on and made some plays on both ends of the floor that helped his squad. NC Breakers & John A Holmes Junior Forward Kennan Downing: Has what we would call ‘‘sneaky athleticism’’, he gets off the ground quickly before you realize it he’s making a play above the rim. He has a ‘‘raw skillset’’ so he’s not necessarily a polished played but he plays with a high amount of energy and effort whenever he steps on the floor. Royal Knights 2020 Forward Thomas Townes: We like what he brought from the beginning of the game, he has a high motor and was active on the boards on both ends. We like that he didn’t settle for anything offensively but instead attacked the basket to try and get some easy buckets for his squad. UBE 2020 Forward Shaquille Wade: A worker inside the paint, he didn’t have the most size but the energy and heart he plays with made up for any lack of size. At some points he defended players that were taller than him but he did a solid job of fronting the post as well as providing help side defense. UBE 2020 Forward Zayquel Smith : Big and athletic player that plays the game with a chip on his shoulder, he is one of those players that is constantly mixing it up in some type of way. He didn’t score the ball much but his presence alone helped to impact the game, as he is able to provide an interior presence on both ends.