Forge Tip-Off Classic Standouts

<p><em>STAFFORD, VA</em> -- The inaugural Forge Tip-Off Classic is officially in the books, and now its time to take a look back at what we learned. Here is a rundown of 14 standouts from Saturday's event. </p> <h5>ZACK BLUE | 6'0 G | PATRIOT '20</h5> <p>Blue was outstanding in Patriot's win over North Stafford. While he usually plays off the ball, the unsigned senior guard proved that he can run the show at a high-level in the absence of the Pioneers starting point guard. Blue consistently penetrated the defense and either finished at the rim or made plays for others. </p> <h5>TREVOR BOUNDS | 6'5 F | BATTLEFIELD '20</h5> <p>Bounds was a versatile contributor in Battlefield's commanding win over Brooke Point. He was active defensively and scored in many ways offensively. </p> <h5>TREVOR FRANKLIN | 6'4 F | COLONIAL FORGE '20</h5> <p>Franklin was one of the best shooters we saw in the gym on Saturday. He moves well without the ball and is a threat to score from behind the arc but can also score from the in-between areas.</p> <h5>RICKY GOODE-WRIGHT | 5'11 PG | JAMES MONROE '21</h5> <p>After a slow start, <strong>Ricky Goode-Wright</strong> got into a groove and helped James Monroe knock off a tough Wythe squad. He is a skilled lead guard who can get hot in a hurry and has winning intangibles. </p> <h5>DESHAWN GOODWYN | 6'2 G | WYTHE '22</h5> <p>Goodwyn is a nice prospect. At 6-foot-2, he's a lights out shooter who knows how to find gaps in the defense and is very patient with the ball. Goodwyn demonstrated good defensive posture at all times which was a plus.</p> <h5>TYRELL HARRIS | 6'6 F | POTOMAC '21</h5> <p>Harris was arguably the most dominant player we saw on Saturday. He's an impact player defensively who uses his length to be disruptive around the basket. Harris knows how to sell contact and positions himself well to take charges. He is virtually un-guardable 1-v-1 offensively because he can get to his spots and pull-up on a dime, score with his back to the basket and hit difficult shots.</p> <h5>LANDON HAWES | 6'4 SF | POTOMAC FALLS '20</h5> <p>Hawes put on a memorable performance in a loss to a very good Potomac team. The skilled wing prospect scored from all three levels and showed that he can create his own shot at will. Hawes was active on the boards, played with a high motor and made guys around him better.</p> <h5>KYLE HONORE | 5'11 G | POTOMAC '22</h5> <p>Honore is a knockdown shooter who exhibits good fundamentals. He knows how to attack closeouts and looks to involve others. Honore hit several clutch free throws down the stretch to preserve his team's win. </p> <h5>EFREM JOHNSON | 6'2 G | WESTERN BRANCH '22</h5> <p>When you watch Johnson play, it doesn't take long to realize why his nickname is "butter". He is a smooth operator who displays a good feel for the game and makes an impact on both ends of the court. Perhaps the best part about Johnson's overall game is how unselfish he is. After the game, he shouted out his teammates for their performances rather than toot his own horn.</p> <h5>LANCE JOHNSON | 6'5 F | FREEDOM SOUTH-RIDING '20</h5> <p>Johnson is a tough matchup with a good blend of size and skill to go along with sneaky athleticism. His baseline drive and dunk in traffic shifted the momentum in his team's favor as they came back to knock off Stafford.</p> <h5>JOE PESANSKY | 6'4 F | WT WOODSON '21</h5> <p>Pesansky is known for his ability on the gridiron, but he can hoop too. He cleans the glass, has good court vision and plays off 2 feet around the basket. Pesansky embraces contact in the paint and has a respectable skill set.</p> <h5>XAVIER PURNELL | 6'2 SF | BROOKE POINT '20</h5> <p>Purnell provided a consistent spark for his team and played with good energy despite his team's loss against Battlefield. He does a bit of everything well. Pernell demonstrated a high motor, a good skill set, and a high basketball IQ.</p> <p><strong><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.25rem;">JORDAN RADFORD | 6'0 G | BATTLEFIELD '20</span></strong></p> <p>Radford was one of the most electric athletes we saw at the Forge Tip-Off. He appears to be in excellent physical condition and it showed throughout his team's win. Radford made impact plays on the defensive end and looked to get out on the break where he finished above the rim many times. He also showcased a good looking perimeter jumper with his feet set.</p> <h5>JAVON SWINTON | 6'2 G | NORTH STAFFORD '20</h5> <p>Swinton's 41-point, 10-rebound performance against Patriot was quite remarkable. The Indiana football commit is a shifty ball-handler who can shoot from long distance but prefers to use his quick first step to get to the rack and finish in the paint. Swinton is a grab-and-go threat who was active defensively.</p>