2021’s Best: Top Glue Guys

<p>With the 2019-20 high school hoops season in the books, and the updated class of 2021 rankings set to drop any day now, there’s no better time to take a look at some of the top junior prospects by position. Here’s a look at some of the best glue guys in SoCal’s junior class.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="680224" first="Damion" last="McDowell"]</strong>, St. Bernard - The 6-foot-7 forward bought into his role with the Vikings this season and excelled at it. McDowell provided energy and toughness on both sides of the floor, and his no-nonsense approach to the game clearly rubbed off on his teammates. McDowell guarded multiple positions and rebounded the defensive glass at a high rate. Offensively, he finished off paint buckets through contact and also hit the offensive boards for second chance opportunities.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="944342" first="Kyle" last="Frelow"]</strong>, Heritage Christian - Frelow is another high energy guy who produces game-in and game-out. The strong, athletic 6-foot-7 forward thrives in transition where his willingness to run the floor pays off with high percentage looks and plenty of opportunities on the offensive glass. Frelow can finish through contact with his physicality or above the rim with his ability to get off the floor quickly. He averaged 10.6 points and 11.5 rebounds in 31 games this season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="680215" first="Derrien" last="Carter-Hollinger"]</strong>, Foothills Christian - Carter-Hollinger is one of those players who impacts every stat category throughout the course of a game. The 6-foot-4 wing was consistently in that 11-point, eight-rebound and five-assist mark this season, and his high IQ, coupled with him being a willing and capable passer, allowed him to be a high level distributor when point guard [player_tooltip player_id="536636" first="Yassine" last="Gharram"] needed a break. Carter-Hollinger is also a smart and sound defensive player.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="951315" first="Chris" last="Nickelberry"]</strong>, Damien - The Spartans’ offense requires a reliable and unselfish point guard to orchestrate the show and that’s exactly what Nickelberry did this season. The 6-footer took care of the basketball, hit open shooters with well-timed and precision passes and rarely overhandled in transition or half-court settings. While Nickelberry is considered a pass-first type of point guard, he’s a capable scorer on the break where he can weave his way through the defense and finish with a crafty layup.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="951399" first="Tiago" last="Soares"]</strong>, Santa Clarita Christian - Soares started the season in a sixth-man type of role and saw his minutes increase as his performances became more and more productive. The 6-foot-4 wing spread the floor with a consistent catch-and-shoot three-point shot and showed the ability to attack poor closeouts and finish at the rim or make the correct pass to an open teammate. Soares is a capable positional defender and high IQ team defender who is willing to step over and take a charge.</p>