Myrtle Chaffin Classic Scouting-Forwards

Over the weekend the annual Myrtle Chaffin Classic was held on the campus of Mt. Zion Prep. The field was impressive and included the likes of Mt. Zion, Sunrise Christian Academy, Massanutten Military Academy, International Sports Academy, Central Pointe, Spire Academy, Black Panthers (St. Frances) and Our Family (team made up of players from Poly). <a href="https://prephoops.com/2020/11/myrtle-chaffin-classic-scouting-guards/">For scouting on the guards, click here</a>. <a href="https://prephoops.com/2020/11/myrtle-chaffin-classic-scouting-wings/">For scouting on the wing prospects, click here.</a> Finally we visit the forward prospects that we saw last weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="712747" first="Julian" last="Reese"] | 6'9 | Baltimore Panthers '21 I've been blown away this fall with the improvements from Reese. His overall game seems to be coming together and the aggression that everyone hoped the 6-foot-9 Maryland commit would play with is finally surfacing. With that being said, Reese is wreaking havoc every time he steps on the floor. In their win against Central Pointe he simply could not be contained and finished by posting a stat line of 30 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Reese finished inside operating on the block, capitalized with dunks off steals as he was the top guy in the Panthers' full court press and even stepped out to 18 feet and knocked down a couple of fluid jumpers. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Julian-Reese.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1055957 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Julian-Reese-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Derik Queen | 6'8 | Black Panthers '24 Queen is one of the more dynamic bigs I've covered regardless of class. Considering he's only a freshman makes it that much more impressive with what he's able to do on the floor. Queen is a consistent playmaker off the dribble and moves with such fluidity for his size and age. He anticipates reads well and has an advanced feel for the game as a passer. He can operated in the mid-post and finish in a variety of ways with sound footwork. Queen's athleticism hasn't progressed at this point in time, but his IQ on the defensive end puts him in position for steals and allows him to make plays that other prospects his size could not make. He finished with 14 points and eight rebounds in their win over Central Pointe. [player_tooltip player_id="712015" first="Marcus" last="Johnson"] | 6'6 | Spire Academy '21 Johnson isn't a player that will win you over in warm up lines, but once the ball is tipped overall approach to the game comes to light. Some would categorize him as an old-school type of player you'd see at the YMCA or outdoor court on a Saturday morning who doesn't rely on athleticism, blazing quickness or overwhelming strength. Instead, Johnson torches opponents just making the right plays, knocking down open shots on the perimeter and playing with an endless motor. He can score creatively in the mid-range and knows how to get his shots off against taller bigs. He was converted fadeaways off of one foot, utilizing the backboard on bank shots and cashing in after getting his opponent off the ground with a pump fake. Johnson recorded a 28-point outing in Spire's win over Our Family. Elijah Jones | 6'8 | Mt. Zion Prep '22 Jones was effective throughout the Warriors' three-game win steak. He was dominant over ISA and handled the size of Sunrise Christian's frontcourt respectively. Jones' ability to finish around the rim and the effort that he plays with is what will make mid-majors and even some high-major programs interested. He holds his own against smaller, shifty players on the perimeter on switches following ball screens and is the loudest player on the floor acting as the quarterback defensively. [player_tooltip player_id="1049550" first="Garfield" last="Turner"] | 6'9 | Mt. Zion Prep '21 Having the luxury of bringing a guy like Turner off the bench is just one aspect of why this Mt. Zion team is so good. At 6-foot-9 Turner understands how to use his size to overwhelm opponents on the glass. He runs the floor with intent on both ends and demands attention from the defense on the block or hanging out around the dunker's spot. Kyrese Mullens | 6'7 | Massanutten '21 Mullens is another forward that won't pass the eye test in lay up lines but will blow you away once the game begins. His versatility offensively makes it extremely difficult for defense's to matchup with. He can knock down three's with regularity or use his brute size in the paint to finish around the rim. While Mullen isn't the most nimble defender, he knows how to make up for this shortcomings athletically with his relentlessness on the boards. Mullens finished with 17 points in their win over ISA. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2019/05/Donte-Houston.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-762975" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2019/05/Donte-Houston-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> Donte Houston | 6'8 | Sunrise Christian '21 Sunrise struggled mightily throughout this event and clearly are still getting their chemistry together as a team. It was tough to take any value in their performance against Mt. Zion where they lost by 20+ points, but the energy that Houston brought throughout was a bright spot. He displayed versatility and preferred being featured out on the perimeter as a decision-maker off the catch. He seemed to have a good feel for the game as he made quick decisions to cutting teammates without having to put the ball on the floor. In the second half he became much more aggressive driving to the rim and creating contact to earn trips to the free-throw line. His blend of size, athleticism and activity were all aspects that intrigued. Allen Udemadu | 6'9 | Spire Academy '21 Udemadu is built like a grown man at 6-foot-9 with a college-ready body. Once he learns how to get full use out of that frame is when he'll see his full potential, but at this point he is still developing a better feel for the game. He had stints of finishing with soft touch around the basket and rebounded at a decent rate. Becoming light on his feet will be key in succeeding at the next level, but there's no doubt in my mind that Division I programs should be seeking his signature.