CTC Classic: Top Forwards Pt. 1

<p><strong>Top Forwards</strong></p> <p>12 teams from across Georgia met at Cass High School for the Create The Culture Classic. Nine of the 12 teams were ranked in the Top 10. Here’s who stood out from the star-studded event.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-8 F [player_tooltip player_id="869583" first="Elijah" last="Tucker"] – Cherokee</strong></p> <p>It wasn’t easy but [player_tooltip player_id="869583" first="Elijah" last="Tucker"] battled his way to 17 points and 9 rebounds in a thrilling come from behind win over Heritage-Conyers. Tucker is the prime difference maker for the Warriors. If he plays at a high level, Cherokee is a potential Final Four team. If he’s quiet, the Warriors are usually in for a dog fight. With great length and bounce, Tucker has the skills to score all over the floor. He can shoot over the defense on face-up post catches, he likes to attack from the high post off the dribble, he can get physical and post up inside and when needed, can stretch the floor to the three-point line. The Xavier-bound big plays tough inside and will get even better once he gets in a college weight room.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-8 C [player_tooltip player_id="806777" first="Nate" last="Gordon"] – Mt. Pisgah</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="806777" first="Nate" last="Gordon"] goes about his job humbly. He rebounds, blocks shots and finishes above the rim. He showed some mobility on Saturday, rolling on screen situations to the rim. He altered a handful of shots and secured any rebounds in his area. D-II schools looking for an athletic big man that can defend and even score inside with his back to the basket should reach out to Gordon ASAP.</p> <p><strong>2022 6-5 PF [player_tooltip player_id="758356" first="Jalen" last="Boston"] – Heritage-Conyers</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="758356" first="Jalen" last="Boston"]’s impact on Saturday goes deeper than the box score. He did a fantastic job defending [player_tooltip player_id="869583" first="Elijah" last="Tucker"]. He got physical with him as he denied any entry passes and fronted the low post. Boston did a nice job rebounding and blocked some shots inside. When he fouled out at the 2:13 mark, things fell apart for the Patriots. His toughness inside is invaluable for a smaller team with no real post presences other than Boston.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-6 F Tycen McDaniels – Spencer</strong></p> <p>Remember the name. Tycen McDaniels is a combo-forward that can play on the block or on the wing. He’s long and athletic. He can cover ground quickly and crashes the boards with bad intentions. McDaniels showed some skill around the basket as he powered his way inside. Tycen attacked off the dribble and created mismatches. He had 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-6 F [player_tooltip player_id="774846" first="Elijah" last="Williams"] – Providence Christian <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8967.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1056940 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8967-150x150.jpg" alt="[player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="150" /></a></strong></p> <p>Coming off the bench, [player_tooltip player_id="774846" first="Elijah" last="Williams"] made an immediate impact with his size and athleticism. He’s a big wing that can play above the rim. Williams thrives in the open floor and can score easily once he gets to the paint. He did a nice job on Saturday of getting to the foul line and helping rebound. His 9 points and 7 rebounds were important in a low scoring win over St. Anne-Pacelli. Williams is primarily a slasher right now but if the swingman improves his outside shot, his recruitment could explode in the blink of an eye.</p>