Five forwards/bigs to look out for in 3A this season

<p>Games are less than a week away after what appears to be the longest offseason ever. Teams and players have gotten back into the swing of things and are ready to begin their seasons. It is more important than ever to get off to a quick start with a late start and condensed season. Here we take a look at some players in 3A that we will have an eye on heading into the season.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ryan Schmitt – Bishop Machbeuf</strong></span></h3> <p>Schmitt is the school’s QB, and you see that intelligence and attention to detail translate onto the hardwood as well. Schmitt is the player that is willing to do whatever is asked of him and make plays that free up others. Plenty of what he does goes beyond the scoreboard, but he was also a statistical standout and was near a double-double for the season. In Schmitt’s junior season, the 6’6 big man averaged 10.4 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. He keeps plays alive, boxes out and secures boards, and his Quarterback qualities push over for long outlet passes. Schmitt will again be the team’s X-factor option and big man that has to protect the paint. If he gets off to a good start and picks up where he left off, he is a player to watch for the season.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965758" first="Mamadou" last="Sow"] – Lutheran</strong></span></h3> <p>Sow was an escape valve for Lutheran in his junior year and handled his own. With so much attention on Fall, Sow was often forgotten, and the team made sure to use him. Sow is who the offense went through at times as he had plenty of high-low opportunities. Sow runs the floor, has great footwork on the block and rebounds, and goes right up with it. Sow does not turn down open looks and tries to make plays happen when teams attempt double-teams and zone defenses. The 6’7 big man averaged a team second-best 11.7 points and 5.8 boards a game. He is an offense-starter and if he starts playing more in the flow of the offense and getting others involved is a player whose game can translate to the next level—most important year for him.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965746" first="Ryan" last="Ure"] – Eaton</strong></span></h3> <p>Ure is an under the radar big man that dominated in his junior year. The 6’7 multi-sport athlete will be attending Oklahoma State University as a Division I baseball commit, but that does not mean he is not a problem to handle on the hardwood. Ure averaged a double-double for the entire season as he put up a team-high 14.2 points and 12.7 boards a game. He was a beast on the glass, and his excellent footwork and soft touch down low made it easy for him to create easy scoring opportunities for himself. Ure keeps the ball high, breaks defenders down, and finishes well around the basket. Ure is not easily moved, is skilled and mobile, which creates advantages. Eaton knows how to get the big man involved and run great sets to free him up. He is one of the top bigs in 3A, and with the numbers that he is putting up will be able to put Eaton in the position to shock some teams along the way.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965751" first="Joah" last="Armour"] – Manitou Springs</strong></span></h3> <p>Armour is a player that many heard about but did not get to see until this summer, and he had a coming-out party. Armour has excellent size at 6’7 and is very skilled. Armour has the size and strength to play on the block but moves well with the ballhandling and outside shooting to step out on the wing. That versatility makes him an interesting prospect as he had the numbers(14.0 ppg) to go along with it. Armour shined at private workouts and had a stint with both The Force and Pluto Prospects, where he showed that he could step up at times. Armour showcased his athleticism with open court dunks, limited second-chance opportunities, and knocked down open shots. Manitou Springs is a team that I feel has a chance to make some real noise, and one of the main reasons is because of Armour. Expecting him to take off this year and show why he belongs in the conversation.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921100" first="Baye" last="Fall"] – Lutheran</strong></span></h3> <p>Fall is the top player in the entire state, and the only player ranked in ESPN’s Top-100 players. Fall is the No.4 player in the 2023 class and is considered to be a top-5 shot-blocker in the country, regardless of class. Fall dominated at the 3A level, and I do not see that slowing down. With Fall at the helm, Lutheran becomes the favorite to win it all, and with the amount of attention that he generates, it is impressive to see him show up night in and out and play the game the right way. Fall is a glass cleaning, finesse big that has one of the best motors in the entire state. He does not take many plays off; he scores with ease with a mid-range extended jump-shot and erases everything at the rim essentially. As a freshman, the phenom was able to average 19 points, 10.5 rebounds, and close to four blocks a game. He took over in every single game. Is a force to be reckoned with down low and with the summer that he had as he competed on a national scale and came out as a standout every single tourney and showing I do not feel as if there is a player in the state with a ceiling like his that can slow him down. Expect for Baye to continue to be in command.</p>