MSU Denver Teams Camp: Top Forwards

<p>Metropolitan State University featured a bunch of great talent and competitive matchups. Some of the weekend's top forwards include a range of players from incoming seniors down to sophomores.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="965781" first="Marzouq" last="Abdur-Razaaq"] - Overland High - 23’ (pictured above)</p> <p>Abdur-Razaaq is a bigger playmaking forward who excels at pressuring the paint. He is a smart passer, often finding ways to hit cutters and locate teammates for mismatches. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Razaaq-crop-3786x2486-1622769386.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1207786 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/Razaaq-crop-3786x2486-1622769386-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>He is most consistent 12 feet and closer, as he makes layups through contact with either hand. With his longer wingspan, he can put significant pressure on anybody. His combination of longer wingspan and quick hips allow him to guard a wide variety of positions. In the second half of their game against Ralston Valley, he guarded the opposing team’s leading scorer and point guard, [player_tooltip player_id="918936" first="Zach" last="Akin"]. His free throw form is fairly consistent, but he has a slight hitch that takes away from the amount of power generated. The hitch becomes evident on threes and pullup jumpers outside of twelve feet. Once he becomes more consistent with the jumper, his offensive versatility will be near impossible to defend.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1284438" first="Matt" last="Yost"] - Regis Jesuit - 22’</p> <p>Yost is a very skilled wing who can score efficiently in a variety of ways.<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/DSC_0667.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1207794 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/DSC_0667-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></a> He possesses a knock-down jump shot, along with a respectable release point just above the forehead. When given a smaller matchup, Yost has excellent post footwork and low dribble equity to create shots instead of purely playing off of what the defense gives him. Yost plays to his strengths, he rarely does anything flashy but he can get a bucket anywhere in the half-court.</p> <p>Myles Anderson - Rock Canyon - 23’</p> <p>Standing tall at 6’7, Anderson is an intriguing forward who has a blend of defensive intangibles and three-point shooting. </p> <p>Off the catch, Anderson has a lot of potential as a shooter due to his sheer height above others. Defensive versatility is where Anderson’s potential is so evident. <span style="font-size: 1rem;">He may be pretty skinny, but his lack of weight allows him to be light on his feet.</span></p> <p><img class="size-medium wp-image-1207810 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/DSC_0687-crop-3872x2543-1622771358-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;"> Similar to Abdur-Razaaq, Anderson’s combination of height and lateral quickness allow him to keep up with a variety of player archetypes. </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Another unique aspect of Anderson’s game is his touch on defense. Unlike most bigs, when he blocks shots he lightly taps the ball. </span><span style="font-size: 1rem;">On these blocks he can immediately tip the ball to himself or tap the rock to a teammate, eventually creating a fast break.</span></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1137829" first="Cass" last="Henry"] - Arapahoe - 24’</p> <p>Henry is a big forward at 6’5 and 215 pounds, who already possesses great touch inside. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/cass-crop-3872x2543-1622771617.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1207817 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/cass-crop-3872x2543-1622771617-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>Henry said he has played basketball for the past twelve years, which is evident to see considering he already has equity in the high or low post when taking short fades and turnarounds. He is active on the baseline as a cutter, where he is constantly moving to get a great look for himself or his teammates. Henry already possesses a powerful frame, where opposing teams look to flop on him in the post. Throughout the next few years, it will be interesting to see how Henry develops his perimeter game.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="918913" first="Victor" last="Harp"] - Overland High - 22’ (pictured above on right)</p> <p>Harp always finds ways to impact the interior whether he’s cutting backdoor or crashing the offensive glass. At 6’4 Harp plays a physical brand of basketball, as the center for Overland. Harp is incredibly active on the interior, making use of mismatches off the ball to get offensive rebounds. He primarily feeds off of playmakers for shots at the rim, where he has a great touch with either hand. One of Harp’s strengths is defensive versatility, where he is can stay in front of quicker guards and wings. As Harp heads into his senior year, one trait to look for is how his perimeter shooting improves.<br /> <br /> </p>