Atlanta Jam: Top Forwards

<p><strong>Atlanta Jam: Top Forwards</strong></p> <p><strong>2023 6-5 F Ladarius Merrill – EOTO Brothers – Villa Rica<br /> </strong>The big lefty is putting things together. When he gets a head of steam, Merrill moves well with the ball actually pushing it up the court after rebounds. He was very aggressive looking for his offense against the South GA Wolves, posting up and attacking off the dribble. He’s not a finished product yet, but Merrill is a big body that is effective when put in the right spots. He had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-6 C Hassane Diallo – Georgia Bison – SACA<br /> </strong>Hassane has nice size. He has a sturdy build with length to go with. Diallo seeks out offensive rebounds and scores on putbacks. He is strong post defender. Diallo tallied 8 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-3 F Justin Bartleson – Game Certified Elite – Hebron Christian<br /> </strong>Bartleson stuck out with his activity. He’s a high motor forward that attacks the basket and fights for rebounds. He has a good frame with lean muscle and can pack on even more over the next few years. He cuts well without the ball and can finish with either hand. Justin tacked on 13 points and 8 rebounds against Inspire Atlanta.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-7 F [player_tooltip player_id="1426112" first="Julian" last="Walker"] – BCB Black – North Gwinnett<br /> </strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1426112" first="Julian" last="Walker"] shows flashes of a high upside. He’s long and strong. Walker excels as a rim protector, able to wipe away shots inside. He gets off the ground easily and has no trouble playing above the rim. He has a developing post game that will get better with more reps. Staying on balance and finishing strong will be areas of growth moving forward. Once it all clicks for Walker, D-II schools could quickly jump in on him. His best basketball is ahead.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-6 F [player_tooltip player_id="1045089" first="Thomas" last="Chipman"] – BCB Black – Wesleyan<br /> </strong>A bruising combo-forward with a college ready body, [player_tooltip player_id="1045089" first="Thomas" last="Chipman"] has a well-balanced offensive game. He can knock down the open three off the catch and can finish through defenders on the low block. Getting more comfortable on the perimeter as a ball handler will open up more scoring chances. There are a lot of positives in Chipman’s game. If he stays healthy and continues to improve, he will be a sneaky good prospect.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-6 F [player_tooltip player_id="820294" first="Eduardo" last="Hendricks"] – Norcross Heat – Meadowcreek<br /> </strong>Eddie has turned into a football standout, but he is still a bull on the hardwood. He’s a physical specimen that will try to tear down rims. He’s good in the pick-and-roll, diving hard to the basket, catching and finishing through contact. He powered in three And-1s in a loss to Loyalty2A2. Hendricks likes to anticipate passes and leap around opponents for steals when denying. Hendricks posted 13 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals.</p> <p><strong>2023 6-5 F [player_tooltip player_id="1426113" first="Gio" last="Harris"] – SBT 2023 – North Cobb<br /> </strong>There is an easy feel around Gio. It doesn’t take much effort for him to rise up for rebounds, blocks and dunks. He can score on the block with either hand, using sweeping hook shots across the lane. Revving up his motor will allow him to make an even greater impact on games. He had 11 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks vs. GCPC.</p>