GASO Duncanville 2023 Forward Prospects

Check out my analysis on some of the top 2023 forward prospects who really shined during their time on the court at the Great American Shootout July Live Period in Duncanville! There are plenty of college coaches in attendance, and some of these kids in attendance have a real chance to turn some attention their way. Cade Kitrell 2023 6’8 (Round Rock) Cedar Ridge High School (ProSkills ATX Brown) Cade might have been the most polished big prospect in attendance at the last few GASO tournaments, showing off his ability to finishing on either side of the basket, and dominating his opponents in the paint on the defensive end. I was very impressed with how well he could play out of the high post, handling the ball and orchestrating dribble hand-offs and screened at a very high level. He created space every time he went to set his feet, allowing his guards ample time to get around him. He is good at sealing the last defender when his lead guard and him are looking at the rim after a ball screen. On the defensive side of things, he is an ideal post defender, and tied up his opponents on their way up. He snatched the ball and came up with blocks time and time again. On the glass, he was active on the offensive end of things coming up with tip ins and easy second chance points. Every time I looked over at him play he seemed to be rejecting a shot or spinning off his defender for an easy look in the paint. Be sure to keep your eyes on Kitrell as he is going into his senior year! Tristan Holden 2023 6’6 Taft High School (Elevate Elite SA) Tristan is incredibly strong rebounder who has natural forward instincts and quick feet that look like he is capable of becoming a dynamic 4 or a small ball center at the next level. His ability to move his feet allowed him to defend guards and wings on the perimeter when switched onto them. He routinely cleared the glass and was good at keeping his head up and the ball high to make the right outlet pass. I was very impressed with how well he handled the ball on the fast break, throwing down a few thunderous dunks on the fast break. He is a natural finisher who knows there are few kids who can contest him down low. He showed an ability to consistently stretch the floor from his ability to knock down shots off the catch from the corners and the wings. I loved watching him screen his opponents and put his weight into them, freeing space for his teammate. He loves popping out to the perimeter for an open look at the three point line. I would like to see him work on opening up quicker as he rolls to the rim after the screen. [player_tooltip player_id="1471681" first="Josiah" last="Hill"]  2023 6’9 MacArthur High School (AJ1) Josiah is a hard working forward prospect who gets it done on both ends of the court, collecting rebounds and using his length to stay vertical to not only affect shots defensively, but quickly score as well. He is very good defensively, moving his feet to stay in front of his opponent but also sliding over at the right time to protect the rim. His ability to affect shots as a help defender made a real difference for his team. Opponents thought twice about driving to the lane and challenging him after getting bumped round the first few times. On the offensive side of things, he seems to have a real nose for offensive rebounds and got a few easy second chance points before his feet hit the floor. He is a strong finisher who knows how to use his length to keep the ball out of his opponents reach. I would like to see Hill work on his decision making in the open court. [player_tooltip player_id="1212659" first="DaCannon" last="Wickware"]  2023 6’6 JF Kimball High School (Urban DFW Elite 17U) DaCannon is an athletic specimen with his ability to explode vertically, be strong in the paint and also handle the ball. I was very impressed with how well he was able to attack out of the triple threat, using his size to bump defenders off their spot and also his quickness to get a shoulder around them. He was good at going up strong and playing through contact down low. In the half court, he does not overly dominate the ball, and calmly makes the right decisions on the perimeter. He never took a bad shot, or attacked when he should have made an extra pass. Wickware is an elite help defender, who was good at sliding over at the right time to affect the shot. I would like to see him work on staying vertically with more consistency, even if he just is just sticking his arms up. Tim Okojie 2023 7’0 Spring Creek Academy, TX (Athletic Elite 2023) Tim is a massive force on the interior with his tremendous size and ability to protect the paint and clear the glass. He is great at turning away shots in the paint, from behind or as the defender is coming at him. He has good defensive instincts and knows how to high point the ball on his opponents release. He came up with multiple chase down blocks with his non stop motor. He moves very well for his size, and showed an ability to run the floor and finish, much like how Clint Capela does in the NBA. He is an aggressive player on the fast break who understands the importance of keeping the ball high and out of his defenders reach, He is a force as he is coming down the lane, even as the trailer option and can catch the defense off guard by flying down the lane. Okojie has grown tremendously as a player from the last time I saw him less than 2 months ago. If he continues to develop his overall feel for the game and his basketball IQ at this rate he is going to show rapid development.  <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/evan-chatman-2/"> <img class=" ls-is-cached lazyloaded" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/IMG_2581-150x150.jpg" data-src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/IMG_2581-150x150.jpg"> </a>