Top 5 Forwards in Tampa (Class of 2023)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Over the course of the next couple weeks, Prep Hoops will be evaluating the top players by position for the upcoming classes. Today, we will start with the top small forwards to keep an eye on for the upcoming season in the senior class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='814550' first='Dylan' last='James']- Winter Haven/1Family Hoops (2023)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-8 small forward is coming off his best season yet, as he averaged 15.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game helping lead the Blue Devils to the state semifinals. James has received offers and interest from Power 5 to Mid-major schools, including Alabama, Florida, Georgetown, Georgia Tech and Miami just to name a few. James was also named to the All-State team for Class 6A last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='709222' first='Karmello' last='Branch']- Wharton/PHS Academy (2023</strong>)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After transferring to Wharton from Tampa Catholic this offseason, Branch looks to lead the Wildcats alongside [player_tooltip player_id='812621' first='Chandler' last='Davis'] to back-to-back state appearances. Last season with the Crusaders, Branch averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game to help reach the 3A Semifinals. During the live period, Branch received his first two offers from Chicago State and North Carolina A&amp;T.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1463285' first='Domanic' last='Betancourt']- Oldsmar Christian/PHS Academy (2023)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-8 200-pound power forward comes to Oldsmar Christian from King this offseason, coming off a season where he averaged 9.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game last season for the Lions. Betancourt adds a huge presence in the post and mid-range game. Betancourt also has very good ball-handling skills for his position and is a solid defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='812640' first='Harvey' last='Wilson']- Oldsmar Christian/1Family Hoops (2023)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season for Santa Fe Catholic, Wilson averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and three assists per game. Wilson has a strong attack for the basket and could provide a lot of damage on the boards for the Eagles this upcoming season. In our latest Prep Hoops rankings, Wilson comes in as the 6th best power forward in the state and 34th overall ranked player. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1463337' first='King' last='Asad']- Tampa Blake (2023)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Asad averaged 16.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last season for the Yellow Jackets. In our latest Prep Hoops Rankings, Asad is ranked 37th for his position and 131st overall in the state of Florida. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->