Forwards and Wings from the Prep Hoops Top 250

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Louisiana has small guards and point guards for days. Consequently, the Boot also has wings and forwards who can play as well. Big guards and forwards were showcased at the Prep Hoops Top 250 and represented themselves well. In this review of the Top 250 showcase, we will look at some wings and forwards who played well at the Prep Hoops event.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Valentine Okoli (Crandall | 6'3" | 2024)</strong> - Okoli was a forward who was always in the right place. He was a workhorse on both boards scoring off of several offensive boards. His solid screen setting in the high pick and roll was punishing to opposing guards as well. He is a forward who works hard in the paint and is very difficult to keep off of the offensive and defensive boards. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1601451' first='Kobe' last='Butler'] (Archbishop Shaw | 6'6" | 2025)</strong> - Butler was a human eraser at the Prep Hoops Top 250. He has a quick first and second jump that deceived some guards who thought the had an open shot after he rose once. Butler has variety to his game and can score from the inside and out. His ability to erase everything on one end and finish on the other makes him a very intriguing forward going into the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1543690' first='Sam' last='Ponder'] (Calvary Baptist | 6'5" | 2026)</strong> - Sam had a slow start to his day but picked it up after game one. Ponder crashes both boards and is always on balance when he attacks. He also secures ball with two hands more times than not. Ponder has a soft elbow-to-elbow jumper that makes him dangerous from 15 feet in when he is on. His ability to rebound and score makes him a good JV player who continues to grow. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1508112' first='Romelo' last='Joseph'] (Lafayette | 6'2" | 2024)</strong> - Joseph got a legitimate chance to play on the wing during the Top 250 and he was in full attack mode. He displayed good rebounding skills as a wing and pushed the ball in transition every rebound he got. Joseph used transition situations to show how he could get to the rim and finish. He is a wing who can score in multiple ways to help his team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2132657' first='Kaleb' last='Jackson'] (Rayville | 6'3" | 2024)</strong> - Jackson is a wing that gave his team defense and scoring during the Top 250. He showed the ability to run the floor in transition and find his spots when the defense was scrambling. Jackson can get hot quickly and showed it by nailing corner three pointers at a high clip. He is also a guard who can defend up to four positions which displayed his defensive flexibility. A great player he is.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1673158' first='Blane' last='Parish'] (Buckeye | 6'7" | 2024)</strong> - Parish is a 6'7" dream when it comes to forwards in Louisiana. At the Top 250, he showed why he is a very good forward. When he received the ball on the block, he either scored or made the right read to a guard. Parish also showed his mid-range shooting prowess with several jumpers. He also rebounds well. Parish is a threat all over the floor which is a good thing for his high school team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Top 250 exposure camps will continue to go on through the United States until October. Catch one of them in your home state or a state not too far from your location. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->