Summer Superlatives - The Board Men

It's time to unveil another group from our Summer Superlatives series, today it's - The Board Men!   In 2019, Kawhi Leonard popularized the phrase, "Board man gets paid!" Signifying that the hard work and dedication put forth on the glass directly impacted success and a team's ability to win games.   Which leads us to the prospects that made a living on the glass this summer - offensively and defensively, these individuals displayed high motors, impressive effort, and toughness in their efforts to win the rebounding battle each time down the floor.   If you haven't read the first few articles in this series, we'll share that these lists are not Top 5 lists! In fact, we'll aim to use each list to highlight standout prospects that we believe will eventually play at a variety of levels of college basketball. From high majors to the Division III level, these superlatives will recognize a wide range of prospects that stood out with their play on the hardwood this summer.   Below are five prospects that makes their teams better with their efforts on the glass - The Board Men!   [player_tooltip player_id='2470882' first='Theo' last='Edema']   Edema, a 6'11" big out of Cushing Academy in Massachusetts, used the early part of the summer to put a stamp on his standing as a Top 10 big in the country. Few players, and maybe none in New England, can match his combination of size, strength, and athleticism, all of which allows him to be a dominant two-way rebounder. His pursuit of the basketball on both ends stands out, as does his strength and how he uses that to his advantage when boxing out. He's athletic enough to win the high point battle and does a nice job of rebounding both in space and in traffic. Given his size, he's impressively agile and mobile, which helps in his ability to go get the ball off the rim. Syracuse, Georgetown, Providence, Villanova, and Tennessee are just a few of the programs in pursuit of the highly coveted, high major, 2027 big.   [player_tooltip player_id='2641692' first='Cheickna' last='Sylla']   Sylla, a 6'11" big out of Bridgton Academy in Maine, put himself on the map as a high major prospect with his ability to take over games inside the paint. The lefty is a massive prospect that has a combination of height and frame that few prospects match. He takes up tons of space in the paint and has as strong of a base as I've seen this summer. He doesn't give up ground, uses his wide shoulders to his advantage, and plays with an edge on both ends of the floor. He shows good pursuit of the basketball on the offensive glass and is a space eater defensively that wins the battle on the boards more often than not. In one on one rebounding situations, his strength and physicality stands out. The nightly double-double threat will head back to Bridgton this fall and looks to continue his ascent as a scholarship level prospect, with recruitment currently ranging from the low-major through high major levels.   [player_tooltip player_id='2341313' first='Isiah' last='Rose']   Rose, a 6'8" forward out of Vermont Academy in Vermont, showed off a high basketball IQ in his pursuit of the ball on the glass this summer. A prospect that just knows how to get things done, he's another individual that has a bigger frame and a solid understanding of how to use it to his advantage. He has plenty of skill and makes plays with a high basketball IQ, and, while not the highest level athlete, can make plays above the rim when needed. Combine his positional size, motor, and IQ and you have a prospect that makes the game look simple at times. He does a nice job of pinching opponents under the rim when pursing offensive rebounds and has solid fundamentals as a defensive rebounder, playing angles and holding box outs as needed. He rates as a scholarship level prospect and it'll be interesting to see which programs choose to pull the trigger and make an offer this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='2762124' first='Harryns' last='Cantave']   Cantave, a 6'6" big out of the Brooks School in Massachusetts, played with impressive effort on both ends of the floor at some high profile events throughout June and July. The Above the Rim Elite forward is active on the glass on both ends of the floor, showing good pursuit of the basketball and quickness when getting off the floor. He has a plus wingspan, is a good athlete, and plays with a high motor at all times. He's quick out of the dunker spot on the offensive end and does a nice job of tipping misses to keep plays alive. Defensively, he can rebound in space or hold box outs under the rim, using his strength and athleticism to secure boards in traffic. He should be a priority recruit for New England D3's and will be a prospect to track in the NEPSAC this winter as he has the ability to play his way up a level.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396775' first='Liam' last='Simpson']   Simpson, a 6'7" big out of Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, continued to impact games with his two-way versatility and nose for the ball on the defensive glass. One of the top state association rebounders in New England last winter, the Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year average over 15 boards a game as a senior at La Salle Academy. He continued to impress this summer with BCRI, showing an understanding of how to make plays that impacted winning. He's both agile and mobile, has a plus wingspan, and thinks the game a play ahead of when things happen. He's as fundamentally sound as a prospect as there is in New England and does a great job of controlling the defensive glass. A high academic prospect, he'd be a terrific recruiting win for any NESCAC program, but has the potential to play his way to the scholarship level this winter.   Next up in the Summer Superlatives series - The Playmakers!

It's time to unveil another group from our Summer Superlatives series, today it's - The Board Men!