HS Fall Invite: Best Forwards and Centers

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — The High School Fall Invite brought together a strong collection of west coast high school and prep school teams for a week-long event at various sites throughout Southern California. We were in the gym on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday and below are the best forwards and centers we saw.    Crenshaw is oozing with upside due to his combination of size, length, fluid athleticism and ability to protect the rim. The wiry 6-foot-10 forward/center used his length, instincts and quick reaction time to deter, alter and block shots at the rim. Offensively, Crenshaw showed mobility as a rim-runner and good hands, footwork and touch when rolling and scoring at the rim out of ball screens.     Yenan is a physical and high-motor defensive-oriented center who used his 7-foot frame, vast wingspan and college-ready body to protect the rim and rebound at a high level. Yenan's presence in the paint discouraged drivers from testing his shot blocking ability and he pursued missed shots to secure rebounds in and out of his area. The senior is still raw on the offensive end but set a big, physical screen, crashed the offensive glass and finished lobs with above the rim power.     Willis is one of the nation's most explosive basketball athletes and he had his transition finishing ability on full display. The 6-foot-8 junior - originally from Southern California - was a high energy rim-runner and lane filler whose quick-twitch vertical athleticism allowed him to challenge and finish over rim protectors on drives and transition slashes and finishes. Willis has immense potential defensively, as his physical and athletic profile project as a multi-positional defender with the ability to rebound at a high level.     Diop is your classic example of a high energy and high motor five man. The 6-foot-9 senior is a pogo-stick vertical athlete which he uses to catch and finish lob passes above the rim and protect the rim defensively with his shot blocking instincts. Diop's ability to stay vertical when contesting shots at the rim is perhaps his most impressive quality as it allows him to change and block shots without fouling. He's also one of the best in and out of area rebounders in Southern California.     Kamagate has the luxury of being the best athlete in just about any gym he walks into. The 7-foot phenom is a fluid rim-runner who looks to finish everything around the rim with violence, which results in poster dunks and and-one finishes. Kamagate roams the painted area defensively, anticipates drives and uses his verticality to contest and block shots around the rim. Offensively, Kamagate is best in the dunker spot where he finishes off lob passes.     When it came to offensive versatility, few forwards and centers matched what Green brought to the table. The 6-foot-9 senior is as skilled as they come and his ability to score and create both inside and outside lended to his point-forward skill-set. Green connected on catch-and-shoot threes, initiated offense as a trigger guy at the top of the key and scored in the paint with power and touch. Green's ball skills, vision and passing IQ made him one of the most effective playmakers we saw regardless of position.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — The High School Fall Invite brought together a strong collection of west coast high school and prep school teams for a week-long event at various sites throughout Southern California. We were in the gym on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday and below are the best forwards and centers we saw.