Under the Radar Big Men in Colorado

<p>With a huge pool of talented big men in the state of Colorado, there is no doubt that some do not receive as much public attention as others. In an era of basketball that deems this position as no longer dominant, players who are classified as power forwards or centers look to prove all the naysayers and critics wrong. That being said, these five players have proven this year to be worthy of playing at the next level. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1167509" first="Nick" last="Randall"] | 6'7 Power Forward | Fossil Ridge High School <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Nick-Randall.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1196085 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Nick-Randall-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" /></a></p> <p>Colorado's high school version of a Clint Capela, [player_tooltip player_id="1167509" first="Nick" last="Randall"], is a sight to see. The junior playing at Fossil Ridge is having a breakout season averaging 19 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks a game. Playing in 14 games thus far this season and 14 games last season, the power forward has already almost quadrupled the number of points he has scored in the same amount of game his previous season all while shooting a stunning 72% from the field. Randall does not like to shoot the three, but he has more tools in his bag than just being able to dunk whenever he pleases. His footwork in the low-post is phenomenal and he pivots often to create space to score. Additionally, his mid-range jumper has come a long way and now allows himself and his team to spread out on offense more efficiently. Weighing under 200 pounds, Nick compensates for his slim build by being able to run in transition.  </p> <p>Christian Seifert | 6'7 Center | Eagle Ridge Academy</p> <p>Christian is more than entitled to start gloating about his success as a defender on the basketball court. His playstyle reminds you of a traditional big man despite his below 10 points a game scoring, however that doesn't matter when you average nearly 5 blocks a game. Christian is an absolute terror to anyone trying to score inside the paint and is a huge factor as to why Eagle Ridge almost has a +200 difference in points for versus points against. There is no doubt that this team is legitimate, but much of the credit should be awarded to the junior that makes offense alter their game plan going into game day. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1150078" first="Brady" last="Jones"] | 6'8 Center | Lewis-Palmer High School <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/image0-11-rotated-e1618179952523.jpeg"><img class=" wp-image-1167176 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/image0-11-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="187" height="249" /></a></p> <p>As far as this list goes, Brady has the softest touch around the basket and arguably the best court vision. Although he is labeled as Center and score most of his points from inside the paint, you can't help but notice he plays a bit like a small forward at times. If you have watched any of Brady's games, there are almost always a few solid passes to cutting teammates and occasionally one spectacular pass that you would expect a guard to make. He does seem to be shy when it comes to dominating the glass, but he makes up for it and other ways that most centers can't. He is a team player through and through and continues to develop every year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="965809" first="Kyle" last="Sandler"] | 6'6 Power Forward | Regis Jesuit High School</p> <p>More of a point-forward but has the size of a power forward. [player_tooltip player_id="965809" first="Kyle" last="Sandler"] is a very special type of player that seems to have already prepared himself to play at the next level. Standing at 6'6, in high school that is one thing, but in college that usually classifies you as a shooting guard or small forward depending on your skillset. Sandler is averaging 12 a game, but in my opinion, could be the focal point for almost any high school team in Colorado. So far he has struggled shooting inside the arc, however, he has proven to be the best 3-point shooter of all big men in Colorado shooting 44% behind the arc. Lastly, his ability to handle the ball and change direction has you thinking he played guard when he was younger and that skill will definitely transition into the college level. </p> <p>Carson Jasa | 6'6 Power Forward | Faith Christian High School </p> <p>Faith Chrisitan has found an incredible talent in Carson Jasa who is about as good of a power forward as you can get. The man is a walking double-double and displayed his rebounding skills when he grabbed 22 of them in a single game. He is a well-rounded player who can score, rebound, and defend both on the inside and the perimeter. He may not offer a ton in terms of being a bonafide bucket, but he does everything else so well that sometimes the stats don't do him any justice. He is a key piece to his high school team and if he continues to play basketball the way it was supposed to be played, then I envision a few colleges being interested.</p>