First Live Period: Under-The-Radar Forwards To Watch (16U)
The spring AAU season will be in full swing this weekend as the first live period gets underway.
Teams from Colorado will be out on the road as they prepare to put their best foot forward in front of college coaches.
Here are some 2019 forwards to keep an eye on out on the trail this weekend:
Matthew Wheelock (pictured), 6-8, Billups Elite
Wheelock’s game continues to grow with more experience. He’s a skilled big man who stood out at the Prep Hoops Spring Kick Off earlier this month with his willingness to run the floor and attack the rim. He’s a decent ball-handler who can help you create numbers by bringing the ball up the court. He’s at his best when he’s really working the glass. When Wheelock is engaged and is confidently using his college-ready frame, he can be hard to keep away from the rim. Wheelock can be caught at the Dallas stop of the Adidas Gauntlet this weekend.
Isaac Townsend, 6-5, B&B Academy White
B&B Academy is playing locally at the Mile High Invitational this weekend, providing local small schools the opportunity to see the strong, athletic forward. Townsend is still developing some of his skill set, but he has a fantastic motor. He simply plays hard on both ends of the court. He should be a force for Ralston Valley in his final two years at the school.
Bryson Becker, 6-8, Colorado Chaos
The small-town forward from Platte Valley, Colo., played with impressive confidence at the Kick Off. Becker is a bit slight of frame but he demonstrates good strength and his athletic enough to keep pace in transition. Has the ability to be a strong rim protector. Impressed during his first tournament with Chaos with an ability to stretch the defense by knocking down 15- to 18-foot jumpers. Becker will be on the West Coast this weekend at the SoCal Hoop Review in Garden Grove, Calif.
Dayne Prim, 6-4, Colorado Hawks Nations
A strong, highly athletic forward who was a key sophomore piece for a 5A state quarterfinal team this winter, Prim has a high ceiling to which he continues to ascend. He can be a handful in transition because he is always heading for the rim, even when he doesn’t have the ball. He’s a putback bucket waiting to happen. He’s a solid leaper who can finish above the rim. He’s still developing his jumper, but he finds ways to score and create. Prim will put his talents on display at the Adidas Gauntlet stop in Dallas.
Jax Wilke, 6-7, Colorado Titans
Wilke is a big man to watch at the NY2LA’s Dallas Invitational this weekend. In his first club season with the Titans, playing with a group of talented scorers, Wilke has demonstrated himself a strong facilitator. His trait as a solid passer, which first stuck out to us when he played for Colorado Anarchy last spring and summer, was evident again at the Kick Off. He can handle the ball at the high post and find cutters and open shooters. It also will be interesting to watch his development as a potential rim protector. He has the awareness and the length to be a solid position to defender.
Tristan Pratt, 6-6, The Force
Pratt is a strong and athletic forward who can stretch the floor with a decent jumper, but his greatest strength is his motor. Pratt plays about as hard as anyone we’ve evaluated over the past few months. His game still needs refinement, and he’s working to add to his skill set under the watchful developmental eyes of The Force’s staff. But the energy Pratt brings sets him a part, brining the kind of passion coaches covet.