The Holiday Classic: Top Forwards
The Holiday Classic was hosted by Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, California. There were a lot of very talented teams in attendance. Here are the top forwards from the tournament:
Paolo Banchero (O’Dea 2021):
Wow! That is the best way to describe my feelings on how well this kid played. Paolo is a force to be reckoned with. He is extremely athletic and very strong. It is amazing that a sophomore can have that type of size and athleticism/strength at such a young age. He was a nightmare in transition and was scoring at ease. He also had some highlight worthy dunks.
Jalen Graham (Mountain Pointe 2019):
Graham looked very good scoring on the block, being virtually unstoppable from that spot. I see a lot of potential in this young man, while he is extremely gifted and skilled now, I feel like he hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he could become in college. I really liked Graham’s overall game.
Majok Deng (Salpointe 2019):
Majok simply could not be stopped. Deng was scoring often and frequently, virtually whenever he wanted. His jump shot is very hard to defend against due to his extremely high release and just how often he knocks down those shots. Deng showed why he is a D1 player and it was very clear that he was on another level than he competition.
JT Elder (Cienega 2021):
In my opinion, JT Elder is one of the top sophomores in Arizona. He showed that he can play with anyone, even while being sick, he competed very hard and put forth a solid game. Elder has so much potential and intangibles that make him someone to keep a close eye on in the future.