Show-Me Showdown: Missouri Class of 2021 Forwards
Prep Hoops Missouri takes a look at the top Class of 2021 forwards from Missouri from last weekend’s Show-Me Showdown in St. Louis: Yaya Keita 6’9″ Gateway 17U: The dynamic big from DeSmet was excellent in leading his team to…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops Missouri takes a look at the top Class of 2021 forwards from Missouri from last weekend’s Show-Me Showdown in St. Louis:
Yaya Keita 6’9″ Gateway 17U: The dynamic big from DeSmet was excellent in leading his team to the championship game and making the All-Tournament Team in the process. With his combination of size, athleticism and high motor, he is always going to do something productive on the court. He is a dominant rebounder and a plus shot blocker. His offensive game in the post is improving and he loves to run the court, either for transition dunks or chase down blocks.
Sekou Gassama 6’10” Gateway 17U: The long and lean post from DeSmet was very good in helping his team to the 17U championship game. The best part of his game is his shot blocking, where his length and tremendous timing enable him to protect the rim better than most. His post game is more finesse than power with solid footwork and a nice shooting touch out to 15 feet.
Quentin Hall 6’6″ Team Ramey CCM-White: Young post from McCluer North who has made big strides as a player this spring. He was a double-double machine during the weekend. His effort was impressive despite playing heavy minutes on a team that had only six players. He had several tough finishes in traffic and also had some impressive rim runs.
Jalen Hampton 6’5″ Gateway 16U: The athletic forward from University City continued his excellent spring as he helped Gateway to the 16U title. He is a matchup problem with his versatility. They ran iso plays for him against bigger players and he got easy buckets. He is tough on the baseline and he is also an active rebounder who also got out and ran on the break.
Lance Hackney, Jr. 6’6″ Knights Basketball Academy: A beefy post player from Lutheran St Charles who takes good advantage of his size and strength around the basket. I was impressed with his ability to finish with both hands around the basket. On a team full of 3-point shooters, he had plenty of room to operate in the post.
Jai Graham 6’4″ Gateway 16U: The combo forward from Hazelwood Central really came on strong on the final day as he helped Gateway to the 16U championship. He displayed his versatility as he handled the ball and made many solid plays as a facilitator. He is strong and he finished well on the drive.
Aaron Hendricks 6’6″ St. Louis Blazers: An improving lefty post from MICDS who helped his team to the 16U championship game. When he is active, he is tough to stop because he is scoring inside, rebounding at a good level and blocking shots.
Cleveland Washington 6’2″ St. Louis Blazers: The combo forward from Lutheran North is on the small side for a forward, but he plays bigger because of his relentless effort. He shows little fear of bigger players as he attacks the boards and gets to the basket hard on the bounce. He can also make the Corner 3.