2021 Rankings Update: Top Forwards/Bigs Outside of the Top-50
We released the 2021 rankings update two weeks back with a few adjustments and plenty of new additions. We also broke down some of the top players in the class. With that, some players fall under the wayside. Here are…
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Continue ReadingWe released the 2021 rankings update two weeks back with a few adjustments and plenty of new additions. We also broke down some of the top players in the class. With that, some players fall under the wayside. Here are the top forwards/bigs that are outside of the Top-50.
Brad Kerr Brad Kerr 6'6" | SF Denver East | 2021 State CO – Denver East
Kerr is one of the taller snipers in the class that, when given the opportunity, can let it fly. He has a good feel for the game and is a high IQ player with upside that he has to reach. In a limited role for Denver East this season, he was able to show that there is great potential in him as a player, he just has to be able to showcase it all. His 6’6 frame already sets him apart, but when you combine it with the ability to put the ball on the floor as well as rebound a bit and finish inside. He instantly becomes a player to watch.
Xavier Sterling Xavier Sterling 6'2" | PF Colorado Prep | 2021 State CO – Harrison
Sterling is a wing/forward that often goes out on the post as he is one of the team’s best rebounders. He is a ballhawk that tracks down rebounds and does all of the intangibles such as boxing out, keeping plays alive as well as providing energy the entire time he is on the court. Sterling averaged 7.3 points and 7.8 boards a game for the Panthers and showed that he could finish around the rim. Sterling can grab the rebound and go up the floor with it, and that opens up a new pace to Harrison’s offense. His feel around the rim and ability to finish in traffic makes him an interesting forward to look at this season.
Erik Olsen Erik Olsen 6'5" | PF Heritage | 2021 CO – Heritage
Get Olsen’s autograph while you can. While Olsen’s future is 1000% on the gridiron as the 4-star athlete, according to Rivals.com, goes through lists that have offers from schools like CU, Auburn, UCLA, and places like West Virginia he also is a problem to be dealt with on the hardwood as well. This big man has good size and great hands – duh, he’s a top-3 tight end in the state. He is an efficient finisher around the rim and a solid rebounder as well. He has been developing his post moves and adding just a bit of range with his mid-range work. He has face-up possibilities, protects the rim, and also scores with ease as a gifted athlete with a great understanding of where to be on the floor. Last season he averaged 8.5 points and 5.6 rebounds a game and is a player that if he wanted to take basketball seriously can surely play at the next level and would be within the top-50.
Terrance Ferguson Terrance Ferguson 6'4" | PF Heritage | 2021 CO – Heritage
It might as well be autograph day at Heritage whenever Ferguson and Olsen play because this will be their last year playing basketball before they go on to fulfill their dream of playing in the NFL. Looking at the list of colleges he has for football, there might not be a player in the state with a higher ceiling. The kid can play. On the hardwood, he is dangerous as well as he is a big body that is agile and finesse as they come. He has soft touch around the rim, is a bruiser that can back a defender down, and has excellent footwork that opens things up for him. Ferguson is smooth and moves well. He uses all of his 6’4 frame to get the best of the defender. He rebounds well, is a great outlet passer, and also alters plenty of shots on the defensive end. Ferguson can defend multiple positions, and his strength and quickness allow Heritage to open things up. He averaged 9.4 points and 6.7 rebounds a game while also being a playmaking big that finds the open man. He is a player that also could be well within the Top-50 if the main focus were basketball. He can go.
Jayden Foster Jayden Foster 6'4" | PF Rangeview | 2021 State CO – Rangeview
Foster is a player whose impact goes beyond the scoreboard, and he is a big reason that the Raiders were able to remain undefeated on the season. He is a huge body in the paint that is a bruiser and has good feet as he runs the floor well. Foster may be a limited offensive threat but is efficient around the rim when he wants to be. He does an excellent job of not leaving his feet defensively, instead letting his pure size and length do the work. He blocked a few shots on the season, but his best attribute was being the enforcer down low. He made sure that Rangeview remained one of the toughest teams and gave them a strong big that was not afraid to get inside and bang.