Francisco’s Finest: Class of 2022 Improvements (Power Forwards/Part II)
Francisco’s Finest: Class of 2022 Improvements (Power Forwards/Part II) LONG BEACH, CA—After breaking down the Classes of 2020 and 2021, it is now time to dive into the Class of 2022. Unlike the previous classes where there were can’t miss…
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Continue ReadingFrancisco’s Finest: Class of 2022 Improvements (Power Forwards/Part II)
LONG BEACH, CA—After breaking down the Classes of 2020 and 2021, it is now time to dive into the Class of 2022. Unlike the previous classes where there were can’t miss prospects like Evan Mobley, Ziaire Williams, BJ Boston, Josh Christopher from the Class of 2020 and Peyton Watson from the Class of 2021, the Class of 2022 doesn’t appear to have “that guy” just yet, but they still have plenty of time. Kijani Wright is the most polished prospect thus far, but Amari Bailey and Koat Keat have the most upside in my opinion. Going forward it would not surprise me to see this list change in the coming seasons.
Jorge Ochoa (La Mirada)
6-foot-8, 225 pounds
Joel’s Take: The multi-faceted scorer can convert buckets in a hurry. Inside and out skills combined with a hot motor results in consistent production from the 4-spot. His soft hands, instincts in the paint area, and that general knack to score makes him difficult to handle on this level. Going forward he needs to improve his quickness and bounce to be more consistent scoring against length.
Randy Ovalle (St. John Bosco)
6-foot-7, 215 pounds
Joel’s Take: Ovalle is another versatile prospect on this list that impacts the game in multiple ways. Head Coach Matt Dunn has a lot to work with in this potential wing-type down the road. Ovalle has ball skills, good feet and hands, and possesses savvy for this game. It’s just a matter of hard he wants to work (motor/moxie are the keys) on tightening up his ball handling vs pressure and extending the range on his shot.
Quinton Webb (Loma Linda Academy)
6-foot-7, 200 pounds
Webb is an ultra-bouncy 4-man with an evolving skill set.Joel’s Take: The high-flying Webb is one of the more explosive players in the class. In transition he is a straight-line finisher who can elevate over the opposition and finish. He shows evolving ball skills and a solid 1st step to get to the rim. His foot work is on the come, but his post game is still quite raw—other than putbacks and dunks. Continuing to hone his face-up skills and extend his outside touch will be key going forward.
Henri Adiassa (Crossroads)
6-foot-10, 225 pounds
Joel’s Take: Adiassa came into his freshman campaign with a lot of potential. However, the potential has not yet caught up to production. He has the length and timing to be a high-level rim protector and he can finish through contact, but his foot work and fundamentals need refining. Continuing to work on his balance in the post, keeping the ball high and developing a go-to move besides a dunk will be key steps for his progress going forward.
Duke Gibson (Taft)
6-foot-8, 195 pounds
Joel’s Take: Gibson is yet another prospect with vast potential—it will all depend on developing a tenacious mindset to develop. The length, hands, feet, and touch are evident with Gibson—now it’s about continuing to evolve as a player. Sprinting in transition and finishing through contact would be a good start and developing a go-to move on the block because he has shown to have a soft touch to the elbow.