The Platform: 2022 Indiana Standout Forwards
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As the month of July gets into full swing, the Prep Hoops Circuit heads to Birmingham, Alabama. This is the first of several Prep Hoops events in the Midwest as we converge onto the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis at…
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Continue ReadingAs the month of July gets into full swing, the Prep Hoops Circuit heads to Birmingham, Alabama. This is the first of several Prep Hoops events in the Midwest as we converge onto the Grit Region Finals in Indianapolis at the end of the month. There were a ton of very intriguing games over the weekend, and now, let’s take a look at some of the 2022 Standout Forwards from the state of Indiana.
Ladaion Barnes – 2022 SF – Hammond Morton (94 Feet Elite 2022)
Barnes is a bigger wing who shot the ball very well over the weekend. He has a smooth shooting stroke and was knocking down the triples consistently. Barnes also seemed to be attacking the offensive glass on every possession which led to some easy buckets inside. Overall, he was a strong force for this 94 Feet Elite team, and he may have a chance to get some Division 3 attention during his senior season.
Caedmon Bontrager Caedmon Bontrager 6'8" | PF Leo | 2022 State IN – 2022 PF – Elevation Prep (Team Teague 2022)
Bontrager is a big forward who loves to play an extremely physical style of basketball. He was physical on the defensive end of the floor with both Washington and Casey who were much bigger than him, and he had good hands which allowed him to poke a couple of balls away. Bontrager has also improved quite a bit on the offensive end of the floor. He has good footwork around the rim, and he was able to show this off with a nice little baseline turnaround jumper that I did not know he had in the bag. He also had a couple of strong dunks inside. Overall, it was a great game from Bontrager, and it was one that I could see leading to potential offers.
Shilo Jackson – 2022 PF – North Central (EG10 2022)
Jackson is a big power forward who protects the rim very well and can finish through contact. He isn’t the strongest man in the paint, but he plays hard. Jackson is smooth around the rim, and he took a couple of mid-range jumpers which looked to need a little more work, but you could tell that he has been working on it. On the defensive end, Jackson made his biggest impact coming up with 3 blocks on the inside. Shilo was the best post presence for EG10 in this one, and he has a chance to continue to impress in the next couple of weeks.
Rasheed Jones Rasheed Jones 6'6" | SF Arsenal Tech | 2022 State IN – 2022 SF – Elevation Prep (Team Teague 2022)
Jones is a big wing whose length makes him seem even bigger than he actually is. He is active on the defensive end of the floor, and this length makes it nearly impossible for the offensive players to get anything going. Jones also is aggressive on the boards on the defensive end of the floor, and he uses his insane athleticism to jump out of the building. On the offensive end, he didn’t show much in terms of creating, but he was able to knock down a couple of triples. He is smooth on the catch and shoot, and he has a very confident stroke. Jones hasn’t really received a ton of attention with his game, but he is an outstanding athlete who should no doubt be a mid-major prospect.
Jalen Washington Jalen Washington 6'10" | PF Gary Westside | 2022 State #32 Nation IN – 2022 PF – Gary West (Meanstreets 2022)
Washington is a huge forward on the inside who can really do it all. In this one, Washington started out the game being extremely aggressive on the offensive glass which led to a couple of tip-ins inside. He then turned to the scoring by running the pick and roll to perfection and hitting a smooth little mid-range jumper. This was an extremely physical game inside, and Washington did exactly what he needed to do. Washington recently committed to North Carolina, and he is going to be a major part of that historic program.
Charlie Williams Charlie Williams 6'10" | PF Carmel | 2022 State #220 Nation IN – 2022 PF – Carmel (Team Teague 2022)
Williams is a big forward inside who really plays a fundamental style of basketball. He isn’t going to be the flashiest player on the court by any means, but he knows what it takes to win, and he is always willing to do what it takes. He has good footwork in the paint, and he can finish strong through contact. He also attacks the glass on both ends. Williams’ outside shots weren’t falling in this one, but he definitely has this in his arsenal. Charlie has been a huge stock riser in the last month, and he should see a couple of more offers fly his way during this weekend.