2021 Power Forwards/Centers

Supply and demand are always at two different ends of the graph when it comes to this position. Any coach will tell you that there is a shortage of post players and they are all needed. Georgia has a variety of talented post that can play collegiate basketball of various levels. This list will highlight some in the state that are different combinations of height, athleticism, rebounding and shot blocking ability, finesse, and toughness. With a high demand on the position these players are strong candidates for college basketball. [caption id="attachment_171495" align="alignleft" width="150"] Courtesy of Ty Freeman[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="118122" first="Jasmine" last="Stevens"] | 6’0" | PF | Forest Park Stevens is a selfless post that finds ways to be effective in the game. She plays with good energy on both ends of the floor. It is that effort which leads to most of her scoring opportunities. She has a good build to go along with her height and uses it well. When pairing that with her textbook box out technique it makes since that she is often in double digits for rebounds. The majority of her scoring comes from offensive putbacks or transition layups where her ability to run the floor stands out. She can, however, put the ball on the floor and make strong drives or knock down the mid-range jumper when she faces up usually just inside the three -point line. She takes good shots from behind the arc, but is not very consistent at knocking them down just yet. As she continues to improve on that part of her game she could begin to play increased minutes around the perimeter with her athleticism. [player_tooltip player_id="148898" first="L’or" last="Mputu"] | 6’3" | PF | Greenforest Mputu is one of two junior post players at Greenforest. The long and athletic power forward brings a lot of versatility to the roster. Her ability to outrun most post to the rim puts a lot of pressure on defenses in transition. She has a good IQ and it shows on film as she often switches gears when she recognizes her defender behind or open paint real estate. Her length causes problems for offensive players because she has the lateral quickness to defend at the top of presses and around the perimeter against stretch forwards. She is also a good shot blocker especially when defending against drives from smaller players. She has soft hands and catches well in traffic which makes her a great target in the pick and roll game. She is still getting better at taking and finishing through contact but has a high upside. [player_tooltip player_id="153106" first="Carly" last="Heidger"] | 6’3" | PF | Hebron Christian Heidger is a stretch forward with a good feel for the game. She brings a lot of versatility to the floor for Coach Jan Azar’s team, using her size athleticism and basketball IQ. She shows the skillset to be effective in the post area and around the perimeter. She is an aggressive rebounder on both ends of the floor which leads to extra possessions for her squad on the offensive end. She handles the ball well for a player with her size and shows the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim or use good counter movers for flip layups in the painted area when stopped. She also finishes through contact at a decent rate. She is a good post defender that can block shots using her length and times up blocks when guarding drives from perimeter players. She has a good mid-range jumper with range that is improving out to the three-point line. As her percentage from beyond the arc continues to improve, so will her stock as a prospect. Benie Lunda | 6’5" | C | Greenforest Lunda is the other half of the two towers at Greenforest and is just as effective at the post position. She does the majority of her scoring out of the pick and roll, where she shows a good understanding of where to look for the ball and has hands to catch over defenders or snatch pocket passes to get them to the rim quickly. She is a rim protector in every sense. She has great timing when challenging shots and when she is in the area she is likely to get a piece or alter the shots at the rim. She has good physical toughness and chases rebounds outside of her area on both ends of the floor. She is still developing her offensive game which is likely to catch on, but you cannot teach height. [player_tooltip player_id="118129" first="Taniya" last="Alexander"] | 6’0" | C | Hart County Size and toughness in the paint is what can be consistently expected of Alexander. She has a bully style of game in the low post and initiates contact first on both ends of the floor. She grabs rebounds at a high rate because of her physical presence, wide frame, and understanding of how the ball will bounce. She scores most of her baskets off of post feeds where she can bump the defender to create an angle and by making good on her offensive putbacks. She has decent hands and has a textbook snatch when securing the ball. She has the potential to be a Division I player but will need some time to get acclimated to the pace of play at the next level. Nevertheless, coaches should have her on their radars if consistent rebounding and physicality is what is needed. Taylor Cullinan | 6’3" | PF | North Paulding Cullinan is another stretch forward in this class. She has above average ball handling for her size and good mobility. She has a good basketball IQ and it shows in her understanding of spacing and moving without the ball. She is a good three-point shooter and does a good job of getting her feet setting when moving to spots for catch and shoot threes. Defensively she is pretty effective as well. She uses her length well to challenge shots and will get a few blocks as well. She is quick enough to defend other post players anywhere on the floor. She is still working on her driving ability because she plays a little high when taking the ball off the bounce which allows defenders to get under her and push her off her path at times. She shows good touch around the rim and can finish with either hand in stride. She shows decent rebounding ability on the defensive end. In Coach Scott Green’s current system she spends a lot of time around the perimeter and does not crash often on offense. As she continues to develop upper body strength she will become even tougher to defend.