Uncommitted 2022s: Forwards to watch

Senior year for the class of 2022 is officially underway and basketball seems like its been going on all year round. However we still have a month or two before the actual high school season starts. This week is all about the post, the forwards, the centers, whatever you want to call them, who don’t always get the recognition they deserve. As a coach I try to make it a priority to get the post the ball. They work really hard down low and do most of the dirty work. The best teams are ones where the guards and forwards are all in sync. What most fail to realize is that if you get it to the post it most likely will open up a shot for yourself. The first thing you learn in basketball is once you pass it to the post, relocate. So guards think about your post this season.

These unsigned seniors are all top 100 Prep Girls Hoops prospects who have proven their worth on the court during their high school career and have shown us that they can play at the next level. College coaches should jump on these girls before it’s too late. We will be watching this group as they play in their final season.

Small Forwards

Ari Gordon Ari Gordon 5'10" | SF Maple Grove | 2022 State MN – Maple Grove, Metro Stars 2022 3SSB

I have been watching Ari play since 8th grade, when my squad had to battle her travel team for the State Championship. As a freshman she started for the Maple Grove varsity team and made an impact from the jump. Ever since then she has continued to grow into a fantastic basketball player. Gordan is the definition of athletic, almost like she was born with it. The last four years she has been working on her skill and craft and has established herself as one of the best small forwards in Minnesota. The 5’10 small forward has made her living on defense where she can lock down the best guards and posts in the state. On defense she is quick, and has good hands so she can poke at the ball and get steals. That’s the cool part about Gordan, she is versatile and can play at almost any spot. On offense the small forward does all the dirty work and by that I mean she is great at cleaning up the offensive boards. If you don’t box her out she is most likely getting the rebound and putback. You want Ari in your program because she does all the little things. Look for her to make a huge impact at the college she chooses.

Maria Counts Maria Counts 5'11" | PF Providence | 2022 State MN – Providence, Metro Stars 2022

Maria has really come alive on the court the last two years and has continued to get better every time I see her play. She is a work horse and will do what she needs to do for the team to win. She is the leader on the court and has the experience to back it up. At 5’11 she does it all on both offense and defense. The small forward always has to guard the biggest, strongest player and can hold her own. She does this with her great defensive strategy where she gets a lot of blocks and stops. On offense she’s best when the team is running their high-low offense where she can spot up on the elbow and knock down the shot or make a great pass down low to her sister Grace. Counts helped her team finish second in the State Championship last year and I have a good feeling she will be brining home the title for her senior year with all the weapons Providence has.

Power Forwards

Champ Danso Champ Danso 6'0" | PF Simley | 2022 State MN – Simley, Fury 2022 UAA

Danso is coming off a great junior year where she put in her 1,000th point with Simley and played with one of the best teams in the country with Fury UAA. On different teams she plays different roles but between the two we have seen her do it all. On defense she is a pain and uses her strength and body to shut down everyone and some of the best posts in the country. On the contrary the 6’0 power forward also knows how to put the ball in the hoop where she shoots above 50 percent from the field. One of her biggest strengths on the court is her timing and rebounding, taking off at the right time to get the ball. This is a hard concept to learn but comes naturally to her. Danso will be great at the next level and colleges looking for a consistent multi-dimensional player should hurry up and pick her as she will make a great impact.

Grace Massaquoi Grace Massaquoi 6'0" | PF Holy Angels | 2022 State MN – Holy Angels, MN Diamond Elite 2022

Grace might be the steal of the 2022 class. She’s a 6’0 power forward who knows how to score in bunches. This AAU season she averaged 20 plus points and led her team to win the Division 2 state tournament. I think her team would’ve competed well in Division 1. Even though she is a post, she has the ball in her hands most of the game and can create plays for both herself and her teammates. She’s also a pest on the boards and on defense, where I’ve seen her guard the 1-5.  This will be a big year for Grace as she will have a bigger role and be the main focus on offense. Hey I even see a state championship in the horizon for her and the Holy Angels squad. Don’t skip over Massaquoi, she would be a great asset to any team.

Jenny Ntambwe Jenny Ntambwe 6'1" | PF Coon Rapids | 2022 State MN – Coon Rapids, Minnesota Stars 2022

Ntambwe started making noise this year when she joined the really talented Minnesota Stars team. Her ceiling is very high as she has just started to scrape the surface of greatness. Her confidence has sky rocketed after she took time to work to on her craft. She looks like a new player than when we saw her a year ago. Her basketball IQ and understanding of the game has strengthened and she has started to contribute in different ways, mostly by being in the right spot at the right time. The 6’1 power forward is smooth around the rim and has good footwork to compliment it. The program that picks her up will be able to mold her even more and make her into a dominant college athlete.

Top photo: Grace Massaquoi Grace Massaquoi 6'0" | PF Holy Angels | 2022 State MN of Holy Angels