Power Forwards of the Freshman Showcase

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Toughness. Strength. Physicality. The willingness to make contact in the paint, often against opponents that are as big or bigger than you, stronger, taller, sometimes more athletic. Those are some of the defining aspects of a Power Forward. There are several types of Power Forward but their role on a team is about rebounding, protecting the paint, pushing opponents around and not getting pushed around. Those are some of the basics and it can often be thankless role, but it is one that many players are naturally drawn to in the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, there are the exceptions and the elite players at these positions that excel in multiple ways. Post-Up scorers, Stretch Shooters. Great Passers. even some that excel at bringing the ball up the court like some kind of Point Forward or score in multiple ways. But in essence a Power Forward is a smart and brawny tough player that every successful team needs on Defense that scores on putbacks, layups running the floor, pick-and-roll actions and finding some space in the lane to receive a shot another player helped to create for them. A necessary role. And filling that role will keep a player on the floor, but many times will not draw that player accolades. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Power Forward is often a thankless job for most players. But coaches see you and know how valuable you are to the team. All of them want someone like you on their team, but they don't always get one. Elite Power Forwards are worth their weight in Gold plus an increase for inflation. More common Power Forwards are too. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":740586,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Selena Chen","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nelson County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='716239' first='Lady' last='Vision']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Chen is not very big but is tough as nails.  Her High School is either building tough players or just has a ton of them in their district looking to play.  In that environment, I believe she is going to thrive and end up somebody's favorite player on the team when her future College Coach signs her.  By then she might be more of a Stretch Player or a Small Forward (or how knows, 4 years to grow and train can really change a player) but her roots in the position I saw her gravitating to on Saturday will continue to serve her well.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eChen knocked down the open shot, fought for rebounds, used her body to secure position in the paint, ran the floor and went all out on Defense.  She has a great motor, a next play mentality and she isn't afraid of anybody out there.  She plays the game like she has already taken an elbow to the face and if ready for the next one.  She will shake it off and come right back at you on the next play.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["736963"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":740582,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Allen has a strong body. a ton of skills and a great motor.  She was in the mix all day but was just a little outsized in both of the matchups I saw her in.  There were taller players in that paint with her that she had some trouble rebounding against and she played on a team that had several good rebounders.  I don't think anybody was keeping stats but surely her stats suffered in this particular arrangement.  The paint was crowded all day with players that make their way on the glass all fighting for just one ball.  But I do have to encourage Allen to be just a little more aggressive pushing people around to get more opportunities for herself to shine.  Her team more than any other would have benefitted from some practice time to organize their Defense and define everyone's role.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eDespite the struggles it was clear to me that she can play.  She can do a little bit of everything and has the desire to compete.  I think that is what I noticed most.  When some Giant took the rebound or a teammate already had that ball she just moved on to the next thing she could do to help the team.  She did all of the right things to try to get open for the three, to post-up for some touches, to seal off her defender to get some offensive boards, but too often the ball just did not go her way.  I wouldn't be surprised to hear that she was a bit frustrated that when she was open she didn't get the ball.  She moves on the perimeter like someone that knows how to light it up.  Maybe she is more of a Stretch player and just didn't get to show that off.  I don't know.  But I saw enough to know she is good and that is all she needed to show Saturday.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":740570,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Emily Spainhour","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"New Albany","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='712568' first='Indiana' last='Flight South']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Spainhour is a strong. sturdy-bodied player with a nose for getting to the glass when the shot goes up.  She is a very good rebounder due to her instincts on tracking the ball and crashing the boards with great timing to get to the glass and grab it.  She was perhaps the best Saturday at finding an open zone to fill in the paint to get the ball.  But positioning needs improvement.  She needs to develop her ability to seal of an area for herself  in the lane.  If she could make that adjustment to add that to her excellent board crashing skills she could be an Elite Rebounder.  The good news there is she has the tools to do it and it's a relatively easy skill to learn.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eShe scored several times on putbacks in the half-court and running trailer on the break.  She has a great motor and was still hustling in game 4 but was clearly worn out.  We can make excuses for her and any other player for being tired after 4 games in 6 hours.  But don't do that for Spainhour.  She does have skills for the game now and will surely develop more over time.  But conditioning might be the most important aspect to her future in the game.  Who can know what size she will be in 4 years?  But if she develops incredible physical conditioning I believe she would be a lock for a full scholarship in basketball.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eCoaches will not want to take her out of games due to her Rebounding prowess.  Her instincts to play with a high motor lead to fatigue or fouls made due to fatigue that will put her on the bench.  But if she were to get the kind of training she need with nutrition. using proper mechanics and a plan to be a player that can go all day every day she will be a highly prized recruit.  If she puts in the work her ability to be an Elite Rebounder  it will take her far.  (I also recommend watching the u0022Last Danceu0022 episode that centers around Dennis Rodman too to see what an amazing athlete he was, minus the crazy stuff, and aim for that without neglecting the rest of the game).","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":740584,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='742036' first='Maya' last='Custard']","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Great Crossing","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='716202' first='Overtime' last='Performance'] 2025","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"I first saw Custard play at a PGH Event in Chicago over a year ago.  She is still the same hard-nosed, scrappy, rebounder and defender I saw then but has added some skills to her game.  (I think she grew too, my memory says she was lot smaller.)  She might be transitioning away from the Power Forward position and into more of a Small Forward position by adding those skills, but for now I think I am justified placing her into this category.  Her true effectiveness was not on display Saturday because she is a dogged defender in a Zone Press and there was no way to run one on Saturday.  She has a ton of heart and hustle to her.  A great motor and a no quit mentality that I love to see in a player.  She gets after it and while sometimes she ends up being the nail she is more often the hammer when she collides with another player.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eOne of her best instincts is her ability to track the ball off of the back board and move her feet to get under it for the rebound.  She is a fast player, but when tracking the ball she tends to just slowly step, step, step to where it is going to land.  It's a very effective technique.  I like to call her type of Rebounder and Out-of-Zone Rebounder and most rebounders like that tend to make 1 or 2 explosive steps to the ball.  So for me it was interesting to see it done in a different way with the same result.  She should also spend a little time studying Dennis Rodman, because she too has the ability and instincts to be an Elite Rebounder.  She needs a little work on sealing off space for herself and could maybe learn a little bit about exploding to the ball.  Adding those techniques to what she already does could pave the way to a scholarship for her.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eThe ball skills and shooting she has developed in a years time are remarkable.  Other than handling the ball in open court and making the logical next pass to a Guard I am not sure she had much of a skills package a year ago.  Either she had them and didn't have the confidence to show them then or she put in some serious work last year to gain them.  Maybe a little of both.  This is someone College Coaches will be considering in a year or two if she keeps developing as a player.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":742488,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Kendall Hemmerle","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Manual","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"[program_tooltip program_id='715742' first='Dana' last='Evans Elite']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"One of the best things I saw Hemmerle do last Saturday was the way she communicates on Defense.  That is important for any player to do, but can be especially important for a Post Player to do because they are often behind other teammates  and can better see over the other players around them to make good reads.  I have no idea what she was saying, it could have been nonsense, but I doubt that.  No matter what she was saying the point is that for some reason it is hard to get players to talk on the court.  The fact that she already does that puts her ahead of the game.  Coaches can tech her what to say, but getting players to say anything seems like an impossible thing to teach sometime, even though players already know how to talk.rnrnMaybe I should have pit Hemmerle into the Centers article and moved the player I debated about putting into the Power Forwards article here.  What can I say?  I'm not perfect, but I try.  Either way I do think both players could fit either category.  Hemmerle was effective in every way a Coach would need her to be, has a good base-level of skills for a player entering High School and has good size and physical strength.  She isn't all the way there to being a surefire College Prospect, but why should she be?  Not yet anyway.  She has the potential if she puts in the work to maximize her body and develop as many relevant skills as she can in 4 years.  She is in a good place with good coaches that can teach her a ton with a positive approach and high expectations.  If I had a kid this is one of the places I would want them to be.rnrnThe biggest hurdle I see for her is I don't think she likes contact enough to excel.  Not yet.  Maybe she is just too nice to really use all of her physical gifts.  She wants to maybe play be the rules of Society in what is acceptable behavior rather than the rules of Sport were shoving people around is acceptable to a point.  I don't think she the agility or speed to be a u0022No Contactu0022 type of player.  Maybe she could develop that kind of game.  But the easier road and the one she can definitely succeed on involves learning how to seal of opponents and shove them around within the rules.  If she gets that down all of the skills she adds will be much more effective.  If she will make that leap physically and nothing else there is no way she won't at lest be a D3 player.  That would be her floor.  Her ceiling would depend more no the rest of her development.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["739729"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"I was only able to see [player_tooltip player_id='739729' first='Macee' last='Hogancamp'] play one time Saturday and she was facing on of the toughest match-ups she could have possibly faced due to the opponent.  So I don't have much I can say compared to the rest of these write-ups.rnrnWhat I can say is that I was impressed by all of her hustle and the toughness she displayed.  She was up against it with opponents that know how to use their physicality on the court.  She took the abuse and gave it right back.  She proved that she can play and that was really all she needed to do to be on my radar for the next 4 years.  And at a good time too, as I am tying to make it a point to be in Western Kentucky as much as I can this year.  I do not have my schedule finalized yet, but to meet my goals I need to see at least 50% of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Regions this year.  The percentage I will see Carlisle County play just went up.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":6,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64d930165f453"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- 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