senior fours--power forwards

SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Top Senior SoCal Power Forwards:
The Final Chapter--(Oct. 18, 1998)

We began this series of mini-profiles of the top seniors in SoCal with our take on the top senior SoCal point guards on October 1, the top senior SoCal centers on October 2, the top senior SoCal shooting guards on October 4, and the top senior swing men in SoCal on October 10. So who's missing? The top fours, the power forwards. Like our previous lists of the top prospects, some will say that many of the guys we have listed can also play the three (and often do), and a few might also play the post. Admittedly, some of the positioning of players depends on where we've seen them play, where they might be best suited to play, or where they've told us they like to play. The thing to remember is just how many good four men there are on the west coast from outside the SoCal area at the high school level who are major D-I prospects. We don't mean to say that there aren't some really great players here, as you'll see below, but the truth be told, it seems that the biggest names who have attracted the most attention from other recruiters and at the camps are from outside the area: Big guys like Carlos Boozer (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Douglas Juneau, Alaska, Justin Davis (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Alameda St. Joe's, Andrew Gooden (6'-9" Sr. PF) from El Cerrito High in Richmond, Brian Jackson (6'-9" Sr. PF) from Knappa, Oregon, Ryan McDade (6'-7" Sr. PF) from Enumclaw, Washington, John Oden (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Carl Hayden in Phoenix, Hakim Rasual (6'-6" Sr. PF) from Tucson, Tommy Smith (6'-9" Sr. PF) from Phoenix, Brian Whitehead (6'-7 Sr. PF) from Mt. Vernon, Washington, Cameron Carr (6'-6" Sr. PF) from West Linn, Oregon, Mike Schwertly (6'-5" Sr. PF), or Jay Sherrell (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Bethel in Spanaway, Washington. A pretty impressive list if you ask us.

But as you'll see below, there are still some big names from SoCal, and a surprisingly good number of other potential division I players who might play at either the three or four spot in college. A lot of these guys have already been listed previously as either 3's or 5's, but we've put them here again, because they are versatile enough to play the power forward spot. Take a look, and as always, if you think we've left someone off the list, let us know.

Top SoCal Four Men:

Michael Ahmad (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) from Glendora High--Uncommitted-- We also listed him as a center but will play some four also . Michael has a nice touch around the rim, and a good, well-developed body, up to about 230 lbs. now. He thinks like a perimeter guy and still has nice touch out to 18', but also has good moves in low. At least a mid D-I, but could attract some additional attention now that the pressure is off Casey and Chris at Glendora this season.

Jason Anderson (6'-8" Jr PF/C) Van Nuys Montclair Prep--Uncommitted-- Very quick, this player from England has only had two years of basketball, and is really a football player, but he has tremendous speed and the ability to get down low and post up. Good rebounder, but not much touch or shot. Still, it's hard to teach height, and he should be a force for Montclair this year.

Scott Anderson (6'-4" Sr. PF) from Fontana High School--Uncommitted--a big banger type, who has developed a good inside game with some decent post moves, and a promising 15' jumper. Anderson is turning into a good all-around player, who will shoot, play defense and rebound hard. Currently a bit under-recruited at the D-I level, and should get more attention during the season and sign by spring.

Shea Anderson (6'-5" Sr. PF) from Long Beach Poly--Uncommitted-- What he lacks in height, he makes up for in intelligence and effort on the court. Good post player, nice turnaround J. Can shoot out to the perimeter, and a decent rebounder inside.

Mike Bayer (6'-7" Sr. PF) from Mater Dei--Uncommitted--Mike is a very hard working player, runs the floor and leaves it all out on the floor on both ends. Has decent post skills and is a good rebounder. Can also score in and around the basket, and is a decent shot blocker too. Will probably wait until spring to make any decisions about college from what we hear.

Jerome Beasley (6'-10" Sr. F/C) from Moreno Valley--Uncommitted--- We also listed him as a 5, but can also play the four. A virtual unknown before the summer, he made an appearance at the Rim Rattler Camp and impressed a lot of people. Big body, needs to add a bit of weight to take it to the next level. Good hands, moves his feet and has good leaping ability. Decent defender, can box out or post up. Not a clue about who's recruiting him currently.

Rafael Berumen (6'-9" Sr. C/PF) from Simi Valley High--Committed to New Mexico-- We also listed Rafael as a center, but he's got the mobility and the outside shot, with the post moves of a four. Good passer, and will do very well at New Mexico. Played for Rockfish this summer.

Mike Bonwell (6'-7" Sr. PF) from Santa Fe Christian, Encinitas--Uncommitted-- Mike is a decent athlete, who runs well. He's a decent scorer from in and around the basket, and a tremendous rebounder with good hands and excellent jumping ability. He will set screens and picks, and moves well without the ball. Has some good post moves, and has improved his game a lot this summer.

Tony Booker (6'-5" Sr. SG/SF) from Bishop Montgomery High--Uncommitted-- We also listed Tony as a three, but he will see time at the four. Tony is a good athlete who runs the floor well, has a good handle, and impressed a lot of people this summer with his good defense and nice inside play. He's a decent scorer, who is not afraid to drive and take it to the hoop and will finish off the break. He also plays the four and will see some time there this season.

Jesse Boyd (6'-8" Sr. C) from Mira Costa High--Uncommitted--Also plays the five, but might be a better four in college. Currently looking at UCSB, San Diego, & Ivy Schools--he's got a 3.5 GPA, Jesse is deceptively strong post player, who really came on in the late summer, following impressive showings at the West Coast All-Stars Camp and the Fall Discovery Shootout. He has decent post moves, needs to be more active with his feet and runs the floor reasonably well. Good hands with a good touch, he's a good defender and shot-blocker, but could benefit by an agility program with some weights. Mid D-I at least.

Josh Burgess (6'-8" Sr. C) from Woodbridge High--Uncommitted--We also listed him as a five. Definitely not his brother, but still a capable mid-D-I player. Decent footwork, can post up and runs the floor very well. Really more of a four than a five, but he will play the post during the season at Woodbridge. Went to ABCD camp and impressed a few people, but won't get the kind of attention his brother got. Still, a very talented player in his own right, and very pleasant and coachable young man. Smart player, knows the game.

Justin Davis (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Pasadena High--Uncommitted--Not the Justin Davis who committed to Cal. This one is being recruited by UC Riverside and some others. He's a good athlete, with decent post moves who can move his man out of the paint. He also plays center, although we didn't list him there. Good shooter with nice touch in and around the basket.

McKenzie Dent (6'-6" Sr. PF) from Westchester--Uncommitted-- McKenzie is a good athlete, very tough minded, strong, and aggressive and he's got some great post moves. Played may well at the Rim Rattler Fall Showcase and at the Long Beach Fall Hoops Classic. Played a lot in the shadows of his teammates last season, we'd expect him to get some attention this season and sign in the spring. Will often also play the three.

Osa "Skip" Esene (6'-7" Sr. PF/SF)--from Inglewood High--Uncommitted--Skip is one of the best wing power forwards in the class this year, he can move with and without the ball, rebound and block shots, and has a nice shot out to about 18'. He is currently really only looking at one school, Providence, and has an official visit scheduled towards the end of October. Can and often does also play the three, even though we didn't list him there.

Noel Felix (6'-8" Sr. PF/C)--from Inglewood High--Uncommitted-- An excellent athlete who can run, jump and dunk, Noel is the shot-blocker on the team and has tons of potential. He's a slender, quick guy, with good hands, and the ability to fly to the basket. He's got five visits planned and will take them all, to San Jose State, Oregon State, Arizona State, Washington State, and UNLV. We also listed him as a five, but will probably not bulk up enough to play that position in college, but you never know.

Johnny Hardwick (6'-10" Sr. PF/C) from LA Manual Arts High--Uncommitted-- We also listed him at the five, but can and often does play the four. An enigma; really tall, sometimes he's there, sometimes he's not. During the high school season, he was just great, but during the summer with various travel teams he either flourished or wilted. Wiry thin, Hardwick has all the tools, but needs to develop the mental edge to really succeed. Nice post moves, huge shot blocking capability, and a nice touch in and around the hoop. A very nice young man who jumps very well with a great verticle. Huge upside if he will work at it.

Richard Harrison (6'-6" Sr. PF) from Chatsworth High--Uncommitted-- Richard can play either the three or the four, rebounds well, gets to the ball quickly, and generally can either float on the perimeter or bang inside. Has a nice touch out to about 15', a decent handle, can drive and finish. Should be at least a mid-D-I player.

Mike Hausman (6'-6" Sr. PF/SF) from The Bishop's School, La Jolla--Uncommitted-- Mike is a good athlete, with decent post moves, and a nice shooter touch from in close or out on the perimeter. He's a good rebounder and a good defender who will get some attention during the year. Said to be one of the top five seniors in San Diego, and is also a great water polo player, who will probably choose basketball for college. Averaged 18 ppg as a junior. Also plays the three spot.

Jeff Henry (6'-8" Jr. F) from Etiwanda High--Uncommitted--A natural four, who can block shots, plays good post defense and has a nice shot. Has grown a bit in the last year, and could also see some time this year at center for Etiwanda. We hear he's also a very good student who should not have any trouble qualifying.

Gary Holmes (6'-6" Sr. SG/SF/PF) from Fontana High--Committed to Eastern Washington University-- We also listed Gary as a three, but he can and will play the four at times, and can also cover the two. Gary is a very intelligent player with good knowledge of the game, an excellent handle. On his high school team and most traveling teams we've seen him play with he's mostly called upon to be an inside banger, boxing out well, and cleaning the class with his good hops. He can also step out and hit the outside shot, all the way out to three-point range with a great deal of regularity, and in college we'd project him probably as a combo two/three type player, using his good shooting skills as a sort of "power guard" and his ability to slash to the basket to grab boards or drive to the hole when needed. He plays very good defense, and he'll fit in very well with Agger's up-tempo and unselfish style of play.

Danny Horan (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) from Villa Park High--Uncommitted--Strong banger has decent footwork and post moves, and very good hands. Good mobility, and an athletic rebounder who can score some inside. Should be at least a mid-D-I prospect. His recruitment is pretty much a mystery right now.

Jerrod Jenkins (6'-6" Sr. PF) from Inglewood High--Uncommitted--we also listed him as a three, but can and will play the four too. errod is a great shooter out to 17', rebounds and jumps like crazy, and he's also got some good post-up moves; in short, he's a great inside-outside guy, who is currently looking at, and will visit, Sacramento State, Loyola Marymount, and a few others.

Dalron Johnson (6'-8" Sr. PF) from Verbum Dei--Uncommitted-- Can also play center, and we previously listed him there too. Being recruited by Cal, UNLV and Florida State. An excellent athlete, he runs and jumps very well. He can shot and has decent post moves, and rebounds very well at times. Can really be a force if he maintains his intensity. Played for Rockfish during the summer and spring, and last season his high school team also won the State Division IV championship. superior shotblocker and rebounder. Has also developed nice touch out to 17'.

Roderick Johnson (6'-7" Sr. PF) from Canyon Springs High--Uncommitted-- Roderick is another excellent athlete who runs very well, can handle the ball and drives well. He's a good rebounder, and often can and will also play the three, which is where we've also listed him. Has good skills in the transition, and has vastly improved his game.

Kamron Leonard (6'-8" Sr. PF/C) from J.W. North High, Riverside--Uncommitted-- We listed him as a five previously, but he will also play the four. Huge body, similar to J.J. Sola, very active in the post, plays well with his back to the basket, and good at boxing out and establishing position. Kamron currently plays for IEBP All-Stars and has seen action against some of the biggest big men on the west coast. Major upside. Nice shooting touch and good soft hands. Will only get better.

Earl Lewis (6'-5" Sr. SF/PF) from Serra HS, Gardena, CA--Uncommitted-- Earl also plays the three, and is versatile enough to play out to the two. A good athlete who can push the fast break, and a decent shooter out to three point range. Good defender, also plays the four position. Moves pretty well with and without the ball, can also post up some. Earl drives well and rebounds effectively, and is a good defender.

Reid Luszek (6'-9" Sr. PF) from Redlands East Valley--Uncommitted-- Reid is a huge kid, who might weigh about 235 or 240, and who sometimes will play center, but has decent enough mobility and shooting range to play the four. Very good offensive game, can score from either side of key, tough rebounder, not a shotblocker. Excellent student, will definitely qualify.

Chris Monroe (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) from Granite Hills HS, El Cajon--Uncommitted-- We also listed him at the five, but can and will cover the four spot too. Currently looking at Idaho, Washington State & New Mexico. A good athlete with nice post up skills, who can rebound and run the floor well. He has a decent shooting touch, with good footwork, and his upside is that he'll only get better with time. Suffered a bit this summer from lack of exposure as he was originally slated to be High Five America's center, but didn't see much playing time due to the presence of 7'-5' Yao Ming from China who played with the team. UNM is probably out now that Rafael has committed. Major upside, and will get bigger, perhaps 7'-0" according to his doctors.

Brandon Moorer (6'-7" Sr. PF) from Manual Arts--Uncommitted-- Brandon is an excellent athlete who runs very well.He is a good scorer from inside or from out on the perimeter to about 15'. He has a good enough handle to drive with some consistency, and also has good post up moves. He can also play the three, although we didn't list him there. Brandon is very good on the break and in transition, and will usually find a way to get himself open and to the basket. Good defender.

Chris Osborne (6'-9" Sr. C) from Westchester High--Committed to Arizona State-- Also listed as a five, but could play either position, and will probably be a four in college. Wavering a bit on his committment to ASU, he's expected to take a couple of other visits, including to Washington State. Chris is a very strong player with a decent shooting touch, who is very energetic on the floor. A huge shot-blocker, has some very nice post moves too. He can run with even the quickest guards, Provided he qualifies, he'll be an impact player immediately.

John Parker (6'-5" Sr. PF) from Muir High, Pasadena--Uncommitted--Parker is a good passer, a decent scorer, and he's developed some good moves in and around the basket. Excellent rebounder and decent shot blocker, he's a good athlete, very strong and gets inside. Runs the floor very well.

Desmond Penigar (6'-5" Sr. PF) form Upland High--Uncommitted-- Desmond is a good shooter, who drives, penetrates, and moves a lot with and without the ball. He needs to work on his post moves, as playing with his back to the basket is not his forte' yet. Probably projects out as a three at the college level. One of our favorite players to watch, defends well, and plays with intensity.

Shomari Sarpy (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) from Pomona High--Uncommitted-- Also listed as a five, he can and will play the four this year. Looking at Boise State, San Jose State, St. Mary's, Northern Arizona, Wyoming, Texas-Pan American, and UC Irvine. Extremely gifted athletically, very agile, runs the floor as well as any big man in the class if not better, can shoot well, dunks and rebounds well. Needs to work on post up moves, but has absolutely huge potential. Nice shot blocker. Should be a high D-I major prospect, but will probably not go until the spring. Good student with long arms and very quick feet.

Dustin Schultz (6'-9" Sr. PF) from Fresno Exeter-- Uncommitted-- Dustin is a thin post player, who is a great rebounder and a decent offensive threat around the paint. Has a reliable shot out to about 15' and if he puts on some additional weight and muscle could be a big-time player.

Daniel Sherman (6'-6" Sr. PF) from Ayala--Uncommitted-- Could also be a five, but Jack May will handle that spot on his high school team. Didn't see him much this summer except at Cathedral City's Tournament in late June where he looked strong. He's a big guy, a tough player with decent low post moves, can rebound some and will play defense. Good rebounder, puts back a lot of missed shots.

J.J. Sola (6'-8" Sr. PF/C) from Capistrano Valley High--Committed to Loyola Marymount-- We also listed him as a center, but will undoubtedly play the power forward spot this year, and probably for LMU. Big guy, runs the floor reasonably well, but needs to work on stamina. J.J. is a big body, probably weighing around 240-250 lbs., and most of that weight is in his upper frame. Strong legs, and a nice shooting touch, but not much of a shot blocker. Decent rebounder, will be an impact player next season.

Paul Steward (6'-10" Jr. F/C) Inglewood--Uncommitted-- A player who has vastly improved in the last six months, and whose biggest asset is his ability to block shots. He can use his nice turn-around hook shot with pretty good regularity, and can rebound some. To most an unknown, but some schools are beginning to look. Steward is looking hard at USC, and he may be the surprise sleeper recruit that Bibby comes up with at the post. Good athlete, can run the floor, defend and has a nice touch around the basket.

Armand Thomas (6'-8" Sr. F/C) from Crenshaw High--Uncommitted -- We also listed him as a five, and can play either position. Armand would be a very nice catch for one of the Washingtons or Oregons. A good athlete, with tremendous rebounding skills, he plays with energy and power. Decent post moves, with the ability to greatly improve during the next four years. Nice shooting touch too.

Jeremiah Turner (6'-7" Jr. F) LA Sylmar--Uncommitted-- Jeremiah Turner was the leader in the open court for Sylmar last season, and he spent the summer at ABCD Camp, Double Pump West Coast All-Stars, and the Big-Time in Vegas. He is a great defender, a bit slender, and sort of looks like and runs like a taller version of Gilbert Arenas. Cat-like quick, and has a good handle and can slash to the hole or step out and shoot it. He's currently looking at UCSB, San Jose State and BYU, and we'd expect him to take visits at all three.

Carvel Wafer (6'-6" Jr. F/C) Fresno Washington Union--Uncommitted-- Carvell Wafer has grown a couple of inches since last season. He didn't see a lot of playing time this summer because he broke his ribs in June. But he's back now, hitting the weights, and has improved his shot and his stroke around the basket. He's a great team defender, and has a decent handle and can hit the three or slash to the hole. Decent post moves.

Chris Williams (6'-9" Sr. PF/C) from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame--Uncommitted-- We also listed him as a five, but can and does often play the forward spot all the way out to a wing. Looking at UMKC, CSUN. Athletic, runs the floor well, also plays the four spot, and has a tendency to think like a wing player rather than post player. Thin, wiry player, effective shot blocker and rebounder, can also score from medium range. Has some good moves around the post, but needs to work on the weights. Will probably sign in the spring, and will probably play the 4 in college unless he redshirts for a year, which doesn't seem likely.