GASO Fall Classic Duncanville: DFW Post Presence

Several big men established themselves as forces to be reckoned with on the block during the Duncanville GASO. TexasHoops analyst Lyndon Cook takes a look at the best of the bigs he saw over the weekend, and analyzes the impact the impact each of them made on the court.

Johnathan Aku - iSchool Entrepreneurial Academy

Aku has always cut an imposing figure on the basketball court. Six-foot-10 with the frame of a college big man, he looks the part even though his skills are still a little on the raw side. But on Saturday we saw a different Aku, one who started to show some nuance and finesse in his game. The big fella was finding cutting teammates for assists and his post footwork looked some level above what we saw in the summer. Aku is a player who has always had the tools to be an elite big man, and from the looks of it he has started to turn a corner as it applies to his skill level.

Darius Miles - Waxahachie

Miles has had an interesting past year, going from backup to Russell Barlow at Bishop Lynch, to transferring to Little Elm but never playing a game for the Lobos, and finally winding up at 5A power Waxahachie. But on Saturday, we saw a big who could give the Indians an inside presence that they will need after being hit hard by graduation last season. Miles was burying smaller defenders in the low block and got layup after layup in Waxahachie's game against Harker Heights. Miles looked in markedly better shape than last season, and while he still has a ways to go to fit into Greg Gober's high effort system at Waxahachie, the fact that he has found a home where he can be a force inside bodes well for him over the next two seasons.

Stanley Joseph - Plano

Jospeh was another big whose skill level has clearly risen since the summer, with the Plano big man making strong post moves to get into scoring positions at or around the rim. His finishing was a little bit off on Sunday, particularly with his turnaround, but the footwork and power he showed in getting to the middle of paint was very promising. On the other end, his rim protection was outstanding with several blocks per game and he pulled down seemingly every rebound that came his way.

Kenyawn Bowie - Dallas Kimball

Bowie put in a full day's work on Saturday with Dallas Kimball, ducking in and demanding the ball on the block early and often in each of their games. Bowie also showed a great understanding of his role as a big, posting up when his team needed him and sliding to the weak side to catch a drop off when the likes of Cobe Williams or Deaunte Lee decided to drive. Bowie showed good positional post defense and some springs as well, throwing down a few power jams throughout the day.

Erik Witt - FW Eastern Hills

Witt is starting to round into a very nice player, and his ability to score inside and out makes him that much more valuable to his team. Witt shot the three ball well on Sunday, put it on the floor and showed some promising flashes in the post. Though Eastern Hills were outmatched against the likes of St. Mark's and Duncanville at the GASO Fall Classic, their star forward's potential shined through as something for the Highlanders to build on going into the season. Long and lean, Witt has the foundation in place to develop into a highly sought-after prospect as a swing forward.