North Forsyth Summer League – 6/21 Standouts

CUMMING, GA – Coach David Sokol and the North Forsyth basketball program hosted a strong field last week for 4 days of highly competitive June hoops.

I was able to get over for some Tuesday 6/21 action, here are some guys who were at the top of their games for the 4 of 6 tips I saw.

By Keith Agran

Caleb Underwood | 5-10 | CG | South Forsyth | 2024

Combined nicely with 2023 forward Jackson Spitzer on an inside-out combo, Underwood is sound with the ball and really sees the game well when he’s handling the point, he can also be a good wing scorer even though undersized as he’s got good burst off the dribble and is clever around the hoop, has a chance to really establish his own place on the scene with older brother Ethan moved on, dropped 19 in a last-second loss to Hooch.

Guillermo Esparza | 6-3 | SF | Chattahoochee | 2024

The ultimate worker he got the buzzer-beater to beat South Forsyth to top off a 21-pt effort, he gives the Cougars the same workmanlike interior effort and fight he gives Georgia Legacy 16U and it’s quickly become an invaluable tool for them in a lineup with athletes Cam James and Jaylen Edgerton on the wings and Aidan Temple as the stretch 4 and PG Yuta Yamamoto running the whole works, his hustle play will be a key for them next year as they have the horses to make a playoff run.

Brayden Turner | 6-4 | SG | North Forsyth | 2024

Coming off a really solid #GBCALive opening weekend the Raiders continued that with crisp play in a win over Towns County, Turner is a star on the rise with impeccable shooting ability and good size to be a threat against most opposing lineups, he spends a good amount of time spotting at the arc but has developed more foot speed and lateral quickness since this time last year and has time to get even better, this North team is one to watch next year with 2024’s Turner, Cole Kirouac and Braden Mullis and 2023 guard Kal-El Delgadillo forming a rock-solid quartet.

Brendan Tousignaut | 6-4 | SG | Sequoyah | 2025

Used the #GBCALive weekend to announce himself as a 2025 to watch even though Preston Parker was outstanding and certainly stole some headlines, at North he was solid once again showing the inside-out scoring ability which has become his moniker and a real crafty knowledge of the game and how to find advantages to compete, this whole Chiefs bunch is new but had a great weekend at LakePoint and even though they lost to Dunwoody at Raider Arena they’ll be better than people think.

Ryan Smith | 6-4 | SG | Dunwoody | 2023

Has been one of my favorite under-the-radar guys coming out of spring travel play and his 24 points vs Sequoyah showed once again how versatile he can be, has terrific grit in his game and an all-go-no-quit style which not only inspires his teammates but really gets under the skin of the opposition, can shoot it and guard multiple spots and get at the basket, combines with fellow 2023 Nick Wood both at Dunwoody HS and with Dunwoody United 17U for a heck of an underrated backcourt and each is must-see stuff in July and into next fall.

Keenan Gagen | 6-0 | SG | Lambert | 2023

No James Tyre meant more touches for sure for Gagen and explosive Niko Wilson, Gagen actually came off the bench to be a key in pulling away from Hooch and tallied 30 pts on the game, he was a bit of breakout to watch last regular season and looks poised to build on that as he has gotten stronger to go with the serious speed up the floor and at the hole, a knockdown 3-pt shooter as well if the Longhorns can get some physicality from their young big guys what was already going to be another dangerous bunch up in Suwanee could be even better.

Keith Agran has lived in Georgia since 2011 and joined OTR as a National Evaluator in 2021. He previously scouted for Prep Hoops dating back to 2019 and has both a championship-coaching background on the HS-level and daily newspaper writing experience, both from New Jersey. You can reach him at keithagran1@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @BracketSage.