MSU Basketball Commits to Face Off
The Michigan State Spartans were able to land two top-priority forwards in Jordan Scott and Cam Ward, both elite four-star talents.
Scott, of South Lakes High School in Virginia, and Ward, of Largo High School in Maryland, are ranked the No. 52 and No. 54 prospects nationally, per 247Sports.
South Lakes and Largo will face off against each other on Jan. 11. It will mark a highly anticipated interstate showdown between the two prospects.
Both players are forwards -- Scott is the No. 11 small forward in the class and Ward is the No. 11 power forward, so there is a good chance the two could match up during the contest. Scott and Ward are both 6-foot-7 and share similar skill sets. Scott is more of a three-level scorer, though.
"He's a very active wing rebounder, has good defensive metrics, a developing shooting stroke from behind the three-point line, a good feel for the game, and an understanding of how to play within the team concept," 247Sports' Adam Finkelstein wrote in his evaluation of the Reston, Virginia native. "... The most translatable part of Scott's offensive game right now is probably his three-point shooting. He's not a totally pure shooter, but made almost 36% of his attempts on high-volume (7+ attempts per game), while showing deep range and a relatively compact release. There is similar projectability on the defensive end given his size, active hands, nose for the ball (2.6 stocks per game), and bursts of movement."
Ward's game, while versatile, is that of a more traditional forward.
"His frame is solid, particularly in his lower body where he has long and strong legs," Finkelstein wrote. " ... While Ward's game does not yet extend beyond 15 feet with any type of consistency (he was just 4-for-32 from three in EYBL play), he has a versatile attack from the mid-range and in. His first step isn't dynamic, but he puts pressure on the rim in short drive situations (especially when he's able to catch and rip), gets off his feet pretty quickly as a finisher, and gets himself to the free-throw line in high volume because he goes right into contact. Ward can post mismatches and shows some floor vision and passing ability with his back to the basket, even throwing crosscourt skips. While he may want to expand his handle and shooting range in future years, right now Ward is hugely efficient inside the arc with 62% shooting on two-point field goals.
"Defensively too, he is more naturally suited to defend fours than threes, but he's plenty physical and a high-volume rebounder who can finish possessions next to a rim-protecting five. ... The bottom line is that when Ward embraces being a four-man, he's a hugely productive and efficient as both a scorer and rebounder."
Scott and Ward were top priorities for a reason, and a glimpse of them sharing a court (albeit in opposing uniforms) should be exciting.
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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