There was a lot of buzz surrounding Southeast Guilford coming into the season. They received numerous transfers (in addition to keeping the talent already on the roster) and looked likely to emerge as one of the top teams in Guilford County. The Falcons have already surpassed their best season during Coach Muirfield’s eight-year tenure at the school, currently standing at 17-7 (including a forfeit loss) heading into their final game of the year. The reason(s)' They have a healthy balance of veteran varsity pieces, talented young prospects, and solid depth. That being said, it’s easy to see why Ahmed Jawo is already standing out as a major x-factor and someone who should be monitored closely by scholarship-level coaches.
At a long, fluid 6-foot-8, Jawo possesses a great blend of instincts, toughness, and physical attributes. He understands how to protect the rim, apply scoring pressure as needed, and rebound the ball on both ends. Right now, Jawo mainly thrives as a rim-runner who blocks shots, runs the floor in transition, and lurks for lobs/putbacks. His offensive game is still developing but he’s already a quality athlete with the ability to finish from the block or above the rim. Arguably the most impressive part about his rim-protection is the ability to anchor the paint without possessing a ton of strength, as it only indicates that he’ll get better as he continues to refine his body.
This season, the big man is posting nightly averages of 9.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 1.0 BPG while shooting 64% from the floor. Given the pending graduation of multiple pieces, it’s easy to envision him being a double-double machine next season. There is so much appeal with Jawo, but he’s still only scratching the surface of his long-term upside. Expect him to be a popular name amongst spectators and college coaches over the next twelve months.