By JACK LeGWIN
LAKELAND, Fla.– Trent Forrest , a 6-foot-3 2016 shooting guard from Chipley (FL), has turned many heads during the season, but he made a statement in the Florida state tournament, averaging 32.5 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists in two wins over Malone and Hawthorne.
“It feels great,” Forrest told SNY.tv after the state championship win over Hawthorne in which he scored 26 points, grabbed 11 boards and added in 7 assists. “It feels great to come here and actually win one. It’s really just amazing.”
The No. 32 ranked junior in the nation by 247 Sports, Forrest scored 39 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in front of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino and assistant Mike Balado and in a win over Malone in the state semifinals.
“One of the assistants texted me after the game,” Forrest said. “I didn’t even know that Coach Pitino or the assistants were here to be honest. But it’s definitely a good look because he’s one of the best coaches in all of the NCAA.”
Forrest feels that the move from Chipley to college will be an easy one, because of his ability to contribute in multiple ways.
“I think it’ll be a great transition for me, because I know I won’t have to score as much,” Forrest said. “I just want to effect the game and win. If you want me to rebound, I’ll rebound, if you want me to set someone up, I’ll do that. I just want to effect it in any way that I can.”
Forrest says that he has not thought about taking specific visits yet, but he does know that he will be taking visits after the summer.
“I don’t know yet where I’ll take visits,” Forrest said. “The in-state schools have been on me hard, but it’s just a matter of time, of thinking about what is the best choice for me and going from there. I’ll be taking the visits probably in the fall sometime.”
According to Forrest, there have been six schools working the hardest, but no one is showing more interest than another.
“Florida, Florida State, Miami, Providence, Texas A&M, Texas Tech,” Forrest said. “It’s between all of them. They are all staying on top of me.”
Forrest currently holds offers from Florida State, Miami, Providence, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Murray State, UNLV, Oregon State, UCF, Tennessee, USC, Wake Forest and Wichita State.
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Pitino and Balado also watched 2017 Sarasota Christian Forward Emmanuel Lambright, as well as 2015 Louisville commit Ryan McMahon.
Photo: Hardy LeGwin
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