WEST POINT — When asked about his unusual first name, West Point High School boys basketball standout Ecurb Forest smiles.
“My dad’s name is Bruce Forest, and when they were picking out my name, he just turned Bruce backwards and came up with Ecurb,” Forest said. “It’s definitely unique, makes me stand out.”
That name isn’t the only factor that has made Forest stand out from the crowd. Lately, his play on the court has been gaining him attention.
The senior guard, who has led the Green Wave in scoring all season, is playing his best basketball the Green Wave’s six-game winning streak, a run that includes a 72-62 win against West Lowndes on Saturday at New Hope’s Trojan Holiday Classic. In that game, Forest set a new career-high with 31 points.
For his accomplishments, Forest is The Dispatch’s Prep Player of the Week.
“We knew coming into the season we needed him to step up and carry some of the scoring load,” West Point coach Brad Cox said. “He scored 19 three or four times this year, then he skipped the 20s to go right to 31. He has put in a lot of work, all the way back to the summer. He would come in and put up extra shots, come in on the weekend. He has really accepted that role.”
West Point’s winning streak dates back to a road game at Houston. In that game, Forest scored 19 points, which stood as a career-high for two weeks. In the streak, the 6-foot-1 guard is scoring 19 points per game.
“I have put in a lot of extra work,” Forest said. “Knowing my team needed me to score, I stayed after practice a lot and just put up a bunch of shots. That has helped my game.”
The emergence of senior point guard Dason Thomas, who joined the boys basketball team late after playing quarterback for the school’s football team, has aided Forest. Thomas’ arrival has made West Point’s backcourt hard to stop. It also has made Forest’s job easier. The pair combined for 39 points in the team’s second win against Houston. Thomas has helped take pressure off Forest and has freed him up for more open opportunities.
“We knew we had two shooters who could open things up,” Cox said. “They can both shoot it, and they feed off of each other.”
Forest agreed.
“Me and Dason have been playing together since we were in the seventh grade,” Forest said. “I know where he’s going to be. He knows where I’m going to be. We’re very comfortable playing together.”
Forest’s scoring has increased since Thomas joined the team, and that’s fine with Thomas.
“He’s a great shooter,” Thomas said. “We are confident when he has the ball in his hands because he knows how to score.”
Against West Lowndes, Forest scored in a variety of ways. He hit two 3-pointers in each half and used his ballhandling skills to get to the basket for easy shots at the rim.
“That’s something I’ve been working on,” Forest said of getting into the paint. “First, I was working on my shot, but lately I’ve been working hard getting to the rim. I think that has helped my game a lot.”
West Point (9-5) will enter district play tonight with a game at Saltillo. Nine wins is a strong showing for a team that had to replace eight seniors from last year’s playoff squad. With so many key contributors gone, Forest knew he had a chance to earn a lot of playing time.
“We knew guys would have to step up,” Forest said. “My role just happens to be scoring, and I’m getting more comfortable with it every day.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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