First it was Abreu, then Betancourt and now another little guard from Puerto Rico is on a mission.Meet Francisco "Furro" Lopez, the 5'10 Class of 2011 SG, who transfered last year to La Salle HIgh School (Miami) is on a mission. The former Bucaplaa Club SG has been working on making the switch to PG and is now working with PR Playmakers to help him get to the next level.
IPRB spoke with a recruiting insider who had this to say about Lopez," He's got the ability to play at the next level and can flat out score. Like a lot of the guards coming out of Puerto Rico he is small and will need to show recruiters and coaches that he can play against bigger and stronger guards. The size issue is always there when you talk about a 5'10 SG.
He had a solid summer playing AAU for Gold Coast AAU Program and showed glimpses of a guy who could be really really good. The question a lot of coaches will ask is if he can play the PG position. He's in a perfect position playing at La Salle and simply put he must prove he can play."
IPRB spoke with "Furro's" father, Frankie Lopez, who is very confident that his son can play at the next level. "I've been taking my son to play all around Puerto Rico since he was 4 years old. I know he has the ability and desire to play. This has been a dream of his for as long as I can remember. I know he can do it and all we need is for a coach to take a chance. He is not only a very good player but is an even better person."
Lopez should also benefit from the fact that he is a very good student who has a 3.5 GPA. PR Playmakers Founder Todd Washington said, "Furro has the whole package. He can play, has good grades, is fluent in English and most importantly he is focused and working hard to reach his goals. He has some challenges in front of him to include, taking the SAT, completing the transition from SG to PG and showing he can compete against bigger players. We are excited to have him in our program and he understands the ball is in his hands. His work ethic and performance both on and off the court will determine if he plays at the next level. Based on what I have heard from both he and his father, Furro will get the job done."
IPRB plans to keep our eye on Furro and see if he has what it takes to get to the next level.
