First time pruning/defoliation

right now isn't a bad time, but you want to have some sort of plan... the space you will fill with it.. how many colas do you want? how much more vege time? etc etc... if you can get the number you want 'now' you prune it up, lst it a bit so everything is even level for even growth... let it recover and go to 12-12. if you need more growth you may want to just clean it up a bit.. maybe not top unless you need to top multiple times to get the effect you want... etc etc... it may need to grow out more in order to have enough room to begin such things. e.g. if you wanted ~9 colas on the plant... i'd top it / prune lower growth down to the top 2 pair of strong axillary growth plus 2 at new terminal. Top those after the 2nd node. Removing lower node on each may be a good idea but again comes down to future intentions / personal preferences. Those could give '4' more shoots but likely shorter and smaller colas with larfier lower regions and potentially clogging up airflow in central areas of plant. Anyway, those 4 shoots will fork into 2 vertical growths each... 8 colas... likely 2 in middle should keep up and eventually gain apical dominance - train to slow down if needed.. ~9 is a better idea due to symmetry of spaced filled (2x2, 3x3=9, 4x4 etc).. so, you can cut off one of the 2 at top for a clone if needed. down to 9 colas. if you need to fit into a rectanctulas space you might go 4colas x 2 colas formations. this will involve more training, likely tying something up to hold it in place. at the very least you can remove a leaf or two that is bunched up or otherwise ~100% shielded from light alwys better to let the plant shed leaves, but i remove them for easier watering access as well as airflow reasons too. if they are all bunched up, they will grow abnormally as well as prmotot microbial growth like powedery mildew.