Rankings Review: 2021 Power Forwards
On Thursday, March 28th, we posted our updated rankings for the Class of 2021. While there has been some talk that the class doesn’t necessarily rival the 2020 or 2022 classes around it, in my mind there are still several…
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Continue ReadingOn Thursday, March 28th, we posted our updated rankings for the Class of 2021. While there has been some talk that the class doesn’t necessarily rival the 2020 or 2022 classes around it, in my mind there are still several really nice prospects to consider. Below is a look at the Top-15 power forwards in Indiana’s Class of 2021:
1. Meg Newman, 6-2 F, Indianapolis North Central H.S.
In a class that has some really solid forwards and posts, Meg has stood out the last couple of years as someone who college coaches can really identify with. She has broad shoulders, a strong frame, good length, plus she runs the floor well North/South and has some bounce to her. She is much more skilled than a typical power forward, likes to handle it quite a bit, and she can knock down the 17-footer fairly consistent. While she can hit the occasional 3-pointer, if she can make that a regular weapon she’ll be tough to guard. She’s just so good in the mid-post right now, and a real mismatch because of her ability to hit shots or attack the basket from there. While she’ll block some shots and be a presence in the paint, I would like to see her guard better out on the floor. She has already picked up a lot of Division-I interest and some offers, and she should have an exciting Spring & Summer.
2. Bridget Dunn, 6-2 F, Carmel H.S.
While Bridget might not have moved off the #4 spot in our overall rankings for the Class of 2021, I feel like she is closing the gap between herself and the top three. I first saw Bridget between her 8th Grade and Freshman years, and she was a 5-8 to 5-9 wing guard with good perimeter skill. Over the last two years, though, she has really grown and gotten a little stronger, and now she’s an impressive face-up ‘4’ with great mobility and the skill to handle it a little around the perimeter. She’s also a very good shooter with range to the 3-point line. Yet, I still think there is a lot more to come from her. She has a ton of length, but she’s still a little thin, so once she finishes growing and adding muscle-mass, I think we’ll see even more differences in her game, because I think at that time she’ll start imposing her will more on the interior.
3. Nakaih Hunter, 5-11 F, Indianapolis North Central H.S.
Like Newman (above), Nakaih has had early opportunities in her career at North Central to affect the Varsity game. She is a strong, powerful, and physical front-liner who actually seeks out contact and prefers to play with it. She has soft hands, keeps the ball high, and powers through defenders to score it at the basket, often drawing and-1 opportunities. She’s a solid athlete, and she has a little length considering her strong frame. I think the next step in her evolution as a basketball player, is to start working on her non-dominant hand, but also to start developing a face-up game for mid-post work. The way she plays, I do think she can succeed at the Division-I level at 5-11, but it would certainly benefit her to play with a little more versatility and have a few tricks up her sleeve.
4. Katey Richason, 6-0 PF, Zionsville Community H.S.
Katey is just about everything you want out of a ballplayer. She is tough-nosed, physical, and aggressive, she plays with a great motor, she seems very coachable, and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to help her teams win. She is one of those “right-place-right-time” type of kids, as she always comes up with big plays down the stretch in games. This high school season, she really started to show a much-improved perimeter skillset. She handled the ball a lot more than I have ever seen out of her, and she knocked down 31 3-pointers, more than doubling her total from her Freshman year. She has drawn a lot of interest and a couple of offers from Midwestern mid-major Division-I schools, and I think if she can consistently show that same face-up ability this Spring & Summer, it will only help to further her recruiting.
5. Alex Richard, 6-1 PF, Avon H.S.
Alex has the absolute look of an athlete. She has broad shoulders, a strong and powerful, but lean frame, she has good length, and at times she wears this no-nonsense scowl that intimidates opponents. A year ago, I would have said she was bordering on becoming more of a true post because she was strong, physical, and imposing around the block. But now she is moving around the floor so much better and more comfortably, she looks altogether more explosive, and she is starting to shoot the face-up jumper much more regularly and consistently. If she continues to show more fluidity in her movements, work on her handle a bit, and knock down jumpers at a solid rate, I think it will tremendously help her recruiting, and she’ll see those results from colleges ringing her phone this Summer.
The Next 10:
6. Maycee Lange, 6-0 PF, Vincennes Lincoln H.S.
7. Trinity Thompson, 6-0 PF, Michigan City H.S.
8. Jade Nutley, 6-0 PF, Madison Consolidated H.S.
9. Laila Rogers, 5-9 PF/SF, Bishop Noll Institute
10. Tenleigh Phelps, 5-10 PF, Triton Central H.S.
11. Destiny Jackson, 5-10 PF/SF, Fort Wayne Northrop H.S.
12. Jasmine Walker, 5-10 PF, Clarksville H.S.
13. Rebekah Gordon, 5-11 PF, Heritage Hills H.S.
14. Lauren Sandrock, 5-11 PF/SF, Franklin Community H.S.
15. Natalie Howard, 5-11 PF, Ben Davis H.S.
Header photo of Meg Newman of Indianapolis’ North Central High School. Photo courtesy of Ian Hansen of nchslive! at nchslive.com.