2022 Rankings Update: Best Forwards
With versatility becoming more and more important in basketball, positions have become less defined. There are still players like wings and guards who play primarily on the perimeter and bigs who dominate the inside, but there is also a growing…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith versatility becoming more and more important in basketball, positions have become less defined. There are still players like wings and guards who play primarily on the perimeter and bigs who dominate the inside, but there is also a growing number of players who have the ability to play and defend inside and out with great proficiency. While it is difficult to group these players into one position, we have labeled them as forwards for the sake of this evaluation. As expected, this is one of likely the most diverse group of these position rankings in terms of skills and playing style. So let’s look at the top players from the class of 2022 who have earned the designation of forward.
Amiya Jenkins Amiya Jenkins 5'10" | SF Anderson County | 2022 State KY , Anderson County- Not only the top player among these forwards, Jenkins has also cemented herself as the top player in the class of 2022 and one of the top players in the state period. She led Anderson County through the first round before the state tournament’s postponement, standing out as the top player on one of the state’s elite teams. Jenkins also embodies all the attributes one would expect from an elite forward, showing an ability to score inside and out on one end and guard all five positions on the other.
Alyssa Elswick Alyssa Elswick 5'10" | C Shelby Valley | 2022 State KY , Shelby Valley- Fitting into the modern idea of a combo-forward, Elswick has the ability to become an elite inside-out player moving forward. She has the inside part down, combining her athleticism and strength with good skills inside to average 15 points and 8 rebounds, great inside numbers. She also has the skills to add perimeter excellence to her game but needs to work on her jump shot. If she can get it to fall consistently, Elswick can shoot even further up these rankings.
Riley Neal Riley Neal 5'11" | SF North Oldham | 2022 State KY , North Oldham- One of the most statistically impressive players in the state this season, Neal put up a superb 23.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, numbers that are both tops on this list. As those stats would suggest, Neal was a dominant force on the inside that most teams could not stop. What they do not show is her athleticism and ball-handling skills that allowed her to get out in transition and play on the perimeter as well as inside. If she can continue to play as well as she did this season, expect Neal to make some headlines and secure her spot as an elite player in the state.
Tyra Flowers Tyra Flowers 5'10" | SF George Rogers Clark | 2022 State KY , George Rogers Clark- One of several young weapons for George Rogers Clark this season, Flowers showed plenty of potential. She had stretches where she looked like a deadly weapon for the Lady Cards. Even when she took a backseat she did well as a rebounder and versatile defender. With more opportunities for moving forward for one of the state’s consistently great teams, Flowers should be able to show more and more what a weapon she can be.
Emma Egan Emma Egan 5'8" | SF Bullitt East | 2022 State KY , Bullitt East- Another player who was a piece of a great team, Egan featured in a big way for the Lady Chargers. She filled many roles, grinding on the inside, playing the tough defense that was one of the trademarks of the team, and even handling for stretches. This gave Egan all the versatility one could hope for from a forward and shows she has the skills to become a star in the years to come.