Top Power Forwards Austin/San Antonio area

Watching [player_tooltip player_id="136312" first="Zoe" last="Nelson"] over the years has been a treat as I caught her numerous times before high school and one in particular when she left a lasting impression at a college camp and their coach called me about "the kid that played all five positions" and the stage was set and yes, she still plays multiple positions but watching her, [player_tooltip player_id="96925" first="Shelby" last="Hayes"] and [player_tooltip player_id="135378" first="Lexi" last="Alexander"] countless times before they entered high school as well as the improvement from [player_tooltip player_id="135372" first="Christeen" last="Iwuala"] in a short span speaks volumes for this group and although many caught my eye recently, the main thing is. drumroll please, I SAW THEM and FYI, one more time, "the magic number" means 6’0 which almost assures the next level 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="136312" first="Zoe" last="Nelson"] (Hendrickson) Current Rank #19 Nelson came into her own this past season as more than just a player with unlimited talent and size as she learned something valuable, how to carry her team. Her high school squad lost several key players from the previous year, they were ranked among the top teams in the state for most of the year but Nelson turned into a double-double waiting to happen and took the squad farther [player_tooltip player_id="136346" first="Tajanna" last="White"] (Cedar Ridge) Current Rank #61 White’s performance at the Katy Classic in Houston solidified what I saw in the South Texas Classic and that was a simple fact is that she is powerful, she brings it every game and you will not outwork her. She battles for every rebound, she defends strongly in the paint and that power ties into how she not only attacks the basket but finishes after contact [player_tooltip player_id="136351" first="Asjha" last="Leake"] (Steele) Current Rank #68 Leake falls into that "silent assassin" category because of much of what she does which might go unnoticed to the novice fan/evaluator yet one thing that everyone should notice is her size and strength. The things that are unnoticed are her picks that lead to baskets, her ability to switch on defense to stop baskets as well as her ability to read plays but she rebounds and finishes, that you should see [player_tooltip player_id="136361" first="Sophia" last="Haberer"] (Brandeis) Current Rank #74 Harberer doesn’t mind being physical, on either end of the court because she can give it as well as take it but watching her attack the basket with force and finish with players hanging on her countless times at the South Texas Classic took me into #THROWBACK player mode. Her energy level stays the same, she defends well and she showed she could rebound on both ends [player_tooltip player_id="158669" first="Jordyn" last="Watson"] (Fulshear) Current Rank #77 Watson was another player I knew nothing about and I quickly realized who her folks were by the countless club coaches around her parents spinning foolishness and first of all, she’s long and athletic and right around "the magic number" which assures her "next level" somewhere, that’s common sense but she turned it on in the second half of their playoff game and glided through the air for baskets, played the passing lane and showed the midrange 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="135372" first="Christeen" last="Iwuala"] (Reagan) Current Rank #8 Iwuala impressed me last summer during club season however she overly impressed me at She’s Ballin which is why I elevated her ranking. Strong, powerful and determined combined with the size and a good skill set but when you throw in  her athletic ability, she take smaller defenders off the dribble, well taller ones too and her rebounding, as well as throwing outlet passes had me saying "oh my" [player_tooltip player_id="96925" first="Shelby" last="Hayes"] (Cedar Park) Current Rank #20 Hayes is another #THROWBACK player that takes me back because she understands how to use "the drop step" as well as getting defenders off balance. Good size combined with skills and knowing how to use your body to your advantage equates into her mindset of thinking the game. She also can face the basket and score and when you add "rebounds on both ends" there you have it [player_tooltip player_id="135378" first="Lexi" last="Alexander"] (Cedar Ridge) Current Rank #30 Alexander elevated up the list just like she elevates on her jumper, smooth and powerful and her "college-ready body" applies plenty of punishment as she attacks the basket from every angle but again that elevation on the mid to long-range jumper is something she has kept working on and it’s working over and over. She’s hungry on defense, rebounds and plays the passing lane [player_tooltip player_id="135387" first="Amira" last="Mabry"] (Judson) Current Rank #41 Mabry has shown me so much that I don’t even take notes anymore, her game is forever embedded in my mind yet I do remember the progression that she shows every year since I first saw her. Here we go again, long and athletic is the base, she’s very long and very athletic, she alters, deflects and blocks shots, she rebounds, ignites the break and finishes on the other end, she scores around the basket and just makes things happen [player_tooltip player_id="135398" first="Madelyn" last="Garza"] (Johnson) Current Rank #54 Garza just keeps going and going like that bunny which enabled her to hop on the list. Strong body, she slices to the rim from the wing, she finishes consistently and she also can face the basket and score. She has nice form on her shot and her strength enables her to get it off after being hit but she loves to rebound, she does it on both ends of the court and she still has some upside