Stock-Risers: 2021 Small Forwards

Last Wednesday we released our Winter rankings update for the Class of 2021. Since it comes just after the midpoint of the 2020-2021 high school season, I felt like it was a great opportunity to highlight five young ladies who have either played well following our September update, or who have gotten off to nice starts to their Senior seasons. Below are five wings, all still uncommitted to the best of our knowledge, who are quickly gaining the respect of their teammates and opponents as the season turns toward the home stretch. &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130347" first="Kyra" last="Kennedy"], 2021, 5-8 SF, Northfield H.S.</strong></span> Kyra’s stock rising is more circumstantial than anything. She was a Varsity contributor as a Freshman, a Varsity starter as a Sophomore, but she missed her Junior year after suffering a serious injury. She has returned this Winter to give the Lady Norse quite the boost to their lineup. Kyra is long, wiry strong, and extremely athletic in all directions, including bouncy. She plays with a great motor, she can defend guards, wings, and some undersized small forwards, and she is great defending on the ball with her length and quickness. Offensively, she isn’t much of a jump-shooter, so she scores inside of 15-feet a lot, but good luck trying to stop her from getting to the rim. She could be a small college steal at this point. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130350" first="Makena" last="Knepp"], 2021, 5-8 SF, Northridge H.S.</strong></span> Makena is the quintessential Northridge type of player. She has a solid/strong frame, she plays with a nice motor, she has a solid understanding of the game, and she is incredibly versatile. Makena really started to take off during the Summer between her Sophomore and Junior years. Since then, she has been a regular contributor for the Lady Raiders, plus she has had nice showings during the grassroots seasons. She is willing to be physical as a wing, she’ll even get inside and rebound/defend, but she also has perimeter skill. She is a capable ball-handler and passer, she shoots it consistently from outside and from the line, and she’s a solid North/South athlete who can get downhill. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130394" first="Alea" last="Minnich"], 2021, 5-9 SF, NorthWood H.S.</strong></span> Alea really just popped up last year as NorthWood made their run to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. She has never been a regular grassroots participant, but watching them throughout the tournament, she had noticeable skill and ability. She has some length, a fluid athleticism to her, plus she is skillful around the perimeter. At times, she acts as a point forward for NorthWood, and she can handle and distribute the ball. This year, however, she is really looking to score the ball and be the Black Swish’s primary option...she is averaging 15.8 points per game versus 8.2 last year. She will get inside and rebound, plus she’s capable of defending bigger guards, wings, and undersized power forwards. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="99429" first="Julia" last="Schutz"], 2021, 5-11 SF/PF, Andrean H.S.</strong></span> Julia has really changed her game over the years, and it has been interesting to watch. Since she arrived at Andrean, she has grown at least three inches, she has gotten much stronger, and she has actually gone from more of a wing/guard to a versatile forward who can play inside-out. What’s most impressive is that in addition to her growth and physical development, she has also maintained her perimeter skill. She has a solid handle, she’s a nice passer, plus she can knock down the 3-pointer on occasion. She has started from the beginning of her career and scored her 1000th point just recently. She has posted career high averages in both scoring and rebounding this season as well. <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130374" first="Da’Naria" last="Washington"], 2021, 5-9 SF, Lawrence Central H.S.</strong></span> Ever since her Freshman year, Da’Naria has been making plays for the Lady Bears. She is a hard-working athlete with tremendous length, and she’s starting to see her efforts pay off with wins these last two seasons. Da’Naria can run and jump with most players in the 2021 class, she scores primarily by attacking the basket or off of offensive rebounds, and she can defend multiple positions, plus she’s great in trapping situations. In the past, she has been more of an explosive power forward who works inside of 15-feet, but recently she has started handling the ball more and making plays off the bounce. If she can add a consistent jump-shot, she could be highly effective at the next level.