Top 2024/25 Forwards-The PRIME Event
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I guess I should have dropped a disclaimer in the opening article regarding 2025 guards, Keziah Lofton Keziah Lofton 5'11" | CG Bethany | 2025 State OK -5’11 PG (Lady Jets Randle 16U) Yukon HS, did not play, she’s been…
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Continue ReadingI guess I should have dropped a disclaimer in the opening article regarding 2025 guards, Keziah Lofton Keziah Lofton 5'11" | CG Bethany | 2025 State OK -5’11 PG (Lady Jets Randle 16U) Yukon HS, did not play, she’s been out for a while with a minor injury yet she’s also been #BCSLocked in for a minute and another top young player from Oklahoma, Taliyah Parker-6’0 PG (Banshees Sadler) also a #BCSLock and from the 2024 group but alas, the state is flourishing with talent and here are some of the standouts I caught from the state of OKLAHOMA
2024
Caya Smith Caya Smith 6'2" | SF Putnam City West | 2024 State OK -6’1 SF/PF (BTR 16U UAA) Putnam HS
Smith has been giving lessons for years and I’ll never forget the initial time I saw her yet 3 years ago, I said this. I’ve been using “long and athletic” as the base even when I played but what she is going now is scary, not for me but for defenders because her ability to elevate over them, either on the paint or the jumper is just mind-boggling, throw in she can grab it off the rim and go coast to coast to score however she wants to play the passing lane and score the same way
Sofi Woodson-6’2 PF/C (Unity Basketball-Hawkins GOLD) Jones HS
Woods finishes strongly, contact means absolutely nothing yet her power shows on the other end as she rebounds with authority on both ends. Yeah the putbacks or nice yet more of her “hands and footwork” were shown as well as her not only defending inside the paint but stepping out of it to guard her man
Breonna Hurd-6’2 SF/PF (Banshees Sadler) Waynesville HS
Hurd is one of those players I’ve used “I HURD that” on before, in St Louis in fact, right before my stop at Sweetie Pies for desert yet Hurd is now showing a complete menu of things she brings to the table, like her ability and desire to BATTLE, keep in mind, I love THROWBACK stuff and she follows the ball off the rim yet her finishes are solid, so is her defense and she’s scoring facing the basket, I SAW THAT!
2025
Laynee Stanley Laynee Stanley 6'0" | PF Fort Gibson | 2025 State OK -6’1 PF (Banshees Sandler) Yukon HS
Stanley keeps elevating her game, every time I catch her she mentions “I’ve been working”: and I definitely see it but let’s start with she’s “long and athletic” it’s still the base and as she continues to round them her playing the passing lane is always a treat but her timing is good to block, alter and deflect. She slices to the basket from the wing, scores after contact, and is scoring with the midrange but she also understands how to get hers in the flow
Erianna Gooden Erianna Gooden 6'0" | PG Northside | 2025 State AR -6’0 SF (Pro Skills YG)
Gooden just is becoming a player that finds ways to put the ball in the basket. She drops the mid to long-range jumper yet she’s agile and overpowers defenders on her way to the basket in the set. She also creates issues in the open court because she can handle the ball, under pressure and since she can shoot it, you have to play her tightly which isn’t always good because she definitely can get to the rim if you’re too close
Erikka Gooden Erikka Gooden 6'0" | SF Northside | 2025 State AR -5’11 PF (Pro Skills YG)
Gooden shows her POWER at the forward spot, she’s one of those “you won’t outwork me” types of players and her inside game is very strong, be it grabbing rebounds, on either end or finishing after the lick, this includes putbacks yet she also applies solid pressure on defense and can “man-up” from anywhere