Spring Bling: Forward Fest
Last weekend was the annual Spring Bling tournament at SportONE Fieldhouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana. With a number of teams from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois, it made for a competitive environment in each division, and several younger prospects really…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLast weekend was the annual Spring Bling tournament at SportONE Fieldhouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana. With a number of teams from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois, it made for a competitive environment in each division, and several younger prospects really stepped up. Below is a look at five forward prospects who I thought stood out during my opportunities to watch them play.
Lauren Gerken
Lauren
Gerken
5'11" | PF
Findlay Liberty Benton | 2024
State
OH
, 2024, 6-1 PF/SF, Liberty-Benton H.S. (OH)
– Lauren was one of the best players in the gym on Sunday, regardless of class. She has such a complete game for a youngster, which is why a number of colleges have shown great interest in her already. She has length, a wiry-strong frame, and she moves well in most directions. She has a nice feel for the game, whether she’s battling inside for rebounds or scores, or she’s floating around the perimeter, setting screens, knocking down open jumpers, or attacking the basket. She’s also tough, physical, and she plays with a motor, plus Lauren can defend bigger wings, forwards, and undersized posts.
Abbie Lucas
Abbie
Lucas
6'0" | PF
Bloomington South | 2024
State
IN
, 2024, 6-0 PF, Bloomington H.S. South
– Abbie has relied on her athletic talent quite a bit in the past, and she has a lot of it. But so far this Spring she is playing with better awareness, more skill, and she’s shooting it more consistently in the mid-post. She’s still very bouncy with some speed and quickness, but she also looks noticeably stronger from a year ago. I like her versatility to step outside and defend wings and some bigger guards from time to time, especially when some of the smaller grassroots teams play all perimeter players, plus she’s an active rebounder. She’ll be an important returnee for South, as she’ll bring back the most experience.
Mia Jones, 2025, 5-10 SF/PF, Warsaw Community H.S.
– Last weekend was my first time seeing and/or hearing about Mia, and she is a very intriguing forward. She has really nice length, a wiry frame, and she’s a fluid athlete in all directions, plus she’s a somewhat bouncy kid. She plays with a good motor, and she can make plays with her ability at all three levels. She is probably best right now operating in the mid-post, but she did step outside a few times and do some things productively, plus she’ll get inside and rebound. I think as she gets stronger and finds a niche as a specific type of player, she has the talent to really take off and help the Tigers in the near future.
Rilee McBride, 2025, 5-9 SF/PF, Carmel H.S.
– Rilee might not have been the most talented prospect I saw Saturday afternoon, but she was one of the most productive. She operated a lot in the middle of the opponent’s zone, she did a nice job of catching and facing, and then it seemed like she always made the correct decision to either shoot, rip, drive, and finish, or find open wings for shots. She has a fairly strong frame, solid all-around athleticism, and she plays with a really nice motor. It was my first time really watching her at length, and I think she’s the type of kid who can help Carmel, and eventually a small college program, over the next few years.
Evie Sale, 2025, 5-9 PF/SF, Evansville North H.S.
– Evie is another really nice mid-post type of forward, and she’s still not much of a known commodity. Evie is a longer, leaner, bouncier type of prospect. She likes to work the baselines and sneak inside of opponents for rebounding position. She plays with an outstanding motor, she’s willing to be physical, and she doesn’t make “Freshman” mistakes often. She can finish inside with either hand, and she is solid in the 10 to 12-foot range. The next step for her is to consistently stretch her range to the perimeter. Following a couple of graduation losses, she’ll take on a bigger role for a good Evansville North team.