Fall Rankings Review: 2024 Small Forwards
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The featured image is of Kayla Wilkerson Kayla Wilkerson 5'8" | SF Lake Station Edison | 2024 IN (2024) of Lake Station’s Thomas A. Edison High School. Last Friday, September 23rd, we released the Fall rankings update for the Class…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Kayla Wilkerson Kayla Wilkerson 5'8" | SF Lake Station Edison | 2024 IN (2024) of Lake Station’s Thomas A. Edison High School.
Last Friday, September 23rd, we released the Fall rankings update for the Class of 2024. There were a handful of new additions, a lot of players who raised their “stock”, so to speak, so subsequently a lot of movement throughout the list. I wanted to take this time to circle back and address all of the ranked prospects, position by position. Below is a look at 48 small forward prospects who make up 27.4% of the rankings this time around, with analysis on a handful to “keep an eye on” detailed at the bottom.
KEEP AN EYE ON:
Aniyah has already scored 638 points and snagged 276 rebounds through the first half of her career at Lake Central, but she has had a rough go of it during the last two grassroots seasons. In 2021, she was injured and missed the entire Spring and Summer, so no one had the opportunity to see her. Then this past year, she had her moments, but she often had to play a post role out of necessity. She is extremely long, wiry-strong, and explosive in all directions, she is a playmaking point forward, and she’s drawing mid-major interest.
Adrianne experienced the travel scene for the first time this year, and you could really see a big change in her game from March through July. She is an athletically built, somewhat bouncy, and well-balanced talent. I wouldn’t say she’s overly quick/fast, but she moves very well and is able to defend all ‘2s’ and ‘3s’, even some point guards, the length of the floor. Offensively, she is a playmaker off the bounce. She can handle and create for others, or she can just attack the basket and finish. She’s also a nice rebounder at both ends.
Keylee is another hybrid type of player who can do a lot of different things fairly well. She has a solid to strong frame, solid length, and she doesn’t mind playing with physicality. Defensively, she’s probably most effective against bigger guards, wings, and even some undersized forwards, plus she’ll rebound her position. Offensively, though, she acts as a point forward, a nice game manager, and she herself can knock down open rhythm jumpers or attack the basket for scores. She has a really nice handle and good vision.
Unfortunately, Alivia missed the 2022 grassroots season after injuring her knee at the end of the high school season. But she should be back and ready to go next month. She is an incredibly tough-nosed, high-motor, and feisty type of wing. She loves to play through contact, get after loose balls and rebounds, and just do whatever it takes to help her team(s) win games. She’s incredibly valuable as that blue-collared type of player, because she always finds a way to produce, plus she has worked hard to develop her skillset.
Highlights
Shena had an outstanding Summer, and she is already drawing the eyes of some of the better small colleges in the Midwest. A strong Winter at La Lumiere, and her interest should continue to grow. She is a long, wiry-strong, quick, fast, and bouncy athlete. She plays with a nonstop motor, flies all over the floor, and she can be an intimidating 84-foot defender to opposing ball-handlers at times. She can even defend some point guards full-court. Offensively, she is a scorer. She loves the ball in her hands, and she can make shots with range.
Becca is somewhat of a hidden gem, because she hasn’t been a big grassroots participant. She is extremely long and wiry, she’s a fairly fluid athlete in most directions, and she has a versatile skillset that allows her to take on multiple roles. Valpo was very balanced last year, but she actually led them in scoring at 10.8 points per game. She shot the ball reasonably well from beyond the arc (33%) and from the charity stripe (68%), and she’s an active rebounder. I also like her ability to use her length to get a lot of deflections/steals.
Aniya is another “sleeper”, but she does have talent and potential. She has broad shoulders, an athletic frame, and some length. She moves fairly well in most directions, and she likes to play with contact from the wing. Her high school team has won just three games combined through her first two seasons, and with her being the key piece, defenses try to eliminate her early and often. But she can handle it a little, attack the basket with physicality, and she has a nice mid-range game. She can also post smaller defenders.