Updated Rankings - Small Forwards '25

It is Rankings Update Season I get to cover the Small Forwards in the class of 2025 this time around. Many of these players I have written about several times before and there are a few new names. Unfortunately, I only have one face because the very nice-looking new feature of graphics never seems to work for me. I have tried everything. They just will not load so that I can type a word. And due to an update, as much as I appreciate Ms. Ridderikhoff, this was the only picture of these players I have to upload. All others were lost. But, who cares, I don't take good photos anyway and you don't come here to see the photos I take of a player standing in from of cinderblock walls or metal doors (did I mention I take horrible pictures). No. You came here to read about some of the best players in the Commonwealth. So let's just get into this, shall we?   [player_tooltip player_id='254273' first='ZaKiyah' last='Johnson'] - 6'0" - SF - Sacred Heart - West Virginia Thunder - '25 At the top of this list is a player that doesn't really fit any one position. From what I witnessed last season and from what I heard Johnson played all fixed positions at one time or another. sometimes in the same game. She doesn't just play all of these positions either, she excels at playing all of these positions. Sure, there might be a better player at one specific position or another. But I don't know of any other player in the Commonwealth that you could plug into any spot on the court for any Offense or Defense that would excel at every position.   Last season she was the leading scorer (17.7 points), leading rebounder (7.6 rebounds), and top free throw shooter (76.8% with 184 attempts) on a team that was already the Defending State Champion. She led them back to win another Championship in dominating fashion by only losing TWICE to any teams from Kentucky by a total of 4 points. Other than a few teams they had to play by KHSAA rules, they faced multiple great programs game after game. Ask any Coach that has had to play against her and they will sing her praises or bemoan how tough she is to prepare for and play against, maybe both. In five games this season, and playing for a team depleted by multiple graduations to move on to College Basketball (but still loaded with talent), she is still leading the team in scoring (21. points), rebounds (7.4 per game), and free throws attempts (20). She is currently shooting the three 12% better than last season (38.5%) and although I have not seen her play recently, she is probably better at other things because her work ethic is incredible. If you are a D1 Coach you have to see her play if for no other reason than to know what you might be facing in a few years. Or you can just offer her sight unseen. I am certain there is a spot she can fill on your roster in 3 years.     [player_tooltip player_id='254274' first='Halle' last='Collins'] - 5'-11" - SF - Knox Central - Ky Premier - '25   Collins, like most players in the Freshman class, was not very high on my radar last season. If I saw them play it was probably because there was a talented Junior or Senior on their team I was trying to be sure to cover before they were no longer in High School or they played in one of the tournaments I attended. I think I only saw her once at the Run for the Roses, so don't expect too much from this write-up. Just expect me to make her a higher priority this year and next year. Fair? She produced an average of 19.2 points per game (#31 in the state according to the KHSAA stats leaders), making 220 field goals and shooting an impressive 54.3% from the field (#40). She pulled down 9.3 rebounds per game (0.4 rebounds away from making the Top 50), 270 for the year, and made 111 free throws a rate of 83.5% (#7). Her team won 20 games last winter facing most of the best teams of the Teen and Pre-teen Regions of the Commonwealth (11th through 16th).     [player_tooltip player_id='403466' first='Khania' last='Jones'] - 5'-9" - SF - Central Hardin - Firstep - '25   Jones is averaging a double-double in this new season so far with 11.5 points and 11 rebounds per game. But has missed 2 of the 4 games with posted stats for some reason I am not aware of. It looks like her team is going through the early season growing pains that tend to follow seasons when several talented Seniors graduate. But if I know Jones and her Mother/Head Coach they will get it figured out.   Last season, as the 4th option in the offense, Jones only needed to play a supporting role and averaged 6.6 points and 6.7 rebounds. She filled in the gaps for the team excellently, blocking shots, handling the ball when needed, and playing excellent interior and exterior defense. Now she must become a leader and perhaps the 1st option in the offense making her a larger priority in the scouting report of all opponents. That is a challenge and one she will rise to meet this season. In the past, I have speculated if her future development might lead her into more of a frontcourt or backcourt role. She certainly has the ability to slide down from the three into the 4 or 5 or to slide up the roster into the Guard positions. And not that this is something that will resolve itself this season, but I look forward to seeing her sometime after the Holiday to see if she appears to be leaning one way or the other.     [player_tooltip player_id='470569' first='Cameryn' last='Ridderikhoff'] - 5'-10" - SF - Madison Central - [program_tooltip program_id='712782' first='Richmond' last='Heat'] - '25   I think Ridderikhoff is the hardest name to spell correctly in the Commonwealth (for me) because the spell check feature refuses to accept it no matter how badly I mess it up. But several Coaches around the Region need to learn it so that they can look her up and see her play (and hopefully I will finally get it too). She is going to be in high demand as a multi-talented, tall player that could be a Guard in the right circumstances. Like many Small Forwards, she is versatile and skilled. She can handle the ball under pressure, shoot the outside shot, has great court vision, and is a great passer. She knows how and when to feed the post, and is unselfish with the ball without missing any of her own opportunities when they present themselves within the rhythm of the game. She never seems to be rattled or stressed by the action around her and maintains her cool to execute the play cooly and efficiently. Seeing her play on the PGH Circuit last Spring left me with a high opinion of her ability. If you want to see her play you will need to wait until sometime after the Fall Semester concludes because she transferred over the summer. But if you like basketball, you will like the way she plays.     [player_tooltip player_id='555983' first='Addison' last='Widleski'] - 5'-7" - SF - Graves County - '25   Widleski is new to the Rankings. As a player coming out of the 1st Region, it is a little harder to cover her than many players across the Commonwealth, luckily for me she came into my backyard for a Scrimmage/Jamboree. Events like that are always a good way to learn about multiple players. I cannot stress enough to Coaches how important it is to get your players into as many multi-team events as possible in a season. Or how important it is to stop listing your District, 2A Sectionals, All "A" Regionals, and Regional Tournaments on the KHSAA/Riherds Scoreboard and being played at Multiple Locations rather than at a Specific Site. How am I supposed to find it when I check to see who is playing and where if there is no Specific Site? And why would I go see one game when I could see two or four? But that s a rant that I probably need to write an entire article on that has nothing to do with this specific player. Widleski is a bit of a midrange specialist from what I have seen in that one scrimmage. She hit a 6-footer from the right corner, stole the ball for a quick score at the top of the press, penetrated from the w for an 8-footer in the paint, and played well against an up-and-coming Louisville area team I highly respect. But based on what I can see she has only played in 1 game this season and has not posted stats. Hopefully, it is just the flu or a mild injury delaying the start of her season. With four of the top eight or so players on last year's team gone to graduation her team needs an experienced player like her to return.       [player_tooltip player_id='555980' first='Addie' last='Bragg'] - 5'9" - SF - Portland Christian - Louisville Trojans - '25 Bragg is all about hustle and defense and rebounding and making an impact on the game through hard work. She brings her lunch pail, but just because she plays a team-oriented style doesn't mean she doesn't also have more to her game. She plays on a team with two high-volume scorers that pour in the points. Only a fool wouldn't feed them the ball as often as possible and try to pick up your buckets when they come in rhythm. And as the daughter of a Coach, she is not lacking in basketball IQ.   She is pulling down 7.8 rebounds per game after grabbing 5.9 per game last season and is the teams leading returner in this regard. She is the third leading returning scorer from last year's squad at 5.2 points per game and their best free throw shooter having made 76% of her foul shots. She will be key in the Lady Eagles' run again this season and you might just be able to see her and her teammates in Richmond during late January at the All "A" Classic.

It is Rankings Update Season I get to cover the Small Forwards in the class of 2025 this time around. Many of these players I have written about several times before and there are a few new names. Unfortunately, I only have one face because the very nice-looking new feature of graphics never seems to work for me. I have tried everything. They just will not load so that I can type a word. And due to an update, as much as I appreciate Ms. Ridderikhoff, this was the only picture of these players I have to upload. All others were lost.
But, who cares, I don't take good photos anyway and you don't come here to see the photos I take of a player standing in from of cinderblock walls or metal doors (did I mention I take horrible pictures). No. You came here to read about some of the best players in the Commonwealth. So let's just get into this, shall we?