Top 802 Forwards: First Half of the Season
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Showtime! This list is chock full of 802’s finest forwards. Tap in! Addison Hunter Addison Hunter 6'0" | PF Champlain Valley | 2023 State NewE , 6’0 F – Champlain Valley Union High School Class of 2023 CVU is undefeated…
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Continue ReadingShowtime! This list is chock full of 802’s finest forwards. Tap in!
Addison Hunter Addison Hunter 6'0" | PF Champlain Valley | 2023 State NewE , 6’0 F – Champlain Valley Union High School Class of 2023
CVU is undefeated and so much of that is due to Hunter. Hands down, Addi has the most complete game of any forward in the state. She’s an inside/out forward who can hit shots at all three-levels, handle the ball in transition and the halfcourt, plus she’s a savvy passer. Her post/face-up game is flush with moves going to either hand and she has counters to go with. She defends 3-5 with her perimeter mobility and interior smarts, and she’s a hard-working rebounder who’s quick to start the break. Hunter has long been a favorite of mine to watch.
Allison Fullem, 6’1 F – Mount Mansfield Union High School Class of 2023
Fullem is another all-around hooper who can do it all. Alli is a defensive stud who owns the inside with her physicality, yet she’s mobile and defends the perimeter well. She’s a rugged rebounder who’s always in the mix on the glass, plus she’s a quick outlet who can also push the break herself. Moreover, Alli sees screens and cutting lanes developing ahead of time and hits passes with precision. In addition, she can score it with bully ball at the rim or hit jumpers that stretch out to three. Fullem gets after it.
Samara Ashooh Samara Ashooh 6'0" | PF Champlain Valley Union | 2024 State NewE , 6’1 F – Champlain Valley Union High School Class of 2024
Fundamental, textbook, high IQ, these are just a few adjectives that come to mind. First, Samara is a fantastic high-low post player. She flashes hard to her spots and makes smart, simple plays with the ball in her hands. She has nice feel on the block, smart face-up game with range out to 10-15 feet, and the court awareness + passing skill to hit weak side cutters, relocating shooters, etc. On the defensive end she’s just as solid. Ashooh has great length and denies the ball well. Plus, she’s not one to take chances on blocks and get into foul trouble. Samara is looking like the top forward in the class of 2024.
Sydney Perry Sydney Perry 6'0" | PF Windsor | 2024 State NewE , 6’1 F – Windsor High School Class of 2024
In Sydney there is that old school, grind it out style of play. She’s put up some huge numbers this year, such as a couple 20-20 games, and I sense she’s averaging around 15-15 per game. Perry is a tough interior defender with length. She owns the paint as a shot blocker, intimidator, and absolute worker on the glass. And on the offensive end she has drop steps and baby hooks on both sides of the iron. Moreover, she sparks the break and runs the floor hard. Sydney has been the best forward in D3 this far.
Nylah Mitchell, 5’9 W/F – Burlington High School Class of 2025
BHS is on a five-game winning streak and it’s undisputable that Nylah is key to their run. Mitchell is someone who can drop into the 3 or 4 position, but honestly, she plays so much bigger than she is. Nylah is a physical and tough worker in the interior. She wisely secures post position on both ends, and offensively she has an abundance of post-up moves + her passing out of the interior leaves little to be desired. Moreover, she’s an absolute force on the boards and can push the break herself, and she’s shown flashes of three range. Nylah is an inside/out dynamo.
Sage Maccauley, 5’9 W/F – Spaulding High School Class of 2023
With all-around game, Sage makes her case as the best forward in D2. Here’s one Maccauley sequence I’ve seen; she puts a defender in the blender on the block, hustles down and applies pressure on the perimeter, battles inside for the board, hits a quick outlet, and then comes down to bury a three on the other end. She does it all. Sage can defend a range of positions yet she’s most comfortable at the 3-4 slot. Her feel + court awareness is impressive and she’s as selfless as anyone. Sage is a gamer.