Summer Rankings Update: 2024 Power Forwards
In this article:
The featured image is of Ava Ziolkowski Ava Ziolkowski 6'1" | PF Crown Point | 2024 State IN (2024) of Crown Point High School. Thursday, we released the Summer rankings update for the Class of 2024. The number of prospects…
Access all of Prep Girls Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Ava Ziolkowski Ava Ziolkowski 6'1" | PF Crown Point | 2024 State IN (2024) of Crown Point High School.
Thursday, we released the Summer rankings update for the Class of 2024. The number of prospects listed grew from 200 to 225 total prospects, and while the Top-100 remained a Top-100, the 100-player watchlist became a 125-player watchlist. At this time, I wanted to highlight all of the power forwards in the Class of 2024 we have listed at this time, as well as highlight a handful of ladies who raised their stock or were newly added this time around.
.
.
NEW-COMERS:
Kelsey is a solidly built front-liner who plays with some positional versatility. She has some length, she’s a solid North/South athlete, and she plays with a nice motor. Kelsey can act as a ‘4’ and comfortably play facing the basket. She is best in the mid-range game, whether that be at the elbows or in the short corners, plus she will pursue rebounds. Additionally, she can use her size and strength to post smaller defenders around the block. She has good hands and footwork, and she can score it in a variety of ways down low.
Kori has always been an intriguing prospect because of her athletic potential. She is extremely long, wiry-strong, fluidly athletic, and skilled. She can put it on the floor a little and attack the basket North/South. She also has nice touch and is a willing and capable 3-point shooter. She will at times get caught floating around too much, so if she could be more assertive inside the arc, attack the glass with her height and length, and try to score it more often around the rim, I think she has the athletic tools to draw some nice small college opportunities.
Miranda really exploded during her Junior season, more than doubling her scoring (7.6 to 17.3 ppg), and nearly doubling her rebounding (3.9 to 7.3 rpg) from her Sophomore campaign. She is an inside-out forward who plays with versatility. She has a solid to strong frame, some length, and she’s a North/South athlete. The biggest change in her game over the past couple of years has been her ability to shoot it facing the basket. She can now play a pick-and-pop ‘4’ roll, and she’s good at the charity stripe. If her on-ball defense improves, she can play a true wing spot.
Brooke is another versatile forward who plays with a really nice, competitive motor. She has an athletically strong frame, good length, and she plays with skill in the mid-post and short corners. She can occasionally step out and knock down a 3-pointer, but she’s best inside of that 15-foot bubble. She can box out or pursue rebounds, and she is crafty offensively around the basket. Defensively, she uses her basketball IQ to understand angles out on the floor, plus she’ll battle bigger players inside, and she doesn’t shy away from contact whatsoever.
.
STOCK-RISERS:
I had seen Arianna on film a few times, but I finally got to see her in-person during the first July “live” period. She has a strong, powerful frame, but she is a really nice all-around athlete, and she plays with a tremendous motor. She can use her physicality and dominate weaker defenders on the block, but she also has the skill to play facing the basket to as deep as the arc. She can knock down open jumpers or attack the basket. If anything, I think she could stand to get a little quicker laterally, especially defending wings out on the perimeter.
I have been impressed with Gaby each time I’ve seen her this Spring & Summer. She looks stronger, more physical and decisive, and she is playing with a lot of aggressiveness. She is a physical but athletic forward, she plays with an outstanding motor, and she does some really nice things at each level. She is more of an attacker off the bounce, but she does have nice touch in the mid-range game. I also enjoy her effort pursuing rebounds well-outside of her area. Gaby can also sit down and defend bigger wings, forwards, and the occasional undersized post.
Macy is an inside-out forward prospect because of her ability to play at all levels. She has really nice length, wiry strength, and she’s a solid athlete in most directions. She is an effective rebounder and interior defender, and she plays with a nice motor. Earlier in her career, she was used more around the paint, but she is starting to play much more consistently around the arc and in the mid-post. I think she has the ability to defend wings, so if she can continue making her offensive game more dynamic outside, I think she can be a true wing at the next level.