Top Uncommitted 2024 Power Forwards

The featured image is of [player_tooltip player_id='177332' first='Sophie' last='Johnson'] (2024) of Evansville's Reitz Memorial High School.   As the grassroots season wraps up, student-athletes begin back-to-school shopping, preparing for the 2023-2024 school year. The Class of 2024, believe it or not, is approaching their Senior season, and I wanted to highlight some of the top uncommitted prospects position by position as we head into the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. Below is a look at the Top-10 power forward prospects who remain uncommitted at this time, to the best of my knowledge.   1. [player_tooltip player_id='177344' first='Ellery' last='Minch'], 2024, 6-3 CF, Mt. Vernon H.S. (Fortville) - Ellery was solid as usual throughout the Spring, but she had an even bigger July, especially during the first "live" period in Louisville. She is still one of the most skilled and versatile players in the 2024 class in Indiana, but her added strength and physicality has allowed her to do even more work inside of the arc, making it difficult for opponents to match up with her. She is extremely long, can handle it in transition, and she still has that dangerous deep jumper. Her college interest has really picked up because of her strong July play.   2. [player_tooltip player_id='298252' first='Ava' last='Ziolkowski'], 2024, 6-1 CF, Crown Point H.S. - Ava is a uniquely skilled forward who fits certain systems very well. She has nice length, athletic strength, and she runs the floor very well North/South. She has great touch around the perimeter and hurts opponents with her ability to get hot and knock down jumper after jumper. As she has gained strength, she has been more effective inside of 15-feet, and she is starting to pursue rebounds much more aggressively. But it's her ability to bury jumpers and put the ball on the floor to attack the basket that stand out in her game.   3. [player_tooltip player_id='177326' first='Rachel' last='Harshman'], 2024, 6-0 PF, Mooresville H.S. - Rachel is one kid in this class who plays more of an old school, traditional power forward role. She has a broad, strong frame, she plays with a lot of physicality, and she showcases good hands, a soft touch around the basket, plus a variety of finishing moves with good footwork. Additionally, in spurts she will show the ability to knock down a 3-pointer or two, especially in crucial moments. I also like how she is willing to battle bigger, taller, stronger post players without hesitation, and she does all of this with a good motor.   4. [player_tooltip player_id='177332' first='Sophie' last='Johnson'], 2024, 6-0 CF, Evansville Memorial H.S. - Sophie was unfortunately injured during Memorial's state tournament run, so she has only recently been able to start getting back in the gym and working through some non-contact drills. She had a strong 2022 grassroots season, paired with a nice 2022-2023 Winter pre-injury. She is extremely long, fluidly athletic, and versatile. She can handle it in transition, she can knock down the occasional perimeter jumper, but she also has a nice mid-range pull-up game, plus she does a nice job of coming up with "scraps" baskets around the rim.   5. [player_tooltip player_id='239350' first='Kiarra' last='Loveless'], 2024, 6-1 PF, Westfield H.S. - In an era when a lot of prospects are at the older end of the spectrum, "KiKi" is actually very young and will enroll in college at just 17 years old. If you consider the fact she could very well be a 2025, plus she is just finishing growing, she's gaining strength, and she's playing with more physicality, she has tremendous upside for the next level. She has always been ahead of the curve skillfully, she can handle it in transition, and she has some touch around the perimeter. She is also one of the better "help-side" defenders in the class.   6. [player_tooltip player_id='239356' first='Mia' last='Robbennolt'], 2024, 6-0 CF, Bloomington H.S. North - I've always enjoyed Mia's potential, because she possesses a long, wiry-strong frame, good speed and quickness, and she's fairly bouncy. She is great in the mid-post, showing the ability to knock down the 15-footer consistently or attack the basket and finish through contact, especially with her improved strength. She pursues rebounds well, and she can defend a number of different forwards and undersized posts. Additionally, she has shown some touch around the perimeter on occasion, and she can defend bigger wings as well.   7. [player_tooltip player_id='201876' first='Abbie' last='Lucas'], 2024, 6-0 PF, Bloomington H.S. South - This is a good class for elite small college forwards, and Abbie is another really nice athlete who can step in and contribute at the next level sooner rather than later. She has an athletically strong frame, she can get out and run in the open floor, and she possesses quite a bit of bounce. She is a very good rebounder, especially offensively, and she picks up a lot of "scraps" baskets at the rim. She has also worked on a really nice mid-post game, where she can knock down the 15-footer or attack the basket to finish in different ways.   8. [player_tooltip player_id='326493' first='Kaitlyn' last='Hoff'], 2024, 5-11 CF, North Central H.S. (Indianapolis) - "K.K." is an absolute ball of energy who can get out and run. She is quick, fast, and bouncy, plus she possesses great strength. She probably stands out a little more defensively right now, as she can take on a variety of forwards, wings, and even some bigger guards in the half-court. She plays with a great motor, pursues rebounds at both ends, and gets after loose balls. Offensively, her perimeter jumper looks much-improved and she made some big shots this Summer. She's also capable of getting to the basket in one dribble.   9. [player_tooltip player_id='239347' first='Payton' last='Benge'], 2024, 6-1 PF/C, Plainfield H.S. - Payton is likely to draw a great deal of interest, because she's unique to Indiana's crop of 2024 frontline prospects. She has sort of that "face-up '4'/face-up '5'" feel to her game. She has a strong frame, she's a solid athlete in most directions, and she works hard. But it's her ability to knock down open jumpers consistently as deep as the 3-point line that really stands out. She is a real pick-and-pop threat. Payton is also strong enough and hard-working enough to be a physical presence around the paint, offensively and defensively.   10. [player_tooltip player_id='510511' first='Arianna' last='Gerkin'], 2024, 5-10 CF, Vincennes Lincoln H.S. - I have had Arianna's name since her Freshman year, and I had seen her a number of times on film, but July was my first opportunity to see her in-person, and she didn't disappoint. She is a very strong, physical, but also bouncy and athletic forward. She can almost "bully" opponents at times around the block, or she can step outside and knock down a rhythm jumper. Her combination of skill, talent, and physicality make her an attractive prospect to the elite small colleges, because she can take on a variety of roles within their systems.   The Next 10: [player_tooltip player_id='201872' first='Gaby' last='Gates'], Northridge H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='369827' first='Riley' last='Whitlock'], West Lafayette Harrison H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='264114' first='Taylor' last='Kneubuhler'], Woodlan H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='406435' first='Molly' last='Baker'], Columbia City H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='331770' first='Daneijah' last='Wynn'], Lawrence Central H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='326479' first='Erica' last='Buening'], Franklin Community H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='326477' first='Taylor' last='Lewis'], Cathedral H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='298267' first='Dominique' last='Stilley'], Concord H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='177320' first='Brylee' last='Delano'], Evansville Mater Dei H.S.; [player_tooltip player_id='326478' first='Peyton' last='Honchar'], Morgan Township H.S.

The featured image is of Sophie Johnson Sophie Johnson 6'0" | PF Evansville Memorial | 2024 State IN (2024) of Evansville's Reitz Memorial High School.