2026 Player Rankings Update: Jot Them Down - Forwards

"Jot Them Down" is a new series of articles that I will be trying out for the 2026 Class. This series is focused on covering athletes at each specific position from both the states of Iowa and Nebraska, that collegiate recruiters should take a look at prior to their Junior season of high school ball this upcoming Winter.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    Pius X High School is filled with a bunch of interesting prospects while looking toward their future. They seem to have one or two really solid players at each position, who could step up in the blink of an eye if need be to help their cause. At the Forward spot, one of their prospects who has put together a respectable AAU season up until now is [player_tooltip player_id='820879' first='Ava' last='Markowski'] of [program_tooltip program_id='779942' first='ETG' last='Midwest [program_tooltip program_id='713325' first='Elite' last=''] 3SSB']. Markowski checks in at 5'11 and the #29 overall prospect in the state for this 2026 Class. This AAU season on a star studded team, she has done a consistent job of showing out in the little ways and she has done of good job of making the most of her opportunities that she is given, which is really all you can ask for. Pius X High School is going to be a team to keep an eye on moving into this next season. If everyone continues to put it together, they should see a good amount of success down the line.     [player_tooltip player_id='895676' first='Amaya' last='Moore'] of Lincoln High - High School is someone that is going to return with the other four starters from a year ago to compete once again this upcoming 2024-2025 season. Moore is a prospect at the Forward/Center position with better than average size and a physical play style near the basket. She is someone that isn't afraid to initiate contact first on either side of the ball and she is getting better as to when she should step up into space for an offensive look throughout a ball game. With all of this team's returners coming back and being upperclassman this next year, they are looking to take a big step forward from a season ago. They have some prospects with high ceilings as it pertains to their future potential on the hardwood so if they lock in and give it their all, they should see some position results.     [player_tooltip player_id='502092' first='Brynlie' last='Hadenfeldt'] is your "junk yard dawg" type prospect. This is another Forward with a mixture of athletic ability and physicality. Hadenfeldt may only stand at 5'10 but she plays like she is 6'1. She has demonstrated the ability to rebound, defend, and play off the basketball at a higher rate than most, doing anything that her team needs her to do for them to be successful. This AAU season, Hadenfeldt has stepped into the same role with her [program_tooltip program_id='712595' first='Kingdom' last='Hoops'] team and she has been killing it. They will look put together a rememberable last month of AAU ball this month in St. Louis and Chicago. If Hadenfeldt can continue do what she does, she should continue this momentum into the high school season with Fall.     We don't talk about [player_tooltip player_id='582808' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'] throughout the off-season because she is a committed Volleyball prospect during those months but she is someone that we must not forget about moving into the 2024-2025 Varsity season. The simplest way to put it is that Boeve thrives on the basketball court because of her athletic ability. She is someone at 6'0, that is more athletic, coordinated, and balanced than most you come across at the high school level, no matter age or Class. Over the past two season, she has been a terror for opponents that compete against her Hinton High School program. She is a handful to handle while she is attacking on offense and she is a showstopper on defense. As of most recent, she has committed to Creighton to compete on the Volleyball court once her high school career comes to an end but for the next two years, if she continues to play basketball, I expect her to continue to lead the state just like she has up until this point.     [player_tooltip player_id='595154' first='Brenna' last='Johnson'] of Westwood High School has recently been offer by Blair Cliff to compete after she finishes up high school. This is one of the first offers for Johnson but it won't be the last. At Westwood, with who they have to matchup again, Johnson has been a killer in her conference the past two season. She is a prospect that has size at 6'0, long arms, and she has demonstrated a coordinated type of play style when she is competing. Offensively, she can finish over smaller opponents or she can step up and hit them with a crafty counter move for an easier look in some sort of way. Defensively, opponents have to worry about her long arms and quick reaction time off of the ball. They might beat their first opponent but if they don't account for Johnson, she could get an easy tip of the ball while it's being shot. All in all, Johnson should get the attention of most D3 programs out of the Midwest at this pace. Competing for a smaller high school doesn't necessarily help her cause but I think in the end she is going to be just fine.

"Jot Them Down" is a new series of articles that I will be trying out for the 2026 Class. This series is focused on covering athletes at each specific position from both the states of Iowa and Nebraska, that collegiate recruiters should take a look at prior to their Junior season of high school ball this upcoming Winter.