Summer Rankings Update: 2027 PFs & Cs

The Class of 2027 got off to a strong start in 2023-2024, and as we begin July before their Sophomore year, several of the top prospects are already receiving heavy interest from college programs. It is a class that still holds a number of questions, but also one that has good size at the top of the class, plus some solid guard and wing play. Below is a quick look at six prospects from the power forward and center groups in 2027, along with positional rankings for the ladies located in our new Top-50 overall for 2027.   .   TOP-50 2027 POWER FORWARDS:   - Evansville Memorial's [player_tooltip player_id='610126' first='Rylee' last='Canaan'] has been a strong presence on the court each time I've seen her, whether that be with her grassroots team this Spring or at the IBCA Top-100 Showcase a couple of weeks ago. She has nice size, solid strength at her age, and she plays with a good motor. She has skill and touch around the perimeter, she's outstanding in the mid-post, plus she can take undersized defenders to the block and almost dominate them. Her versatility and balance are undoubtedly what's helped her draw many colleges to her games. She could have a good month ahead of her.   - In what I was able to see at the two "scholastic" live period events in June, I'm not sure there was anyone who showed as much growth in their game as [player_tooltip player_id='890889' first='Emily' last='Zack'] of Zionsville. I saw her a year ago, and she's so much more confident and aggressive now. She will need to step up this coming year for a young team, but last month she made shots at all levels, she put it on the floor well and showed explosiveness, plus she has length, quickness, and I think she can eventually become either a full-time face-up '4' or even a wing. I would guess she'll have a few schools tracking her in July.   - I need to see more of [player_tooltip player_id='890798' first='Skyla' last='Akers-Richards'] of Decatur Central, but in what I saw this Spring, she has an athletic frame, she's bouncy and moves well in most directions, plus she has a nice mid-post to low block offensive game. Once she's comfortable, I feel like she's someone who can eventually step out to the perimeter more and more, defend multiple positions, and potentially play at all three levels consistently. She is still more rebounder and defender than anything, but I was very encouraged by her ability in what I was able to see already.   - Charlestown seems to go through these cycles where they bring in a strong class just as another is getting ready to graduate. Following a nice 2024 class, their 2027 group is solid as well, headlined by [player_tooltip player_id='751050' first='Chesney' last='Jackson']. She has an athletic frame, some length, and she moves well in most directions. She is very good operating in the mid-post, where she can attack the basket or knock down the 15-footer. She also looks comfortable in ball screen situations, both offensively and defensively, around the perimeter.    .   TOP-50 2027 CENTERS:   - When you see posts in middle school, you are always curious how they will translate at the high school level. Will they grow? Will the improve their skill? Will they gain the necessary strength? [player_tooltip player_id='751115' first='Payton' last='DuVall'] has done all of those things and continues to follow an upward trajectory. I think I am most impressed with how much more physical she has gotten in the last 12-15 months. She is starting to battle/fight for offensive position and rebounds, plus she's getting feistier defensively, instead of just being a shot-blocker. She has some mid-post touch, and I think extending that to the 3-point line consistently will be her next step in her skill development.   - Pendleton's [player_tooltip player_id='750718' first='Adah' last='Hupfer'] has a nice mixture of size, strength, and skill. I don't know that she's a perfect match, but Adah has some similarities to a Stefanie Dolson (UConn/Mystics) in that she can play physically inside, battle defensively, compete for rebounds, and score it through contact, plus she has some touch facing the basket in the mid-post or even around the perimeter. I really like her motor, her developing skillset away from the basket, plus she might still squeeze out a couple of more inches over the next year or so.

The Class of 2027 got off to a strong start in 2023-2024, and as we begin July before their Sophomore year, several of the top prospects are already receiving heavy interest from college programs. It is a class that still holds a number of questions, but also one that has good size at the top of the class, plus some solid guard and wing play. Below is a quick look at six prospects from the power forward and center groups in 2027, along with positional rankings for the ladies located in our new Top-50 overall for 2027.