Players to Watch: Young Frontcourt Forces across Long Island

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When the 2024-25 season concludes, another stellar crop of seniors will trade in their basketball uniforms for caps and gowns. That signifies their transition from the high school ranks into the collegiate realm.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But as veterans depart, another crop of youngsters will always display that they are next to take over the court.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New York State is one of the more robust hubs for basketball talent anywhere in the country. Long Island is no exception – and that particularly applies to those who operate primarily as either forwards or centers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Without further ado, here is a look at sophomore and freshman frontcourt standouts across Nassau and Suffolk counties to keep on the brains.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Emily Forrester","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Long Island Lutheran","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Team Durant 16U EYBL","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-670037d3b3740"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Forrester is the latest big name player to make her way to Long Island Lutheran. Throughout the AAU months of this past spring and summer, she wore the uniform of Team Durant 16U EYBL meaning she played up in class. Last season, she played at Chambersburg in Pennsylvania. Being listed at 6-foot-3, she primarily operates as a forward while also putting in playing time as a wing. Forrester is a double-double threat on a consistent basis. This past summer, Forrester landed her first collegiate offer as Division I Mount St. Mary's is looking to land the young and talented LuHi standout. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Madison Glasco","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Roslyn","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Dream NYC Hoops","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-670037d3b37d4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Glasco is a frontcourt stalwart for Roslyn who particularly thrives as a three forward. This past spring and summer, she ran on the AAU realm with Dream NYC Hoops and that is sure to translate into more good fortune in 2024-25 with the Bulldogs. Glasco is confident in her ability to drain 3-point shots and will prove herself to be valuable to a team with her rebounding capabilities. Defensively, she exerts a great deal of energy and utilizes her length to negative affect the passing lanes of an opposing offense. And that defense also has a way of converting to offense on plenty of occasions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Alexa Rosenbach","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12120","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Commack","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Empire Basketball","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-670037d3b3848"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rosenbach has set herself up nicely for a rosy basketball future. During the spring and summer months, the ball keeps bouncing as she wears the Empire Basketball uniform for club ball. Rosenbach's Commack team was one of the winningest in New York high school girls basketball last season – the Cougars compiled a record of 22-1. While listed as a forward, the six feet stature she presents can also come in useful as more of a traditional four or five. That translates to converting on high-percentage shots near the rim and bolstering a team's rebounding efforts. Also on the defensive end, it leads to blocked shots and Rosenbach continuing to display that she is difficult to score points against. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Laila Folkes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Portledge","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Rising Stars AAU 2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-670037d3b38b6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Folkes is sure to put folks across the Empire State on notice that she is next up to rise up the high school basketball ranks. A product of the Rising Stars AAU program which is based out of Freeport, our guess is Folkes name will come up on plenty of occasions at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season when mentioning breakout freshmen across New York State. While Folkes can play at the three in the frontcourt, she displays her versatility by being able to also make plays in the backcourt as either a point guard or a shooting guard. Folkes is listed at 5-foot-6. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jaelyn Burgess","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"West Babylon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Rising Stars AAU 2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-670037d3b394a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Just as Folkes at Portledge is likely to be on the list of breakout freshmen throughout the 2024-25 season, the same will surely apply to Burgess at West Babylon. Last season's rendition of the Eagles concluded with a record of 16-6 – including winning 13 of the 16 games in its league. Another similarity Burgess has to Folkes is she too is also a Rising Stars AAU 2028 prospect. One element of her game that she places plenty of emphasis on is her mid- and long-range shooting. She will also attack the rim with ferocity and fearlessness and has no problems drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. Burgess has been playing at the varsity level at West Babylon since she was a seventh grader. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->