Small conference? Doesn't matter. These 2A 2025 Wings are stars

I have talked about how important having a good post player is to the functionality of a team, and everyone knows how important having a good guard on your team is. Most people might overlook the wing or forward position, but this position is the most versatile, and the one that wins championships. Some of the most impactful players in the NBA Finals have been forwards; Andre Iguodala (won finals MVP in 2015), Scottie Pippen (6x champ, Hall of Fame), and Kawhi Leonard (once as a superstar, once as an up-and-comer). The same applies for the WNBA; Kahleah Copper (won finals MVP), Seimone Augustus (won finals MVP playing guard and forward), and Katie Smith (won finals MVP playing guard and forward). Regardless of the classification, and regardless of the team, having a good forward can work wonders.    I gave a little teaser to [player_tooltip player_id='465507' first='Jordan' last='Blake'] being featured in this article in the 2A 2025 guards list. When I mentioned her, I said she might be the best shooter on this England squad, and with a strong senior season, she will retain that title.   [player_tooltip player_id='465507' first='Jordan' last='Blake'], as I alluded to, is a heck of a shooter. She had 8 threes in a game last season, which was the most under England's current coach according to England High School's Facebook page. Blake is an excellent shooter, and she often does not have enough space to get shots off. She moves without the ball well, but the defense clearly knows that closing out on her on the perimeter is their number one priority. Blake's form is solid. She has good arch, a quick release, and she makes sure she is in rhythm before she lets it fly. Her teammates know to make the extra pass to get it to her, but shooting is not her only strength as a hooper.   Blake being a great shooter is not a secret. If it is, it is not a well-kept one. The opposition makes sure to send everyone in the vicinity to contest her jumpshots, and they are often scrambling to try to put a hand in her face. When the defense closes out too hard, Blake can drive right past them and get to the rack. Her slashing ability is more on display when she is on the fastbreak. Once she has a full head of steam, she will do whatever it takes to score, including finishing through tough contests. Outside of scoring, Blake is a great rebounder.   It does not happen often, but double-digit rebounding nights for Blake are attainable. She boxes out well and is aggressive at grabbing the boards. She is at her best on the glass when it is on the defensive side.   [player_tooltip player_id='465507' first='Jordan' last='Blake'] is a great shooter, a good finisher, and a solid rebounder. She has versatility, like every good wing should have. On her 3-point shooting ability alone, colleges should be stumbling after her, just like opposing defenders.     Like Blake, [player_tooltip player_id='1049441' first='Quinn' last='Johnson'] is perhaps her team's best shooter. But like Blake, and other good forwards, she is not one-dimensional, and could be in store for a great year in the 2A-2.   Johnson's hot spot is on the wings. She hits plenty of threes from that spot on the floor, and her teammates do whatever it takes to get it to her. Her form is just a bit unorthodox, but it does not hinder her outside production. She has good arch and a good release point.   Outside of her outside shooting, Johnson makes her money on the offensive and defensive glass. She is physical and makes space under the basket to grab some boards, even chasing after her own misses. She can also bring the ball up the court off a defensive rebound. Double-doubles are not uncommon for her.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049441' first='Quinn' last='Johnson'] is a solid shooting and rebounding forward for Izard County High School, so keep an eye on her in 2024/25.     I had trouble classifying Rivers as a small forward. This was not because she is not really a small forward, because she is, kind of. I had to put small forward because there is not an "everything" option. [player_tooltip player_id='1049443' first='Krista' last='Rivers'] can do anything and everything her coach and her team asks of her. The longtime starter helped take Parkers Chapel to the 2A state tournament as a 2-seed, but expect this team to be back with a vengeance in 2024/25.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049443' first='Krista' last='Rivers'] could definitely be a center for Parkers Chapel, and that is what she had to play last season after their starting center went down with an injury. Rivers did not skip a beat, essentially averaging a double-double and even recording a double-double in Parkers Chapel's first round loss of the 2A state tournament. Rivers uses her aggression and athleticism to soar in for numerous boards. She grabs everything with both hands and waits for a guard to come bring the ball up. If a guard never comes, then Rivers is more than comfortable taking the ball up the court herself. She has a very solid handle, and she keeps that part of her game hidden until it is necessary.   Offensively, Rivers does a bit of everything, if you have not gathered that already. She has been quoted as wanting to shoot more threes, and she has shown she can hit mid-range shots off the catch. She has been put at the 3-guard position on occasion, and if she gets the greenlight to dial it up from deep, that will be nightmare fuel for the opposition. Since she had to play a lot of center last season, Rivers' primary role on offense was to score in the post. When she had her back to the basket, no one was stopping her, and she welcomed contact. If she missed, she was grabbing the rebound and going right back up with it. I mentioned in the previous paragraph that she had some handles, and if the defense is too tight on her in the mid-range or along the perimeter, she uses the rip-through move effectively. Once she has her sights on the basket, she can use her handles to break down and get around the help defense.   On defense, Rivers is great at stripping the ball from opposing ball-handlers. If she is playing help defense, she slides over and takes the ball right out of the opposition's hands to start the break.   Rivers' coach has been quoted as wanting to use Rivers in the team's offense more, and now that she is left as the team's best player, there is no reason why she is not the best player in 2A-8.     [player_tooltip player_id='465509' first='Kate' last='Wood'] will be entering her first year with 2A-5 Bigelow High School, and after an all-conference junior season with 3A-5 Perryville High School, the expectations for Wood are even higher. Wood can play small forward, shooting guard, and point guard. Regardless of the position, Wood is a star.   Wood is a great ball handler. She has shown off her handles in the half-court and on the fastbreak, making defenders fly by her and forget where they are on the court. On her way to the bucket, it is hard for the defense to stop her. She is patient yet aggressive on her drives. She welcomes contact and can finish on both sides. She has also shown the ability to hit the floater on the move and even hit her teammates with quick passes thanks to her high IQ and great court vision. From the perimeter, Wood can light it up from three. From wherever she is on the court, she can knock down triples with a quick release.   On defense, Wood is a devastating shot blocker. She is very athletic and uses great timing on her blocks, especially when she is chasing down the ball. Her chase-down block ability is Lebronesc, and she sends the ball flying into tomorrow.   [player_tooltip player_id='465509' first='Kate' last='Wood'] has star potential...scratch that...she is a star, and a budding superstar. Aurora University, Crowley's Ridge College, and North Arkansas College agree with me, as they all offered her this past summer. I think every basketball fan in the state should be excited to watch [player_tooltip player_id='465509' first='Kate' last='Wood'] with Bigelow this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='1049445' first='Klaire' last='Womack'] can play the shooting guard and small forward position, but regardless of where she plays, her defense translates. At 5'6", she is a bit undersized, but her speed and the tenacity she plays with on the perimeter make her a serviceable player for Riverside High School.   Womack is a turnover machine (the good kind). She intercepts passes like a defensive back and pokes the ball away like a big-city pickpocket. Womack uses her speed to keep her assignment in front of her and to provide heavy pressure if she comes to double a player. Once Womack comes away with a steal, she is racing to the other end for an easy fastbreak layup. Fastbreak layups are Womack's primary offensive impact, but her perimeter skills are not just on the defensive side of the ball.   Womack has shown that she has the ability to hit the 3-ball, especially from the corner. She gets to her spot quickly and is immediately ready for a pass. Once she is there, her quick release and high arch make her shot deadly for her team.   Womack was an all-state tournament player as a freshman with Riverside, showing just how long she has been playing at a high level. If everything goes right for her, Womack will have another all-state tournament selection in 2024/25.     Jalyn Constant is a 3&D stretch 4. There is not an overabundance of those, but those wings are the ones coaches love to have on the court at all times. Constant does not need to handle the ball to have an impact on the game, and she has been that way for her previous 3 seasons on varsity for the Lady Warriors. Now in her senior season, expect Constant's usage and production to take a big step up.   Constant is a solid 3-point shooter, especially in the corner. Her teammates know to get her the ball when she is in her spots, even if they have to make a cross-court pass when the defense is playing in a zone. Once the ball is in Constant's hands, it is not there for long. Her release is one of the faster ones I have seen, but her arch is one of the lower ones I have seen. Despite this, Constant's height allows her to get her shot off over the defense and to make a boat-load of triples. Constant can also hit shots down low, and knows how to roam the paint and be in the perfect spot for her teammates to find for easy buckets.   On defense, Constant is a major shot-blocking threat. She has good timing on her blocks and her hands remain active for the entire defensive possession. Her active hands also allow her to record a number of steals.   Jalyn Constant could have a big year for East Poinsett County, so make sure to take the trip up to Lepanto, Arkansas to see her improvements.    All of these 2A senior forwards are vital to the success of their teams. Whether they are an all-state or all-conference performer, or a player with multiple colleges after them, they help their team win. Next up, 2A 2025 bigs! There are some good players in this group, so be ready.

I have talked about how important having a good post player is to the functionality of a team, and everyone knows how important having a good guard on your team is. Most people might overlook the wing or forward position, but this position is the most versatile, and the one that wins championships. Some of the most impactful players in the NBA Finals have been forwards; Andre Iguodala (won finals MVP in 2015), Scottie Pippen (6x champ, Hall of Fame), and Kawhi Leonard (once as a superstar, once as an up-and-comer). The same applies for the WNBA; Kahleah Copper (won finals MVP), Seimone Augustus (won finals MVP playing guard and forward), and Katie Smith (won finals MVP playing guard and forward). Regardless of the classification, and regardless of the team, having a good forward can work wonders.