Talented Forwards at the Union Tournament

Earl Austin January 18, 2026 @ 06:10 PM

Prep Girls Missouri takes a look at a talented group of forwards who we watched at the Union Tournament this weekend   Izzy Miller (Jefferson City): The 6'1" 2028 forward was tremendous in helping lead the Jays to the tournament championship. In the semifinals, she established herself early by scoring on three excellent drives into the lane. She causes matchup problems for defenses with her size and mobility along with her skill set. She can also shoot it from 3-point range off the catch.     [player_tooltip player_id='1228462' first='Anna' last='Wangia'] (Lutheran South): A 6'2" 2026 forward who is a quality low post player at both ends of the court. She has good fundamentals on the offensive end as she catches the ball well and keeps the ball up to finish. She does a good job of playing to her height. She is also a formidable player on the defensive end with her ability to block shots and change others.     [player_tooltip player_id='1307962' first='Kara' last='Barton'] (Bunker): A 5'11" 2028 forward who has a versatile skill set to go along with her height. She did an excellent job as a roller on the pick and roll. She catches the ball well on the move and scores with a nice touch inside. She is a good ball handler and a sound passer. She can also step out and hit 3-pointers to stretch the floor.     Jaela Nickerson (Jefferson City): The 2026 small forward had an excellent tournament had earned Most Valuable Player honors in the process. She is physically strong and she can really shoot it well off the catch. She has a quick release along with her shooting range. She can also shoot it off the dribble. She also did a good job of rebounding the ball.     [player_tooltip player_id='1621127' first='Keira' last='Turnbough'] (Bunker): A 6'0" forward who is a very impressive player in the low post area. She used her physical strength to establish her position for low post catches and offensive rebounding. The young lefty has a nice jump hook over the right shoulder. She also did a good job of rebounding out of her area. I was also impressed with her ability to make her free throws.     [player_tooltip player_id='1235009' first='Sydney' last='Kessler'] (Borgia): A 6'0" 2026 forward who has good athleticism and mobility. She is one of the best shot blockers that you'll see. Her length and timing are excellent as she gets clean swats without fouling. She did a good job of flashing in the middle of the defense to hit mid-range jumpers. She also hit a 3-pointer off the catch.     [player_tooltip player_id='886549' first='Alaya' last='Johnson'] (Jefferson City): A 5'8" 2028 forward who plays much taller than her actual height because she is strong and she plays with a serious motor. In the semifinals game that I watched, she scored on a power drive on the baseline on her first touch. She also jumped the passing lanes for a steal and a layup. I'm just impressed with the tenacity that she plays with.     [player_tooltip player_id='1317974' first='K'lee' last='Dubois'] (Jefferson City): A 6'3" 2027 forward who has good length and mobility. She really does a good job of stretching the defense with her perimeter shooting. She hit a really nice trail 3-pointer in the transition game. She has really continued to improve over the past year of watching her play.

Prep Girls Missouri takes a look at a talented group of forwards who we watched at the Union Tournament this weekend