Empire Takeover Summer Kickoff-Top Bigs

Recently, I had a conversation with a college coach about how difficult it is to find talented post players in the 518 area. And he was right! Post players of size are few and far between in the area. And when you do find one, they are so coveted that the competition is fierce. Last weekend I attended the Empire Takeover Summer Kickoff. The trend continued as the majority of the 112 players in attendance were guards and forwards. However, there were a handful of impressive post players. Here are some of the "Top Bigs" from the Empire Takeover Summer Kickoff.    [player_tooltip player_id='1867089' first='Sophia' last='Frayne'] is certainly a player who stands out right away, and it is not just because of her 6'3" frame. Frayne has the skills to back it up. And she is only a sophomore. She is a guaranteed double-double every night and is just beginning to develop. Frayne is nearly unstoppable in the paint when her teammates lob it up to her. Frayne can also face up and knock down the short jumper in the lane with her soft touch. She runs the floor extremely well to finish on the break. Frayne is a dominant rebounder and uses her shot-blocking ability to protect the basket. Frayne is just scratching the surface of how good she can be.     Kylah Bednar is fascinating to watch play. I am grouping her in here with the bigs, but she is much more than that. Bednar is a very difficult matchup for any team and defender. She can play in the post and be utilized to distribute the ball to break down defences. She has a soft touch inside and is an excellent rebounder. However, Bednar can also step out and shoot 3-pointers. She is an outstanding shooter. Another strong piece of Bednar's game is her ability to run the floor, catch, and finish in transition. Her length makes her an effective defender, especially at the top of a zone defense where she collects many steals.     Violet Berry put up impressive stats for a very good Peru team this season. Berry averaged 12 points and six boards a game. Only a sophomore, she is only going to get better. Berry is a versatile scorer. She can play down low with her back to the basket, or step outside to connect on perimeter shots. Berry can knock down shots from behind the arc, but is a very good shooter from anywhere on the floor. She is a superb athlete who can get out and run the floor and finish in transition. The future is very bright for Berry.     Payton Comstock is another player who, at 6'0", can be productive in the paint or outside the lane. Comstock is a prolific scorer who has eclipsed the 30-point mark five times this season. She scored 36 points the night she surpassed the 1,000-career point mark. Although she can play inside with her back to the basket, she did nail 42 3-pointers during her 2025-2026 campaign. Comstock can defend multiple positions and is a talented shot blocker. Comstock is a tremendous athlete who can get out in transition and finish.     [player_tooltip player_id='1186447' first='Madyson' last='Brennan'] is currently the 39th-ranked overall 2028 player in New York and the No. 3 center/power forward in the class. I have seen Brennan play several times during her career, and she just keeps getting better. Keeping with the theme, Brennan is another player who qualifies as a big but has a skill set beyond just being a post player. She is a three-level scorer. Brennan can score in the paint with her smooth shooting touch. She can put the ball on the floor and navigate her way to the hoop. Brennan can also square up and bury shots from behind the 3-point arc. She is an outstanding rebounder and has the strength to finish through contact. Brennan runs the floor well and doesn't shy away from physical play.

Recently, I had a conversation with a college coach about how difficult it is to find talented post players in the 518 area. And he was right! Post players of size are few and far between in the area. And when you do find one, they are so coveted that the competition is fierce. Last weekend I attended the Empire Takeover Summer Kickoff. The trend continued as the majority of the 112 players in attendance were guards and forwards. However, there were a handful of impressive post players. Here are some of the "Top Bigs" from the Empire Takeover Summer Kickoff.