Top Small Forwards in Colorado’s Class of 2021: Part I

As things start to slowly open back up, we have some very talented small forwards who are itching to get back in the gym to play. These players are not only excited to develop and improve this summer but excited about showing what they can do on the court to add stock to their recruiting process. In the era of playing position-less basketball we take a look at some very talented small forwards in Colorado who can impact games in a number of different ways. Here are five small forwards with big game. &nbsp; <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="95127" first="Maya" last="Whiteside"] (George Washington)</strong> Whiteside is a versatile player who does well in transition. Standing at six feet tall, she moves her feet well on the defensive end, keeping her opponents in front. Whiteside shows the ability to attack players off the dribble and get to the rim at will. She averaged 11.9 points per game on 106-for-270 (39 percent) shooting from the field. Her stat line speaks to her versatility, as she averaged 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game as a junior in 2019-20. Whiteside scored a season-high 23 points against Mark Keppel on Dec. 18, going 9 for 16 from the field. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="95134" first="Courtney" last="Hank"] (Green Mountain)</strong> Hank (5'10) can score in the post with the best of them, utilizing her great footwork and maximizing her scoring opportunities. Hank can also put the ball on the floor and finishing with a variety of moves around the rim. She averaged 10.1 points per game while shooting 101 for 198 (51 percent) from the field in 2019-20, making her one of the most efficient players in her class. She poured a season-high 23 points against Durango last season, going 4 for 7 from the field and 15 for 18 at the free-throw line. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="95139" first="Tia" last="Slade"] (Highlands Ranch)</strong> Slade had to sit out a year due to transferring from Chaparral to Highlands Ranch. She has been active in the club basketball scene and working on her game during her sit-out year. Slade can get it going on the offensive end and as a sophomore in 2018-19, she averaged 5.9 points per game. That made her the third leading scorer on Chaparral's team two years ago. At 5-foot-11, Slade also averaged six rebounds and will look to add value to an already-talented roster at Highlands Ranch next season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="116774" first="Dasiya" last="Jones"] (Grandview)</strong> One of the most improved players in her class, Jones has been adding value to her game year after year while playing on a talented Grandview team full of collegiate-level players. Jones is a great rebounder, securing possessions for her team. The six-foot forward also shows the ability to move her feet well on the defensive end, keeping her players in front and forcing turnovers, and runs well in the open floor and in transition for a taller player. She averaged 4.4 points while shooting 53 for 114 (46 percent) from the floor, as well as averaging 4.4 rebounds, two assists and 1.1 steals per game in 2019-20. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="116765" first="Kaydee" last="Sims"] (Weld Central)</strong> Sims is a player who can score the ball through traffic and finish through contact. She has good change of pace to her game, making it tough for defenders to keep her in front. Slims can slice thought the defense among the players in her class. She has joined the 1,000-point club already as a junior with 1,080 points in her career. She will look to dominate the Colorado 8 league in Class 4A this year. Sims averaged 20.4 points per game on 169 for 412 (41 percent) shooting from the floor. The 5-foot-9 forward also averaged 8.4 rebounds and 4.3 steals per game and scored a season-high 35 points against Riverdale Ridge while going 12 for 21 from the field lat season.