Midwest Extravaganza: 15U Best of the Forwards/Centers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we wrap up our coverage of this year's Midwest Extravaganza, we're going back to look at some of the best post players and forwards from this year's tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ICYMI, for an article on the best guards at this year's event, click <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2026/05/midwest-extravaganza-15u-best-of-the-guards/?coupon=prepgirlshoopsevents21">here</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1861127"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a17d8ad64efa"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gemma is just finishing her 8th grade year, so she hasn't played a minute of high school ball yet. But she showed this weekend that she's ready for the big time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gemma has all that you could want in a forward. She can score at all 3 levels: lining up a 3-pointer, taking it hard to the rim, or dropping in a midrange jumper. She has tremendous footwork, and already showcased some great moves when she's driving from the outside to the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensively she's an all-around weapon, and on defense she's an obstacle who's nearly impossible to work around. She stands her ground, and is able to use her speed to defend a guard or a post player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gemma has size and strength, and she's already confident in her free throw shooting. At one point on Saturday night, she made 4 straight freebies. And with her physicality and size, she's able to get to the line a lot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gemma will be a great +/- kind of player when she gets to high school. The team is very different when she's not on the floor, and she brings a vast skillset to the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["888335"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1862834,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a17d8ad64f7a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sofija is already approaching 6'0", and she's developed a very impressive skillset to go with her size. She's got a nice stroke, and stays confident shooting from deep, even after a couple of misses. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In the second half of one of her games, she had a really impressive and-1 conversion late in the first half. Sofija has the capacity to take strong drives to the rim and convert in traffic. She's good with her hands, and has developed the footwork to be elusive when she has the ball in her hands. Sofija herself says that the best aspect of her game is getting to the rim and drawing contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And she's already developed the size to be a defensive disruptor-getting her hands on a lot of tipped balls and deflected shots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1861391"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a17d8ad64fc9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Demi's developed impressive size and strength as she approaches her sophomore year of high school. She has nice hands, and on a fast break she's reliable to get ahead of the defense and convert a transition layup. Her speed was especially evident on Sunday when I saw her convert at least 3 transition layups, simply because she was faster than anyone else on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Demi tells me that she likes to get rebounds and be aggressive in the post. And she enjoys being a pesky defender who gets in the head of the ballhandler. She's a talker when she's on D, and can be a frustrating matchup challenge for opposing teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1822027"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1862836,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a17d8ad6501e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Parker has yet to play her first high school basketball game, but as she finishes her 8th grade year, she's already turning some heads on the AAU circuit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When Parker is on the floor, she is in complete control of the paint. Offensively, she's purely unstoppable when she gets the ball in her hands. She seems totally unbothered by contact, and fights to get shots up through contact. And on defense, she's a rebounding machine. I saw a couple of games where she had to have at least 12 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Parker is a confident player, and says she's put in a lot of work with her footwork and movement in the post. And she's honed her handles through playing goalie on the soccer pitch in middle school.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1861397"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a17d8ad65069"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Caroline is a skilled player, who's got the size and strength to play well at all 3 levels. She nailed at least one 3-pointer in each game I watched her play this weekend. Plus, she has a nice give-and-go in her arsenal, and she's able to get to the hoop in a hurry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Caroline prides herself as a smart player who sees the floor well, and knows where the ball is going. She's also a tenacious defender and can be a serious challenge for whoever she's matched up against.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1214637"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1862838,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a17d8ad650c5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Adeline is still developing as a player, but she already has very good control of her game for someone who's reached 6'0". She has great hands in the post, and is trustworthy to convert a bucket if you feed her in the paint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Adeline has really impressive footwork when she has the ball in her hands, and she draws so much attention that it's easy for her to draw contact and get the other team in foul trouble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Adeline tries to play in the mold of Cameron Brink, by being a defensive disruptor, while also cleaning up shots and finding open teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->