2023 Introductions: Small Forwards
Now that I’ve covered the guards in 2023, I want to turn my attention to the wings. There are several really nice wing prospects, and a lot of girls who have the upside to continue vaulting themselves up the rankings…
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Continue ReadingNow that I’ve covered the guards in 2023, I want to turn my attention to the wings. There are several really nice wing prospects, and a lot of girls who have the upside to continue vaulting themselves up the rankings over the next four years. There are several point forwards in this mix, and there are quite a few girls who look like they’ll still grow this next year. Below is a more in-depth look at the Top-10 small forward prospects in Indiana’s Class of 2023, with additional comments on each.
1. Amiyah Reynolds, 5-11 W, South Bend Washington H.S.
Amiyah is rather slender, but she has been an absolute problem for opponents most nights this season. She is extremely long, fluid, and smooth. She is certainly one of those aforementioned point forwards, as she does a nice job of handling the ball, she’s a tremendous downhill passer, and she can create offense for herself or others. She has solid shooting mechanics and is great in the mid-range game, but I anticipate her being a consistent perimeter shooter once she gains more strength. Defensively, she can guard the ball or affect passing lanes with her length, plus despite her thin frame, she isn’t afraid to mix it up and is averaging double-digit rebounds so far this season, with a high of 18.
2. Riley Makalusky, 5-11 W, Hamilton Southeastern H.S.
I first saw Riley at a couple of showcase events this Fall, and she is a skillful ballplayer who has a really high ceiling. Right now she is very thin, but she’s extremely long and still-growing. She moves around the floor fluidly, but I think as she gains strength, she’ll be even more explosive. She is comfortable with the ball in her hands, she can knock down open rhythm jumpers consistently, and she is much tougher than she looks. She has almost a “quiet” toughness to her game and will accept contact instead of avoiding it. I think she’s one of those wait-and-see kids because she is still growing and developing, but she is already so skilled and understands the game well, that she warrants being in this spot.
3. Julia Economou, 5-10 W, Penn H.S.
Penn received a nice Christmas gift over the Summer, as Julia and her family moved North from Newburgh (Castle High School) to the Mishawaka area. Julia is a Varsity player for the deep Kingsmen team, and she does a nice job of playing her role like an upperclassman. She has really good length, she too is slender, but she plays with a poise and veteran savvy you don’t often see in a Freshman. She isn’t afraid of contact, she’ll battle for rebounds and loose balls, plus she has quick feet and does a really nice job defensively. I have only seen her with this Penn team, so I would like to see her during the grassroots season, but I’ve heard she is a very effective scorer at all levels, and I’m anxious to see that part of her game.
4. Renna Schwieterman, 5-10 W, Jay County H.S.
When I saw Renna play over the Summer, she kind of jumped out at me in each of the games I saw. She has a long, wiry strong frame, she looks like she still has a couple of inches left to grow, but she moves well around the floor, she can handle it in transition, she scores it well at all levels, plus she has been an aggressive attacker for Jay County this season. In what was supposed to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Patriots, her 18.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game have helped them to an 8-5 start, and they’re in the midst of a 7-game winning streak. Renna recently earned an offer from Western Michigan as well.
5. Hannah Lach, 5-10 W, Carmel H.S.
I actually just spoke about Hannah in an article reviewing one of Carmel’s games, so I’ll reiterate some of what I said. Hannah is a solidly built, reasonably athletic wing who is just steady. She takes care of the basketball, she can make an open rhythm jumper, or she can attack the basket straight-line. She plays with a good motor, she’ll work hard at the defensive end of the floor, and she’s a nice pursuing rebounder who doesn’t mind a little bit of physicality. As she ages, she’ll need to be more dynamic offensively as a scorer, but I think she has the skill and just needs to add some aggression.
6. Laniya Early, 5-8 W, Lawrence North H.S.
Laniya is the one kid on this list I haven’t seen as of yet, but I’ve heard good things about her from a few credible sources. She is a wiry strong athlete who moves well in all directions. She has some length, an athletic frame, plus I’ve heard she’s tough-nosed, she’s a willing defender, and because of these attributes she has earned some Varsity starts on a team who returned nearly everyone following a State Finals appearance. My goal is to get a live look at Lawrence North sometime in early January.
7. Sydney Warren, 5-11 W, Cascade H.S.
Sydney is one of those kids who I like to call a “hunch” kid…as in I have a hunch she is going to be really good and continue to develop her game as she finishes growing and adds strength. She is very long, fluid, and somewhat smooth. She can handle the ball and run offense like a point forward. She seemingly glides by defenders to the basket, but she’ll need to learn to handle contact a little better. I also think her shooting mechanics are solid, and she’ll be an even more consistent shooter when the strength comes. I think Sydney is a wait-and-see kid who has a bright future because she’s already very skillful.
8. Laney Creech, 5-11 W, Penn H.S.
Laney is a really intriguing wing prospect to me, because she plays the game the right way. She has a long, somewhat slender frame right now, but she plays with a nice grit to her and doesn’t mind mixing it up inside. She can handle it a little, shoot it a little, but she’s best attacking off the bounce and finishing inside. I wouldn’t say she is the most explosive kid in this class, but she is a fluid and smooth athlete who looks to eventually get much stronger. I like her versatility and her potential to develop into a long, tall, multidimensional wing who can do several different things to help a team.
9. Makaya Porter, 5-9 W, Elkhart Central H.S.
Makaya is a very intriguing, versatile, athletic wing prospect. At the end of the day, she’ll likely be more of a true guard in a year or two, but right now she is just a nice, tough-nosed athlete who can make plays in the open floor. She has already had a few big games for the Blue Blazers this Winter, and as she continues to build her skillset and her understanding of the game, I think she will score it much easier. One area I think she can always be effective is at the defensive end of the floor. Her combination of strength and athleticism at her age should allow her to become a really nice defensive stopper.
10. Olivia Waters, 5-10 W, Blackford H.S.
Olivia has a really nice future ahead of her if she continues to round out her skillset. She has a wiry strong frame, good length, and the potential to still grow another 1-2 inches. For Blackford, she acts as their primary ball-handler, and she has good instincts plus a strong handle with her dominant hand. She will need to be more dynamic off the bounce, but she understands how to play. She shoots a solid ball from the perimeter, but shot selection will be key to her improving her shooting percentages. But she will rebound, she has a little bounce and can block shots, and she just does a nice job of playing multiple positions/roles in a given game.
Feature image is of Amiyah Reynolds of South Bend Washington High School. Image is courtesy of Steven Reynolds’ Twitter account.