Five Top Small Forwards for the Class of 2023
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The class of 2023 has a unique set of small forwards. Here’s a look at five of them: Bella Barrett Bella Barrett 5'11" | SF Millennium | 2023 State AZ is a six-foot small forward for Verrado High School in…
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Continue ReadingThe class of 2023 has a unique set of small forwards. Here’s a look at five of them:
Bella Barrett Bella Barrett 5'11" | SF Millennium | 2023 State AZ is a six-foot small forward for Verrado High School in Buckeye. She also plays for AZ Select, her grassroots team. Playing in the 5A Desert Region, the Lady Vipers finished with an overall 18-2 record, 6-1 in their region. As a sophomore, Bella averaged 11.1 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.1 steals. In her two seasons on the varsity – a total of 44 games – she averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds. She has won the Player of the Game award seven times over her first two seasons.
Her Head Coach, Vernon Beard, had this to say about Bella. “We really appreciate her. She has a very high basketball IQ,” said Coach Beard. “We talk about goals, we talk about certain situations, why we do things the way we do them. And it’s not me just talking to her. It’s the two of us talking to each other.” Her favorite player is two-time WNBA Champion Breanna Stewart. Bella is listed as the number one ranked small forward in Arizona’s class of 2023.
Khamil Pierre Khamil Pierre 6'2" | PF Perry | 2023 State AZ is a 6-2 small forward for Perry High School in Yuma. She also plays for Arizona Arsenal and recently took part in the Player Showcase Tournament in Las Vegas. The Lady Pumas finished with an overall 13-6 record, 5-3 in their conference. Perry lost to Hamilton in the state playoffs, although Khamil had a double-double: 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Khamil averaged 17.3 points per game and 8.8 rebounds in 2021. Her two-year varsity averages, in 34 games, are 10.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game. She shot 60% from the floor this past season. Khamil also was second in region 6A in scoring and had a total of seven double-doubles. She was named All 6A Co-Defensive Player of the Year and All-Conference second team. In one week in March, she was named Player of the Week by averaging 28 points and 11 rebounds in two games. Khamil was also named to the Honorable Mention team by Sports 360 All-Academic Girls team with an unweighted GPA of 3.7.
Navine Mallon Navine Mallon 5'9" | SF Flowing Wells | 2023 State AZ is a 5-10 small forward for Flowing Wells High School. She also plays for the Texas Rattlers. Her high school team finished 15-4 in 2021 and were undefeated – 7-0 – in their region. Flowing Wells lost to Millennium in the State Championship game, 62-39. They fell short of their first state title in 13 years. Playing for Head Coach Michael Perkins, Navine averaged 11.7 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. Her two-year varsity average is 9.5 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. In the Lady Cabs win over Pueblo, she had 15 points, 19 rebounds, four assists, and four steals.
Navine made the Sonoran Region First Team and the AllSportsTucson second team. She was also an Honorable Mention on the Sports360AZ All-Academic girl’s team. While rehabbing a torn AC in May 2019, she attended a tournament in Phoenix over the summer. There she met Kobe Bryant whose Mamba Sports Academy team was playing in the tournament. It was a surprise and the biggest thrill of her life.
Amaya Washington Amaya Washington 5'10" | SF Dream City Christian Prep | 2023 State AZ is a 5-10 small forward for Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Phoenix. In 2021 the Lady Eagles finished with an overall 12-5 record and 8-1 in their region in which they were champions. Under Head Coach Danny Soliman, Amaya averaged 5.8 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore. She also finished the season by making 85% of her free throws. Amaya has now played in 25 games for SDO and also plays for Arizona Elite in the 17U division.
Amaya is very coachable and made tremendous improvements from her freshman to sophomore seasons. She provides an inside scoring punch for the Lady Eagles, is a good shooter, and a great off-the-ball defender. With a lengthy and long body, she is continuing to grow on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. She has two more years of eligibility as she heads into her junior season. With many returnees for 2022, SDO should be able to take a run at a state title.
Kyah Wynn Kyah Wynn 5'8" | SF Desert Mountain | 2023 State AZ is a 6 foot small forward for Desert Mountain High School.She also plays for Zone 6, her grassroots team. The Desert Mountain Wolves finished with an overall 4-10 in the 5A Northeast Valley Division and 2-6 in their region. Although missing part of the season with an injury, Kyah averaged 4.5 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game. She also shot 60% from the floor.
Kyah knew basketball was her sport when her Sonoran Trails Middle School team finished her seventh-grade year with an undefeated 10-0 record. She has improved every year since seventh grade on both ends of the court. An outstanding rebounder and defender, she now gets ready for her junior year of high school.