#NEXTMidwestKickoff: 2025 Standout Forwards/Wings

Kansas City, Missouri — The Prep Hoops NEXT Midwest Kickoff was the start of grassroots basketball for most teams in attendance. This two-day tournament consisted of teams coming from Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nevada, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, and all over Missouri, from age groups of 11U all the way up to 14U. Several players stood out from each class due to their scoring, dribbling, and defensive abilities. Here we’ll take a look at some of those high-performing wings and forwards that made major impacts on the floor for their respective teams.

Reese Minnix | Mid-Missouri, MO | Class of 2025

Reese Minnix brought a formidable presence to the frontcourt, he’s very skilled, can run the floor, and do it all offensively. Minnix proved to be a high IQ basketball player with phenomenal instincts on both sides of the ball. On the offensive end, Reese made plays with his back to the basket, utilizing turn around hook shots that he was able to get over any defensive player standing in his way, and also showed the ability to face up, take his man off the dribble, and get to his spots for a mid-range jump shot. Not only was he a good low and high post scorer, but his game expanded all the way out the perimeter where Reese could shoot it with range. Defensively, this long and lengthy rim protector had the paint on lock, no easy layups were allowed in his house. Reese Minnix showed a lot of promise and all the tools it takes to be successful stretch-forward in today’s game.

Jacorey Robinson | Topeka, KS | Class of 2025

Jacorey Robinson was a true stat sheet stuffer throughout the tournament, he was all over the floor doing everything needed of him and much more. Robinson was extremely aggressive when going after loose balls, especially rebounds on the offensive end which led to plenty of second-chance opportunities for the Gauchos. Exceptional job at using his length and physical nature to his advantage, his knack for knocking the ball loose propelled his team in major ways defensively, leading to multiple fast break opportunities. Jacorey Robinson showed his worth with good versatility on the offensive end and outstanding effort on the defensive end, making him one of the better two-way players in the entire tournament.

Bryce Walker | Springfield, MO | Class of 2025

6-foot-3-inch, Bryce Walker was an absolute problem on the defensive end of the floor, completely shutting off the paint by defending the rim, forcing bad shots, and making his opponents think twice before coming inside. Walker took pride in his defense, he even had a big game on championship day where he swatted away 3 shots in the first half and finished the game with 5 total blocks to go along with his 16 points. On offense, Bryce excelled when stretching the floor and displaying the ability to play out on the wing, as well as in the post where Walker was a lot to handle. There’s so much finesse to his game, he continuously showed off his excellent touch on his go-to quick turnaround move that freed him up for a layup or jumper on numerous occasions. 

Jaret Sanchez | Topeka, KS | Class of 2025

Jaret Sanchez was a sharpshooting threat offensively, often finding ways to be in the right spots at the most opportune times. It was clear that Sanchez understood his teammate’s tendencies and knew exactly how to capitalize off of them. Jaret torched defenses when catching and shooting in rhythm, producing multiple games with 2 and more three-pointers made, even knocking down 4 three-pointers in the first half of the Gauchos final game. Jaret Sanchez played his role well and showed potential as a shooting specialist all week long.

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