<p>The Sophomore class is a good one and we’ve already got over 100 ranked players in the class before their 16u AAU seasons start. There are several kids with modest statistics but big time potential so it’s been a tough class to figure out so far. These are the top Small Forwards in the 2024 rankings. This does not include players who were in the top 10 of the rankings.</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1258402" first="Drae" last="Vasser"], Jeffersontown - Vasser is a bully who can get to the rim with the best of them. He can really play any position between point and power forward so we slotted him in at small forward for now but that can always change. Drae is athletic and strong and poised for a big summer as part of a talented Power Circle 16u roster. Vasser led J-Town in scoring and rebounding and is a capable shooter who gets to the free throw line a ton of times each game.</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1088805" first="Hudson" last="Blank"], Dixie Heights - Blank moved into a starting role this season for the Colonels and proved he is a good secondary scorer who can shoot at a high level and has an obvious skill level and toughness. Hudson has grown and gotten more athletic and should be on the radar for smaller schools around the state or in border states. </p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="932792" first="Elijah" last="Decker"], Ohio County - Elijah appears to be back after a knee injury and is trying to round back into form this summer. Decker has among the highest potential in the class as he has good positional size and is very athletic. Now that he's sporting a large knee brace, he'll need to show that he can guard laterally but he's got the raw ability to play scholarship basketball in college.</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1089540" first="Derrell" last="Bateman"], Christian County - Bateman is super talented but still raw as a prospect. He's long and athletic with the ability to slash to the rim and finish. He needs to improve as a shooter if he wants to be a true wing but he has physical attributes that are ideal for a small forward at the next level.</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1287889" first="Zane" last="Whitaker"], Magoffin County - One of the stars of our Top 250 Expo last fall, Zane is long and sneaky athletic with the ability to knock down shots from deep range. Whitaker has to get stronger and become a better finisher to boost his stock but he has time to do that and really get on the radar for colleges and universities around the state and beyond.</p>
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<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Other Names to Know:</strong></span></p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1208151" first="Braylon" last="Hinton"], Harrison County</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1122226" first="Trey" last="Walker"], Mason County</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1287891" first="Keaton" last="Baird"], Collins</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1228480" first="Ronnie" last="Sammons"], Floyd Central</p>
<p>[player_tooltip player_id="1389731" first="Hayden" last="Harris"], Clay County</p>
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