The Stage: Top 2025 Illinois Forwards
The first live period has wrapped up with the busiest AAU weekend of the year in Indianapolis which included the Prep Hoops Circuit and The Stage. I was in attendance all weekend watching the 15Us at Triton Central, and I…
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Continue ReadingThe first live period has wrapped up with the busiest AAU weekend of the year in Indianapolis which included the Prep Hoops Circuit and The Stage. I was in attendance all weekend watching the 15Us at Triton Central, and I was able to see some of the best talent from teams across the entire country. Let’s take a look at the top forwards from Illinois that I saw this past weekend.
Jeremiah Conway – 6’0” SF – Belleville East (Illinois Orange Basketball Club)
Conway is a tough small forward who made his living thanks to his strength and toughness on the inside. He attacked the glass on both ends, and his touch around the rim was very good. He should continue to grow which will just help him with his aggressiveness in the paint for sure. If he can bulk up a bit, it will take his game to the next step.
Gabriel Gonzales – 6’5” PF – West Aurora (M14 Hoops – 2)
Gonzales has a ton of size on the inside, and he used it well to be strong on the glass. He is a great rebounder and uses his strength to make it tough when defending the post. On the offensive end, Gonzales had a couple of mid-range jumpers as well. He needs to improve his versatility, but he has a strong base for his sill set.
Kobe Jordan – 6’0” SF – Metea Valley (M14 Hoops – 1)
Jordan is an aggressive rebounder who controlled the glass this entire weekend. He is a hard worker on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass. On the offensive end, Jordan showed off some strong drives to the hole including a nice step-through move.
Hudson Kirby – 6’2” SF – Geneva (M14 Hoops – 1)
Kirby is a big, thin wing who showed off his all-around skills this weekend. Kirby knocked down a couple of threes on the weekend, but he also made some nice passes in the inside-outside offense to get open looks for his teammates. On the defensive end of the floor, he came up with several blocked shots as well. Great weekend all together for Kirby.
Jacob Rice – 6’3” SF – St. Laurence (Chicago Hoops)
Rice was one of the best scoring forwards of the weekend as he scored it consistently in so many different ways. He has a smooth shooting stroke from the outside, but he can also attack the rim and finish thanks to his size and toughness. Rice would have 23 on Saturday morning, and with his scoring ability, he’s on the watch in the future. St. Laurence has a great young core right now for sure.
Terrance Smith – 6’4” PF – Aurora West (My Journey)
Smith is a big, tough forward who absolutely dominated the paint this weekend. He has big hops which allowed him to be a monster on the glass on both ends of the floor, and he finished well around the rim whether off of offensive rebounds or by taking it strong to the hole. He is also a very smart player, and he saw the floor incredibly well. Watch out for this kid!
Trayvon Taylor – 6’4” SF – Moline (EZ Work Elite)
Taylor is a big-bodied forward who attacks the paint on every touch and looks to score when he has it in his hands. He uses his strength to go through the defense, and he can finish with both hands. He really showed off his athleticism on the rebounds as he was incredibly active on both ends. He was probably my player of the tournament for the 15U age group, as he dominated every game that he played. This kid is for real.