Updated Class of 2023 Rankings: Top Forwards (Part II)

<p>Prep Hoops Missouri recently released its updated Class of 2023 rankings. In our final positional breakdown, we take a look at the second group of top forwards in the 2023 class.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Kanyon-Hummel.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1196958" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Kanyon-Hummel-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1167326" first="Kanyon" last="Hummel"] (Rock Bridge): The 6’9" forward continues to make big strides as an up and coming standout. He has solid moves in the post and he can step out to hit the 12 to 15 footer. He’s an aggressive rebounder who passes the ball well and plays good positional defense inside.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Brady-Kuehl.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1430828" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Brady-Kuehl-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1269934" first="Brady" last="Kuehl"] (Parkway West): The versatile 6’6" forward has a nice skill set he he plays very well within the flow of the offense. He can hit the open 3-pointer to stretch the defense and he also has a nice turnaround jumper in the lane. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds in helping the Longhorns to a 24-3 record.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/D5E0894C-83CD-4331-995D-832220118E18.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1423376" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/D5E0894C-83CD-4331-995D-832220118E18-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1161295" first="Lucas" last="Lyons"] (Lone Jack): A 6’7" forward who has continued to show improvements over the course of the season. He’s a very active post player who stays mobile and rebounds out of his area. He is also very effective on offense around the basket. He averaged 11.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in leading Lone Jack to a 23-3 record.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1070095" first="Clayton" last="Ernst"] (Jackson): The 6’8" forward has been a stalwart in the Indians’ lineup since he was a freshman. He has a good defensive presence with his size and length to block shots. He has a soft touch around the basket and he can also step out to the high post to hit the 15 foot jumper.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Keaton-Stone-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1179936" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Keaton-Stone-1-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1070117" first="Keaton" last="Stone"] (Maryville): The 6’5" forward from Maryville is a very effective player inside as he mixes a combination of athleticism and high energy.  He does a good job of mixing his moves around the basket and he makes good use of fakes to get defenders out of position to score.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Quinn-Blackburn.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1255123" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Quinn-Blackburn-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1164773" first="Quin" last="Blackburn"] (Pacific): A 6’7" forward who is one of the best players in the Franklin County area. He has excellent footwork and a variety of ways to score in the low post. He can shoot the 3-pointer on occasion and he will hustle down the court on a rim-run. He is also an active rebounder and shot blocker. He averaged 13.5 points, 12 points and three blocks while shooting 55 percent from the field.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Zach Orthwerth (SLUH): The 6’5" 220-pounder is a Division I football prospect as a tight end who also gets it done on the basketball court with his strength and athleticism. He battles opposing bigs inside with toughness and he’s also thrown down some impressive dunks in traffic. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field in helping SLUH to a Class 6 district championship.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Chandavian Bradley (Platte County): The athletic 6’6" forward is one of the state’s top football prospects with multiple Power 5 offers. He brings that athleticism and intensity to the basketball court, which resulted in an excellent junior season.  He averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and two steals a game to help the Pirates to a 22-5 record.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/05/5DCD4D5B-657A-4CA9-B5FE-BECBABAC3BF8.jpeg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1456433" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/05/5DCD4D5B-657A-4CA9-B5FE-BECBABAC3BF8-300x260.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="260" /></a><br /> Zach Mings (Marshfield): A 6’4" combo forward from Marshfield with a versatile skill set to go along with his explosive athleticism. He attacks the basket very well, which can either result in a runner, a finger roll or a dunk over an unsuspecting defender. He operates well from the high post as a scorer and passer and he can hit the open 3-pointer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1440686" first="Ethan" last="Fauss"] (Clayton): A 6’7" forward who is emerging as an excellent prospect with his size and versatile skill set. He can stretch the defense with his 3-point shooting as he made 44 triples during the season. He also averaged 13.5 points, seven rebounds and three assists a game.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Ethan-Wiley.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1012622" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Ethan-Wiley-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" /></a></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1070099" first="Ethan" last="Wiley"] (Battle): The 6’5" power forward from Battle is a force in the paint with his big body and physical style of play. He is one of the best when it comes to establishing his position inside, whether it is to catch the ball in the post or rebound. He is also very good at rebounding out of his area.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1167327" first="Jack" last="Gogue"] (Richmond): The 6’7" 270-pound forward enjoyed a big junior season in leading the Spartans to a Class 4 district championship. He is a big physical player, but he has a soft shooting touch around the basket. He has good mobility with good feet, which also serves him well on the football field as an offensive lineman.</p>