Unranked Forwards Who Were Huge in the Postseason

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was a long list of unranked forwards who were big in the playoffs. When the new rankings update comes out soon, you will certainly be seeing a lot of these names added. But for a look back at the playoffs specifically, we want to shine a light on this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some unranked forwards who came up big in the playoffs:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2387774' first='Calvin' last='Dwyer']</strong>, 6-foot guard, 2024, Wellsville:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What a way to end a career. After flying under the radar as one of the many good guards at Wellsville, Dwyer showed on the big stage that he's not just talented, but unique in his game. While just 6-foot, Dwyer played a hybrid role for the Eagles. Wellsville didn't have much size and used Dwyer as a forward who roamed inside the paint and along the baseline, exploiting holes in opposing defenses. He really understood the role and was super productive. He caught passes and distributed from the high post and snaked his way to 14-21 shooting. He averaged 13 points per game on the title run. He's slender and springy and was key to making the Eagles' style work.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2393765' first='Eric' last='Smith']</strong>, 6-foot-3 forward, 2025, Atchison:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An athlete who caught our eye in the second half of the season, Smith is a riser. He's powerfully built and explosive. He took a bigger and bigger role, until by the end of the season, he was being given the ball on the perimeter to create. He has some face-the-basket skills and is really good on the glass and around the goal. In Atchison's two wins at the tournament, he got 19 points and 9 boards against Rock Creek, then 12 points against Baldwin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Owen Bailey</strong>, 6-foot-1 forward, 2025, Southeast of Saline:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Almost all the players for the Trojans were unknowns going into the season. The team had to totally rebuild, and Bailey was called upon to play a big role. He followed up the season as the team's leading scorer with a solid tournament. He racked up 38 points in the tournament. He got 15 points and 9 rebounds against Goodland in the semifinal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2394578' first='Tyler' last='Salmon']</strong>, 6-foot-7 forward, 2025, Shawnee Mission Northwest:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ok so maybe Salmon belongs in the center category, but we are going to list him here to get the big schools represented on this list. Salmon's versatility allows him to play a variety of roles. He blended in with a talented group and produced throughout the season, particularly as a threat from deep. He was a key role player in the run to the tournament. He scored 16 points against Wichita East, 9 versus Mill Valley, and 7 against Wichita Heights while adding 4 boards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gabe Riffel</strong>, 6-foot-1 forward, 2024, Sterling:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's get one down-and-dirty forward who loves to mix it up on the glass on this list. Riffel had a really nice career for quality teams that just couldn't quite reach the state tournament until his senior season. He was a warrior at the tournament, crashing his way to an eye-popping 42 boards. Riffel was a team-player who did the dirty work. Though just 6-foot-1, he played much bigger using his strength and tenacity to make plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->