2025 Rankings Update: Top Small Forwards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Their AAU careers are over and Senior years start in a few weeks. The 2025 class is officially winding down their high school basketball careers. There has been a lot of movement up and down the rankings over the years. Here's a look at the updated top Small Forwards in the rising Senior class. This does not include players who are ranked in the Top Ten.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/position-ranking-table {"name":"acf/position-ranking-table","data":{"class":"2025","_class":"field_65cfb7374abb9","position":"77247","_position":"field_65cfbfcb19ad6","national_rankings":"0","_national_rankings":"field_660c1d73c0e49","state":"97","_state":"field_65cfb88a603fe"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-66aa8877b9de5"} /--> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1876862' first='Aaron' last='Gutman'] is one of the best players in Kentucky's 2025 class that no one know about. Standing nearly 6'7 and capable of scoring from all over the court, Aaron is a versatile scorer and good defender who also offers rim protection from the wing spot. Gutman fits the profile of a D1 recruit but his recruiting is currently consisting of D2 and NAIA level schools.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1123543' first='Hayden' last='Blakeman'] of Green County is one of the better pure scorers in the 5th region and should break most school records at Green before he graduates. Hayden has sneaky bounce and typically gets a dunk or two per game during the high school season. Look for Blakeman to sign at the D2/NAIA level as he has several schools recruiting him at that level now.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>UHA Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1318185' first='Elijah' last='Walton'] is a very athletic wing with a great motor. He plays super hard and is a good rebounder who offers some rim protection on defense as well. Capable of switching to guard multiple positions, Walton's best basketball is all still ahead of him and he's only going to get better once he gets into a college weight room and adds bulk to his wiry frame.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='1587491' first='Jace' last='Birney'] is one of the better small school players in the state as he is on track to be the best player to come through Ballard Memorial. Jace can play inside or out on the perimeter and is in the habit of doing it all for his team to be competitive. Birney is high academic and should be on the radar for non-D1 schools across Kentucky and border states.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Calloway County has a loaded Senior class and [player_tooltip player_id='2272651' first='Conner' last='Lockhart'] is the player who gets talked about the least. He may also be the most valuable. Conner has good size and a quick release on his jumper. He does a lot of his damage from behind the three point line but Lockhart is capable of getting into the paint and finishing as well. Lockhart could be a college basketball player, he just needs some more exposure.</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->