Dominant Paint Presence Players in the NOVA Area to Watch for

With new rankings in the work and the grassroots season in full swing, we decided it was time to take a look at some of the particulars that make certain prospects excel at specific parts of the game.   Today, we take a look at 7 of the best paint presence forwards in the NOVA area, players who can protect the paint, dominate the glass, score it on the block, and do all the dirty work for their team.   [player_tooltip player_id='1370511' first='Frank' last='Siaca-Bey'] | 6'8” C | Fairfax Christian 2026   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tempImagevD1RgP.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/03/tempImagevD1RgP.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2801387" /></a></figure>   Siaca-Bey had a fantastic junior season, as the leading scorer and rebounder for Fairfax Christian in their third straight VISAA D-III state championship. He's a mix of old school and new school as he dominates in the paint with his strength and ability to finish with both hands through contact, he boxes out very well and rebounds well on both ends of the floor, he can hit fall-aways and face up in the mid-post area, and he continues to become more and more consistent from deep too.   [player_tooltip player_id='1782685' first='Evan' last='Brown'] | 6'7” PF | Bishop Ireton 2026   Brown is one of the more underrated big men in the WCAC, as he is a defensive minded big man who is very good at protecting the rim and switching defensively. He uses his length and timing to challenge and block shots without fouling, he rebounds well and is a great outlet passer, he can finish at the rim with both hands and he plays with a good motor on both ends too.   [player_tooltip player_id='2612827' first='Logan' last='Jones'] | 6'7” PF | Potomac School 2026   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Logan-Jones.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Logan-Jones.jpg?w=614" alt="" class="wp-image-2700756" /></a></figure>   Jones is not only a fantastic paint enforcer, he's also a versatile mismatch who uses his blend of size, athleticism and skill to put up big numbers consistently. The 6'7” forward is a big time athlete who can protect the rim and is a fantastic rebounder in and out of his area, he plays above the rim with authority, he runs the floor in transition and can take slower bigs off the bounce, and he plays extremely hard every minute he's on the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='1963395' first='Cameron' last='Prosper'] | 6'6” PF | Hayfield 2026   Prosper is having a great summer for AKT after a big junior season for Hayfield, and it recently came out that he will be pursuing basketball instead of football in college, so coaches should be taking a look at him. He's a big time athlete who can guard bigger defenders using his length and athleticism, he's a good rebounder and can push in transition when he needs to, he finishes well in traffic and is able to impact the game without needing the ball in his hands that much.   [player_tooltip player_id='1542852' first='Ethan' last='Apergis'] | 6'8” C | Episcopal 2026   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Ethan-Asparis-rotated.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/04/Ethan-Asparis-rotated.jpg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-2845549" /></a></figure>   Apergis is a little different than the other guys on this list, as he is more of a finesse paint presence with his ability to score the ball in different ways, while also using his size to challenge shots and rebound as well. He has good touch around the rim and can step out and stretch the floor a bit too, he has great footwork and uses fakes to get his opponents off their feet, he can finish through contact with both hands and he plays with a chip on his shoulder too.   [player_tooltip player_id='1963528' first='Medwyn' last='Opoku-Arthur'] | 6'6” PF | Potomac 2026   Opoku-Arthur has been a huge part of Potomac's turn around over the past few years, and he's showing huge improvements recently with the way he's played this summer. He's a long and athletic big who can run the floor and finish above the rim, he's a very good rim protector who is fearless challenging shots, he plays with a great motor and is willing to do the dirty work, and he is a very good rebounder too.   Derek Daniels | 6'7” PF | Paul VI 2027   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/1-6-1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/1-6-1.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-2187323" /></a></figure>   Daniels is one of the best young big men I've seen in the DMV area, and after transferring from DeMatha to PVI he played a big role in their run to another WCAC championship. While he might be a little undersized as far as his height he makes up for it with his length and explosive leaping ability, he has great timing as a shot blocker, he plays above the rim on dump offs and put-backs, and he's strong enough to battle in the paint too.

With new rankings in the work and the grassroots season in full swing, we decided it was time to take a look at some of the particulars that make certain prospects excel at specific parts of the game.