Summer Madness: Top '27 Wings/Forwards

-Rucker looked great in new threads versus a really good PGCA team. He was effectively taking his matchup off the bounce, scored well from the midrange and the paint, and used his athleticism to effect the game as a roving free safety type on the defensive end of the floor. Rucker had a great stretch where he hit a C+S look from 18', collected back to back steals before throwing down a 2-handed dunk at the other end, and blocked a wing 3 after closing out from the paint. His blend of size, versatility, and athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect to track in 2027.     -First viewing of Cowan and came away impressed with the versatility and effectiveness of his game. Standing 6'4 with long arms and pretty good physical tools, Cowan was disruptive defensively and spent most of the afternoon igniting the fastbreak for the Knights. He can put the ball on the floor, hit open looks from the perimeter, guard multiple positions, and impact the game as a rebounder. Finished with 11 points on pretty good shooting splits against a good PGCA group.     14p 5r 1a 2s 4 3s vs Mt Carmel, 10p 5r 2a 1s vs Clinton Grace   -Will continue to beat the drum as one of Mahan's biggest supporters after a productive weekend that culminated with a championship for JR. Lane hit perimeter shots, got to the rim, hit the glass, and was a whirling dervish defensively as a disruptive wing that can guard 1-4 pretty effectively. His energy and competitive fire are contagious, helping his team back from a 14-point deficit in their third game of the day to come away with the win.     8p 10r 1b vs Jackson Reed, 12p 7r 2a 1s 2b vs Shabach   -A player that is really impossible to dislike, Mancho affects the game whether he is on or off the floor as a vocal leader that communicates often and loudly. He's grown to 6'9 and is establishing himself as one of the most underrated players in the area as an effective rebounder, shot-blocker, and play-finisher around the rim that doesn't need plays run for him to be effective. Mancho's developmental growth in feel has been impressive even since the end of the varsity season as he continues to grow in his understanding of how to move to space, when to screen on the ball or screen away, when to dive in for rebounds and when to get back defensively. His positive attitude and work ethic make him the consummate teammate, would not be shocked to see him blow up this AAU season as college coaches notice the value that he brings to his team.     20p 6r 3a 1s vs Jackson Reed -Man oh man what a showing for Barrett in new threads with Archbishop Carroll in the WCAC. Barrett seemingly had everything going offensively as a scoring wing that hit a TON of shots inside the arc, hit a stepback three, and has made a ton of improvements to his body. He is much more comfortable putting the ball on the floor in his new environment and should be a key pick n pop target for Carroll's stable of guards this season as a sure-handed wing that can be effective rolling to the rim or spacing it out to the perimeter for an open jumper.     6p 5r 1a 2s vs Mt Carmel, 13p vs City   -Love the flashes and the developmental growth from Carter, especially on the defensive end of the floor as he is doing a great job of crowding ballhandlers and using his length to collect steals/deflections. Carter knocked down a trio of tre-balls, got to the rim to finish through contact, and stuck a putback versus City. He focused more on the defensive end of the floor against OLMC and served as a valuable wing defender that can scale up to mark forwards whether it's on switches or individual matchups. His athleticism continues to remain a calling card and the quickness looks to be improving as he continues to gain more fluidity in his hips to defend guards at a higher level.