Prep School Bigs Ready to Make Their Presence Felt

Prep school environments tend to reveal who is built to compete every at the next level and this year, several prospects have stood out by raising their level of play. Whether it's improved physicality, decision-making, or the ability to impact both ends of the floor, these players have shown growth that translates to winning basketball. Here are the prep school frontcourt forces worth tracking closely as the season unfolds.    A highly versatile forward who controls the glass with authority. Gavin snatches rebounds and gets his team into transition quickly, whether it's from an immediate outlet or by bringing it up himself to create early offense. Down low, his footwork is elite. Whether he's facing up or playing with his back to the basket, he's a scoring threat with step-throughs, drop steps, and power finishes.     [player_tooltip player_id='2391007' first='David' last='Baliraine']'s physicality jumps out immediately as he plays with a strong, powerful frame yet moves fluid and controlled. This kid is built to absorb, deliver, and sustain contact on both ends across multiple positions.     Woodson's upward explosion sets him apart, allowing him to consistently outleap opponents for rebounds and protect the rim. Woodson makes his presence known in the paint play-to-play, blocking, contesting, and controlling the glass with intensity.     Effective pick and roll player, from his solid screens to his seal and roll ability. In the post, [player_tooltip player_id='2554904' first='Xavier' last='Young'] uses deep seals, strong base work, and shoulder leverage to dictate angles. Phenomenal build and frame, already built to compete against college competition. Young stands tall with a broad chest, strong core, and defined shoulders, giving him the ability to absorb and deliver contact without losing balance. Young moves very well with power and coordination, running the floor like a wing with long strides, fluid hips, and an explosive first step. On the glass, Young's strength and verticality allow him to carve out position early, high-point rebounds, and control the paint physically.     High IQ postman who sees plays developing ahead of time excelling off anticipation and heady decision making. High level footwork and touch under the basket, scoring off either foot or hand through traffic with push shots and reverses. Smith shows a constant motor that allows him to clean up misses for second chance points, utilize his mobility in the open court, and anchor the defense with instinctive backline play. Elton Smith also shows a great ability to communicate, switch, or hedge in pick actions, cutting off passing and driving angles with his length, always making his massive wingspan present and effective.     An overwhelming force in the paint. He consistently creates second-chance opportunities and is fully capable of elevating straight into putback dunks in traffic. His motor, length, and interior presence wear defenses down possession after possession.     [player_tooltip player_id='2807340' first='Mathias' last='Baye'] proves to be nearly impossible to shoot over when he gets into his wall-up position. Baye doesn't just defend the basket, he claims it, never needing to leave his feet to change the outcome of a possession. He plays with discipline and doesn't chase every block but controls space and plays defense with verticality and patience, absorbing contact without fouling while still taking away the shooter's sightline.

Prep school environments tend to reveal who is built to compete every at the next level and this year, several prospects have stood out by raising their level of play. Whether it's improved physicality, decision-making, or the ability to impact both ends of the floor, these players have shown growth that translates to winning basketball. Here are the prep school frontcourt forces worth tracking closely as the season unfolds.