Top new Forwards from 2026 Rankings Update

Our 2026 rankings update saw 27 players make their debut on our list, in this article we'll break down seven forwards who made our list for the first time.    A football first prospect, Dolata has generated a lot of buzz as a quarterback for the powerhouse Medina Buckeye Bucks. I also think Dolata would be a stud at the small college level on the hardwood due to his frame, strength and skill on the ball at his height. Dolata went over the 1,000 point mark for his career in January and took a visit to Ashland University for football a couple weeks ago. Under the radar talent in northeast Ohio!     The Maysville Panthers are an electric team to watch and the continued improvement of Roehrig gives them a chance to run it back as state champions. Stepping up against top competition, Roehrig poured in a career-high 46 points Vs Kettering Alter in an overtime victory and had a team-high 24 points in a win over Akron STVM at the shot clock shootout. Roehrig is an impressive set shooter but his athleticism and ability on the ball makes him a tough cover at the high school level. Expect to hear a lot about Maysville as the playoffs continue to approach, they are looking for a third consecutive trip to state with this loaded senior class.     I finally got the chance to see Sito play for the first time a couple of weeks ago, as he unfortunately suffered an injury that held him out of summer competition. Sito is a power athlete who is explosive and strong, which allows him to fight for contested rebounds. I should get to see Toledo Central Catholic at least one more time this season, giving myself the opportunity to get another evaluation of Sito's game. The northwest Ohio star was putting up impressive numbers at Bryan last season before his move to one of the top teams in the region for his senior year.     One of the most productive players in the CMAC, Lively is an elite rebounder and plays with an excellent motor. A little undersized for his style of play, Lively wants to be physical in the paint and crash the offensive glass hard. Leading the conference in rebounding by a significant margin, Lively is grabbing over 14 rebounds per game, which should be among the top in the entire state. His relentless motor and production on the interior should be a good fit at the JUCO level in more up-tempo games that more similarly resemble the playstyle in the CMAC.     Lutheran East is rolling with an unbeaten record and Davis is the lone senior starter on the squad. A skilled big man, Davis has soft hands, can space the floor and rebounds the basketball. Playing in a ton of big games over the years, Davis has seen it all with the Falcons and they look poised to potentially become the first OHSAA boys basketball team to win four state titles in a row.     Another GCL Co-Ed addition, Ehlers has been a nice breakout senior, doubling his PPG from 3.8 to 7.6 this season. Ehlers has scored 16 points twice this season, in wins over Badin and Walnut Hills. Also, the second leading rebounder in the conference, Ehlers physicality has helped McNicholas against some of the taller teams they've played this season with a mostly undersized lineup. It's also no coincidence that McNicholas has suffered back-to-back blowout losses without Ehlers in the lineup.     A prospect who made some noise on the Prep Hoops Circuit this summer, Larkins has continued that momentum into averaging almost 12 points and 7 rebounds a night for Taylor. Efficient from the floor, Larkins is shooting 63% from the field because he waits to take good shots. Larkins attended a couple of small college prospect camps in the fall, he should get interest from regional small college programs due to his size, production and motor.

Our 2026 rankings update saw 27 players make their debut on our list, in this article we'll break down seven forwards who made our list for the first time.