South Finals: 17U Forwards Who Should Be on Your Watchlist

The Prep Hoops South Finals brought the circuit a competitive event, creating a championship-level environment where effort, intensity, and production were on full display. With strong matchups and talented prospects battling throughout the tournament, in a setting where consistency and competitiveness mattered most, several recruits separated themselves through impactful performances and winning plays. Here we take a look at some of the standouts who embraced the moment and delivered when the stakes were highest.    [player_tooltip player_id='2950456' first='Matthew' last='Widtfeldt'] was a beast under the basket at times, he thrived not only as a bruiser but also as a finesse scorer with polished footwork and a soft touch to finish through contact or with crafty reverses. Widtfeldt put on a masterclass in footwork, pivoting through traffic with subtle bumps, shoulder fakes, and head fakes before rising into soft-touch jump hooks. Comfortable operating from the mid-post, he could back defenders down or face up and attack off the dribble, using stride stops and body control to create separation and score efficiently around the rim. Matthew Widtfeldt's versatility extended beyond the paint, showing the ability to stretch the floor and capitalize on spot-up opportunities. He knocked down jumpers with poise and confidence, staying balanced against aggressive fly-by defenders and making defenses pay for overcommitting. Widtfeldt‘s blend of interior power, skilled footwork, and perimeter touch made him a difficult matchup game to game, capable of impacting the game from multiple scoring levels.     Kyle Guillot consistently challenged opponents at the rim on both ends of the floor, thriving in high-contact and high-energy moments. Whether elevating for posterizing dunks or delivering jaw-dropping blocks, he made his presence felt above the rim. His fearlessness and explosive athleticism allowed him to finish through a defender's chest-to-chest while also rotating over for chase-down swats and emphatic blocks off the glass. His ability to dominate vertical space brought a game-changing element that energized his team and altered momentum.     Good size and mobility, very agile and nimble on his feet at 6-foot-5. Garcia proved effective posting up and playing with his back to the basket where his drop step forced defenders under the rim for clean looks at the hoop. When facing up, Garcia showed the footwork to pivot and counter his defender with all sorts of moves and subtle fakes before finishing over the top with touch or dishing it out to the perimeter. His size allows him to shoot over smaller defenders, while his body control and smooth mechanics help him maintain touch even when contested. Whether operating from the elbows, short corners, or attacking downhill into a pull-up, his mid-range jumper added another layer to his versatile scoring package.     Defensive anchor not only as a shot blocker and rim protector, but also as a defensive rebounder who neutralized possessions with length and burst to snatch boards at their peak. He didn't shy away from contact, competing nonstop and battling in the trenches. Offensively, he proved to be a spot-up shooting threat from the outside, stretching the defense for kick out and hit-ahead opportunities early in the offense.     Siji Sodimu was a rebounding machine, exploding strong off two feet through traffic, using his reach to snatch the ball at its highest point, often beating opponents with his first jump. His timing, toughness, and relentless pursuit of the basketball allowed him to control the glass, securing rebounds outside of his area and creating extra possessions through sheer effort and physicality.     6'4” forward, Hunter Range came in high and hard for rebounds crashing with full intent on winning possession of the ball. A dependable presence on the glass, someone willing to battle in crowded areas. Offensively, he remained poise and balance down low, relying on crafty footwork and patience to keep the defense guessing, putting his spin moves and drop steps on full display, showing an unmatched ability to score in the paint and finish through contact. Range felt where the defender's weight is positioned, then quickly spins off toward the baseline or back towards the middle.

The Prep Hoops South Finals brought the circuit a competitive event, creating a championship-level environment where effort, intensity, and production were on full display. With strong matchups and talented prospects battling throughout the tournament, in a setting where consistency and competitiveness mattered most, several recruits separated themselves through impactful performances and winning plays. Here we take a look at some of the standouts who embraced the moment and delivered when the stakes were highest.