THE CLOSER: 17 U Saturday Forward Standouts

Prep Hoops covered the 2026 marquee event THE CLOSER at Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill in Hamilton, OH. Today, we will look at the 17 U forward standouts from this past Saturday that shined during the two day event in Cincinnati!    Bowman is a big physical forward who stood out immediately on the court! Andrew Bowman has elite strength and athleticism that jumps out with his ability to finish around the rim. I really loved his overall motor that he plays with especially on the defensive end. Bowman also impressed with his ability to knock down free throws at a high clip displaying his pure free throw shooting form. He has elite versatility for his size and position. I was very impressed with his vision as a passer for a big. He uses his height well to see over the defense getting the ball to open teammates in rhythm leading to scores. Andrew is a stellar all-around small forward with a very heigh ceiling!     A strong defensive forward who can defend multiple positions. [player_tooltip player_id='3567314' first='Christian' last='Rivera'] is a remarkably skilled wing who plays with great intensity on both ends of the floor. I liked his awareness to attack and exploit his matchups this past weekend as he drew fouls earning multiple trips to the free throw line down the stretch of the games for Ohio Ace Elite 17U. A strong and lengthy forward who gives you a little bit of everything on both ends while also being a standout leader on his team. A lot of positives to take away from Rivera's past weekend at THE CLOSER!     A defensive stopper! David Jones makes his presence felt on that end of the floor. He is elite at anticipating where the shot is going to go and using his height and length to reject shot attempts! He had multiple games this past Saturday where he tallied a handful of powerful rejections. Offensively, he loves to crash looking for putbacks and defensively he is exceptional at cleaning the glass displaying his high motor! No doubt this rising senior was a standout performer this weekend and will be someone to keep an eye on as he looks to go further with his basketball career at the next level!     A lengthy wing who provides the right amount of intensity on both ends of the floor! [player_tooltip player_id='3580880' first='Miiking' last='Lynch'] was without question another top performer on this loaded Ohio Ace Elite 17U squad. Despite playing up for his class, he fit right in and was a dynamic presence for the team. He is a very lengthy forward who plays both ends with a lot of passion displaying his competitive nature being able to score and defend at a high level. No double a star two-way threat that give you length on the perimeter along with the ability to score in the paint. There is a lot to like and be impressed with this young forward's game!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Miiking-Lynch-6-5-SF-2028-Ohio-Ace-Elite-17U-rotated-crop-4284x2813-1780630104.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Miiking-Lynch-6-5-SF-2028-Ohio-Ace-Elite-17U-rotated-crop-4284x2813-1780630104.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-3661299" /></a></figure>     My evaluation of Cade continues to grow the more I see this young versatile wing. Cade Wagner is truly a unique prospect with his size and height! He's listed at 6'3" but he plays much bigger than his size indicates. This past weekend, he was able to be an anchoring presence inside for the Kentucky Defenders 17U squad while also spreading the floor with his three-point shooting on the perimeter! The name of the game is versatility with Cade! I continue to love the high motor and competitiveness that he plays with on both ends. Wagner is also an excellent rebounder who is more than capable of running the fastbreak with his quick speed and stellar ball handling for his position. This rising senior should be on many coaches 2027 recruiting list as he no doubt deserves the attention as one of the top regarded forward prospects in this 2027 class!     A dynamic forward who plays with a ton of energy on both ends of the floor. Joshua Gabriel is a large physical force who can convert with consistency around the basket. He battles with intensity for offensive rebounds and loves to convert putbacks when given the opportunity. I was impressed with his competitive nature that he plays the game with. Gabriel battles relentlessly on every possession. He showed excellent leadership for his AAA Academy 17U during their narrow win last Saturday night. Gabriel leaves it all out on the court each game and certainly turned head with his performance this past weekend at THE CLOSER!     Another standout performer on the stacked KBC NKY 17U team who plays with a really high level of intensity and motor! Hunter Keeton is a tough and physical power forward who displays solid size and skill for his position. I like that he seeks contact when attacking the rim looking to draw fouls. Keeton is a well-rounded forward who provides a lot of valuable size and versatility to his team! I was impressed with his efforts on both ends of the floor all weekend at THE CLOSER!

Prep Hoops covered the 2026 marquee event THE CLOSER at Spooky Nook Sports Champion Mill in Hamilton, OH. Today, we will look at the 17 U forward standouts from this past Saturday that shined during the two day event in Cincinnati!