Vote now: Which power forward will have the biggest breakout high school girls basketball season in 2023-24?
In a series called "Who's Up Next?" SBLive is taking a position-by-position look at which high school basketball players are poised for a breakout 2023-24 season.
We began on the boys side with point guards, shooting guards, small forward, power forwards and centers, and will hit each position as we highlight some of the nation's standout hoopers on the verge of taking their game to new levels.
On the girls side, we started with the point guards and shooting guards and small forwards set for a breakout year. Now we're giving you, the reader, the chance to vote for which power forward will make the biggest leap next season.
Voting for the top power forward will conclude Saturday, May 20 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. Descriptions of each player are below the poll.
Carolae Barton, St. John’s (D.C.)
Barton, who recently committed to Navy, averaged 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game as a junior for the Cadets. With the 6-foot-2 Barton plus Maryland commit Kyndal Walker and Boston College commit Tatum Greene all returning for their senior years, the 2023-24 season could be a special one for St. John’s.
Kayla Cleaveland, River Ridge (Georgia)
The 6-foot lefty is a knockdown shooter, high-energy defender and fierce rebounder. Cleaveland tallied 14.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a sophomore for the top-ranked team in Georgia.
Vivian Iwuchukwu, Montverde Academy (Florida)
Iwuchukwu carved out a major role for a senior-heavy Montverde Academy squad, finishing fourth in scoring (7.7 points per game) and third in rebounding (5.8 rebounds per game). With the Eagles losing several key players to graduation, the 6-foot-4 junior will be the top returning player for the SBLive national champions.
Brooklynn Renn, Silver Creek (Indiana)
At 6-foot-3, Renn has the frame of a forward but her skill set is positionless. The freshman averaged a double-double on the season and posted a triple-double with 14 points, 16 rebounds and 11 blocks.
Alexis Rosenfeld, Morris Catholic (New Jersey)
A strong defender and tough finisher, Rosenfeld makes plays near the basket on both ends of the court. The 6-foot-2 junior posted 8.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game this season for nationally-ranked Morris Catholic.
Terri’A Russell, Oakland Tech (California)
Russell turned heads as a freshman for the Division 1 state champions. The 6-foot-1 forward averaged 7.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, and those numbers will surely increase over the next three years.
Ayla Williams, Centennial (Nevada)
A 6-foot-1 sophomore on one of the top teams in the nation, Williams puts in work on the boards and rejects shots at a high rate. Her mother Natalie was a multi-sport star for UCLA and is now the general manager of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kaeli Wynn, Mater Dei (California)
A stretch four with touch from long range, Wynn missed time with an injury but made a strong impression once she debuted. The 6-foot-1 freshman has basketball in her blood, as her mother Jody played at Southern California and coached at Washington, and her sister Jada just finished her freshman season at Colorado.
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Kaeli Wynn lead photo by Nick Koza
