NE KS 2021s On the Rise
The time has come for these juniors to step into leading roles. Many of them played supporting roles, in the shadow of seniors. Some of them led teams that struggled. But with graduation and another year of development, these juniors…
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Continue ReadingThe time has come for these juniors to step into leading roles. Many of them played supporting roles, in the shadow of seniors. Some of them led teams that struggled. But with graduation and another year of development, these juniors will be some of the ascending players of the area.
Here are the Northeast Kansas 2021s On the Rise:
Brevin Canady, junior, Royal Valley:
Canady wasn’t called upon to score a lot for the loaded Royal Valley club. But he’s a slick ball handler and distributor who led the Panthers in assists. The 6-foot Canady will team with a trio of sophomores to make the Panthers a beast next season. Canady won’t have to be THE leader, but his leadership as a senior can make the Panthers a favorite in all of 3A.
Maddox Decker, junior, Santa Fe Trail:
The Chargers lose a ton in the departure of Killian Spoonemore and Andrew Berckefeldt. While the 5-foot-9 Decker won’t bring the size of those grads, he does have scoring ability. He led the Chargers with a 15.5 average and showed he could bust out for more, like the 28 he put up on Iola. Decker will need to take on a leadership role for Santa Fe Trail to improve on its 10-10 record.
Luke Detwiler, junior, Lyndon:
The 5-foot-10 guard grabbed headlines in January when he led Lyndon to the Flint Hills Shootout title with upsets over Council Grove and Mission Valley. He averaged 13 points in the tournament.
Aiden Gerstner, junior, Frankfort:
The 5-foot-8 guard was a dynamic compliment to fellow junior Gavin Cornelison and senior Garret Dalinghaus. He can light it up from the perimeter, and has a speed/athleticism skillset similar to Cornelison. He was huge in the playoffs: 17 points against Blue Valley-Randolph, 15 against Valley Falls, and 12 against Beloit-St. John’s. Cornelison, Gerstner and Dalinghaus led Frankfort to a 20-7 record, a huge improvement over the 11-10 mark the previous season.
Connor Gibson, junior, Pleasant Ridge:
The 6-foot junior was a big part of the youth movement that included sophomore Justin Johnson, both already two-year starters. Gibson averaged 11.9 points per game and is a quality distributor of the ball as well.
Nathan Hawk, junior, Valley Falls:
The 6-foot-5 Hawk teamed with 6-foot-3 senior Tyler Lockhart to give the Dragons good size for a 1A team. He provided the inside threat to allow sophomore Avery Gatzemeyer open looks, but he’s not just limited to the paint. He can shoot from deep and run the floor. He finished with some huge games, getting 21 against Oskaloosa and 24 against Troy.
Brayden Henry, sophomore, Wetmore:
A 5-foot-11 guard, Henry averaged 14.0 points per contest. He drills it from beyond the arc and brings an all-around game for the Cardinals, with an occasional outburst like the 30 points he put up on Troy.
Miles Kitselman, junior, Lyndon:
A 6-foot-5, 240 pound monster in the middle, Kitselman is a pivot for his talented young teammates to work around.
Jackson O’Toole, junior, Valley Heights:
The 6-foot O’Toole has the ability to shoot from deep, rebound, distribute the ball, and be a disruptive force on defense. In the season-ending loss to Seabury, O’Toole did all he could, going 4-5 from behind the arc. O’Toole was a big reason the Mustangs improved from 13-10 to 18-7.
Kale Purcell, junior, Holton:
Purcell was an up-and-down scorer for the Wildcats, who were up and down as a team. But the 6-foot-2 multi-sport star brings athleticism and occasional explosiveness. He will be the unquestioned leader to help the Wildcats turn their fortunes.
Bo Reeves, junior, Rossville:
Rossville has had a rough couple of years, going just 4-17 in 2019-20 after going 2-18 the previous season. The 6-foot-4 junior Reeves was one of just a couple of bright spots. As a support to leading scorer Kaleb Badura, Reeves didn’t score a ton, but he’s big and athletic enough to be a stud in various sports.
Brooks Whaley, junior, Rock Creek:
The 5-foot-9 junior wasn’t asked to score a lot. Not with Dawson Zenger Dawson Zenger 6'1" | CG Rock Creek | 2021 State KS around. But he’s a scrappy and athletic defender who poses enough of a threat to help Zenger get opportunities. He was a big part of the chemistry that helped Rock Creek improve into one of the best teams in the state.
Others:
Andrew Bailey, junior, Lebo
Matt Kuglin, junior, McLouth
Shane Orender, junior, Osage City
Brome Rayburn, junior, Madison
Ryan Wolgram, junior, Madison