NE KS Tandems to Watch
Turnover in northeast Kansas will open the door for a lot of new storylines next season. Some dynamic pairs will have an opportunity to change the landscape of hoops in the region come fall. Northeast Kansas Tandems to Watch (players…
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Continue ReadingTurnover in northeast Kansas will open the door for a lot of new storylines next season. Some dynamic pairs will have an opportunity to change the landscape of hoops in the region come fall.
Northeast Kansas Tandems to Watch (players are listed by their grade next school year):
Valley Falls’ Avery Gatzemeyer, junior, and Nathan Hawk, senior: The Dragons lose 6-foot-3 stud Tyler Lockhart from the club that went 16-6 last year. But this pair of returners makes the future bright.
The 6-1 Gatzemeyer earned first team all-Northeast Kansas League and 1A state honorable mention. Gatzemeyer had multiple 20-plus point games and finished with a 14.3 average. He had several games with three or more 3-pointers. With the loss of senior leader Lockhart, the Dragons will need Gatzemeyer to take another big step forward.
The 6-foot-5 Hawk, second team all-Northeast Kansas League, teamed with Lockhart to give the Dragons good size for a 1A team. He provided the inside threat to allow Gatzemeyer open looks, but Hawk is 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.
Valley Heights’ Cameron Beardsley, senior, and Jackson O’Toole, senior: The Mustangs improved from 13-10 to 18-7, largely due to the efforts of these two rising seniors. They won their playoff regional before falling to Seabury at state.
A second-team all-state pick two years in a row, the 6-foot-1 Beardsley does it all on the court, just like he does as a three-year starting quarterback. He averaged 13.6 points per game, but he rebounds and distributes equally well.
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. For his efforts, he earned second-team honors in the Twin Valley League.
Frankfort’s Gavin Cornelison, senior and Aiden Gerstner, senior: These two dynamos will miss graduate Garret Dalinghaus next year. The trio led Frankfort to a 20-7 record, a huge improvement over the 11-10 mark the previous season. They advanced to the state playoffs before falling to St. John.
Like lightning in a bottle, the 5-foot-6 Cornelison runs circles around defenses and averaged 13.0 points per game, up from 8.0 as a sophomore. He had some big outings for the Wildcats, including 17 in the sub-state final win over Beloit-St. John’s. Like Beardsley, he’s a dynamo at quarterback too.
The 5-foot-8 Gerstner was a dynamic compliment to fellow Cornelison and 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.
Wabaunsee’s Brayden Meseke, junior, and Cade Oliver, junior: Wabaunsee improved from the previous year, going 8-12. They employ a lot of young players and have a promising collection of guards.
Meseke started as a freshman and took on more leadership in his sophomore year. The 5-foot-11 multisport athlete keeps up a quick pace and occasionally has big scoring nights. Meseke earned first team all-Big East League
Oliver is 6-foot and plays a variety of roles for the Chargers. He has up-and-down scoring games. He averaged 11.4 points per game, but occasionally went for 20 or more. He can shoot from deep, but also has to play in the lane. He earned second team all league honors.
Holton’s Kale Purcell, senior, and Reese Holaday Reese Holaday 6'1" | CG Holton | 2022 State KS , junior: It was a rocky season for Holton, but this pair could help really turn things around.
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 was first team all-Big Seven League and honorable mention in 4A. He will be the unquestioned leader to help the Wildcats turn their fortunes.
The 6-foot-1 Holaday is a sweet shooter who didn’t score a ton as a sophomore. He mainly was a support to all-Big Seven performer Purcell. But he was the Wildcats’ second leading rebounder and averaged 6.4 points per game. Watch for him to get many more opportunities next year.
Kurtis Beck, junior, and Mark Beck, junior, Nemaha Central: These 6-foot-4 twins will be a dominant duo now that senior Andrew Leonard has graduated. They helped carry the Thunder to the state tournament, where they combined for 19 points in a loss to Beloit.
Kurtis Beck received honorable mention in the Big Seven League last year.