Topeka 2021s most affected by the shutdown

<p>The summers before a player’s junior and senior years are huge. Whether you’re trying to get on the radar of your dream college, making a last ditch effort to land a scholarship, or just improving your skills for the upcoming school season, these two summers are crucial.</p> <p>Every player is missing time on the floor, but for some guys, the pandemic is really affecting their prospects. Let’s hope these guys can all get back to competing and salvage some of this window of opportunity,</p> <p>Here are some of the Topeka 2021s most affected by the shutdown:</p> <p><strong>Trevion Alexander, guard, Topeka West:</strong></p> <p>Alexander has a remarkable collection of talents. He’s 6-foot-3 and has the athletic ability to be a big college prospect. He passes well, makes plays for teammates, and is just too big for other guards to keep from getting to the rim. He might have the most dynamic overall game in the league: he is able to rebound the ball, dribble through traffic, and finish at the goal like a big. Alexander had four games of 20 or more points, and tallied 25 in the Chargers’ playoff win over Bonner Springs.</p> <p>But the problem is, he demonstrates an inconsistent and unrefined perimeter shot. His shot could place a ceiling on how high he can go. His decision making could also use refinement, another thing summer ball could permit.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889499" first="Isiah" last="Esquibel"], forward, Topeka High:</strong></p> <p>The junior was in the rotation for the highly talented Trojans for part of the season. He spent the last several weeks in street clothes for an undisclosed reason. Graduation will open the door wide for Esquibel to play for the Trojans next fall, but he would benefit from games over the summer.</p> <p>He’s physically similar to his 6-foot-5 brother, who was a mainstay in the Trojan lineup the past couple of years. When he was in the rotation last winter, he scored 13 points against Emporia and 14 against Junction City.</p> <p><strong>CJ Powell, forward, Highland Park:</strong></p> <p>Powell is a 6-foot-7 beast with surprising agility and perimeter feel for a big man. But he could really help himself this summer if he were on the court. First thing is his conditioning. He has an as-yet undeveloped body and could stand to be in better shape. But beyond conditioning, Powell needs to demonstrate that, while his perimeter skills make him special, he’s able to mix it up and dominate in the lane. Summer would allow him to see men who can match his size, where he needs to prove his toughness and post skills.</p> <p>Powell averaged 14.2 points as a sophomore when the Scots went just 3-18. He raised his output to 16.8 as a junior. He helped propel the Scots to the state playoffs by tallying 15 against Leavenworth, then 13 against Aquinas at sub-state. He went for 14 in the loss to Hays at state.</p> <p><strong>Jalen Smith, guard, Topeka High:</strong></p> <p>It should be no surprise to see two Trojans on this list. Topeka High must replace so much talent and experience, it desperately needs to develop the next wave of players.</p> <p>No way the 6-foot-2 Smith can replace the departed <strong>Da’Vonshai Harden</strong>. Harden was a unique athlete with a wealth of experience. But Smith brings a different skill set and has played a key role as a starter who could occasionally take over a game. He had 18 points or more six times for the loaded Trojans. Now with Harden and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="726594" first="King" last="Sutton"]</strong> gone, Smith may have to become option #1 next season. He sure could use the experience this summer to grow into the role.</p> <p><strong>Vicarrio Triplett, guard, Hayden:</strong></p> <p>Triplett could really use the experience summer would provide. He shared point-guard duties with departed [player_tooltip player_id="885609" first="John" last="Roeder"], and thus would benefit from more time with the ball in his hands. He particularly needs to develop his shooting touch from distance. While Hayden plays a schedule of good competition, Triplett really needs to demonstrate what he’s capable of if he’s to play beyond high school.</p> <p>Triplett became the Wildcats’ primary ball handler, reliable leader and an emerging scoring threat. He can slither through the lane, create in the open court, and hit from the perimeter. The 5-foot-11 rising senior can step forward as one of the best guards in the city and make a name for himself if he builds on his 11.3 point scoring average.</p>