17U Wings who stood out at the Midwest Grind Session

<p>Prep Hoops highlighted several of the top 17U guards at the Midwest Grind Session, including <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889495" first="Owen" last="Braxmeyer"], [player_tooltip player_id="889465" first="Blake" last="Danitschek"], [player_tooltip player_id="730629" first="Jacob" last="Hanna"]</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889462" first="Alex" last="Littlejohn"], Phillippe Manga, [player_tooltip player_id="602176" first="Drew" last="Nicholson"], </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="530376" first="Jordan" last="Vincent"]. </strong></p> <p>But there were so many great wings at the tournament at Bel Aire that the Kansas wings deserve a second look.</p> <p>Here are a handful of top Kansas wings to compete in the 17U Division of the Midwest Grind Session (in alphabetical order and with club and high school listed):</p> <p><strong>Jaxon Brakeen Perry Ellis 34, Newton:</strong></p> <p>The athletic 6-foot-2 Brakeen showed the ability to guard bigger men, as well as the quickest players on the floor. He is a slender slasher and a hard worker. He can drive and score or dish and helps bring the ball up the floor against pressure. He can also shoot on the move.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="889525" first="Eli" last="Isaacs"], TBB Hays, Valley Center:</strong></p> <p>Isaacs earned honorable mention 5A as a junior. He is a 6-foot-2 athletic and versatile player who can play point, on the wing and even in the post. He has a good 3-point stroke, but does so much more. His athleticism produces a lot of fast break opportunities. He’s cool handling the ball under pressure and sees the whole floor for passes ahead.</p> <p><strong>Carson Keiffer WKE Eddy, Hays:</strong></p> <p>Keiffer has the ability to play bigger than his 6-foot frame. He blocks shots and scores in the post. But he’s versatile, scoring from behind the arc, on breakaways and on drives into the lane. He is disruptive on defense, picking pockets and getting into passing lanes.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="946225" first="Drew" last="Middleton"], TBB Hays, Circle:</strong></p> <p>A deadeye from deep, the 6-foot-1 Middleton will shoot you out of the gym if he gets going. He can handle the ball under pressure and will drive and kick out or find an open teammate in the lane. But it’s his shooting that makes him a top wing.</p> <p><strong>Kale Purcell, SSA White, Holton:</strong></p> <p>The 6-foot-3 Purcell earned honorable mention 4A. The lean and lanky athlete is an explosive leaper. He can shoot from deep, but he’s especially lethal when he drives into the lane to pull up for jumpers, dive clear to the hoop, or kick out to a shooter. He is a tough customer on defense as well, with long arms, pesky hands and the ability to out-jump most opponents.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="891912" first="Nahcs" last="Wahwassuck"], SSA Black, Royal Valley:</strong></p> <p>The Royal Valley rising junior is playing up with SSA black. Thus he doesn’t always stand out, but there’s a reason he was first team 3A as a sophomore. He is about as versatile performer as you’ll find. He can play like a pure point guard, but at 6-foot-4 he really can play every spot on the floor. He’s probably best taking the ball into the lane to shoot a pull-up jumper or dish to an open teammate.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>