5A Northern Idaho Players to Watch

<p>The northern Idaho boys are looking to prove themselves as worthy contenders in the upcoming 2020-21 season and there is plenty of talent in the panhandle to make a deep run at the state tournament. Teams from the northern part of the state are often overlooked as most of the attention is drawn to the Treasure Valley, but the 5A competition is just as good up north and they have proven themselves time and time again. Continue reading for my breakdown of the top teams to watch at the 5A level in north Idaho.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919691" first="Alex" last="Karns"], 2021: </strong>Karns is a 6’3" shooting guard/small forward for the Coeur d’ Alene Vikings who will look to expand his role on both ends of the floor while helping the Vikings return to their established winning ways. Last season, Karns helped the team the most by guarding the opposing bigs and keeping his ground against larger players. Coeur d’ Alene does not have a ton of size on their roster and Alex has the ability to defend taller players while also securing the middle. On offense, Karns has a smooth looking jumper that extends all the way to the 3-point line. I expect his game to expand this season to include more shots off the dribble and attacking the rim as he will likely be guarded by the opposing bigs.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919672" first="Jack" last="Kiesbuy"], 2021: </strong>The Lake City Timberwolves will constantly be looking for Kiesbuy this season for leadership and scoring. At 6’5", the shooting guard has a great pull-up jumper and quick release from 3. A natural lefty, Kiesbuy can play inside or outside and is polished around the rim with both hands and can score at will. If he truly wants to, Jack could take the league by storm with a barrage of scoring at all three levels and the ability to create for his teammates. The Timberwolves will look to Kiesbuy this season in the crunch and I expect him to rise to the challenge.</p> <p><strong>Kash Lang, 2021: </strong>As a 6’3" shooting guard, Kash has all of the ingredients for a great player. He can finish in traffic with both hands around the hoop, can shoot from anywhere in the gym, and moves incredibly well without the ball. The Lewiston Bengals have already been running lots of sets for Lang, and I would expect him to get even more touches this season. Two of the most impressive aspects of Lang’s game is his ability to shoot with range, and his ability to read the defense. As a shooter, extended range enables Kash to make his opponents guard him as soon as he crosses half-court, and his ability to read the defense and move without the ball is a rare sight. Lang has obviously spent lots of time in the gym, and it will pay off in the 2020-21 season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919684" first="Caden" last="McLean"], 2021: </strong>One of the best shooters in the state, McLean is a 6’0" guard who can get hot from downtown in a hurry. The Post Falls Trojans love to run off-ball actions to set screens for McLean, allowing him to catch and shoot before the defenders can closeout. Caden has a high release without bringing the ball down which gives him the opportunity to shoot the ball over the defender’s hands before they can recover. Caden also has one of the rare abilities of the best shooters which is always being ready to shoot. His feet are always set and he shoots with confidence every single time. It is not rare for McLean to hit multiple triples in a game and Post Falls will constantly be looking for his shooting and scoring to help them return to a shot at the state title this year.</p>