North Central Kansas League Mid-season Evals

<p>The end of January has seen teams deal with pandemic, take holiday break, play tournaments and work through roster shakeups. It’s a good time to take a mid-season look at how things are going. Here’s an update on the North Central Kansas League:</p> <p>Best Team:</p> <p>It’s hard to say right now which team is better, Wamego or Abilene. Each has a top-flight star, and has some impressive wins. Wamego, has the win in the head-to-head matchup, but it also has an ugly loss to Tonganoxie on its record. Wamego is currently ranked #8 in 4A, with Abilene on their heels at #9. Let’s call it a draw.</p> <p>Stars:</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="730642" first="Tanner" last="Hecht"], senior, Wamego (pictured):</p> <p>The 6-foot-5 shooting star is having a special senior year. He can score like crazy from deep. He has recorded at least three 3-pointers numerous times this year already including five against Atchison and Bonner Springs. He is averaging about 22 points per contest.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="891911" first="Kaleb" last="Becker"], junior, Abilene:</p> <p>The 6-foot-4 guard/forward is ultra-versatile. He runs the floor and scores in transition, crashes the boards, and can score in the post or on the wing. He is super consistent too, scoring between 12 and 19 points in every contest.</p> <p><strong>Gavin Pieschl</strong>, senior, Marysville:</p> <p>Pieschl stepped into the leadership role for the Bulldogs after graduation took eight regulars. He has been dynamic from the perimeter, but at 6-foot-2 has the physique to play a variety of roles. He posted 23 points against Concordia and 19 against Wamego.</p> <p>Risers:</p> <p><strong>Aceyn Cash</strong>, sophomore, Concordia:</p> <p>In a league dominated by seniors, Cash is one of only a few sophomores making much noise. The 6-foot-3 forward plays a supporting role for the Panthers, but makes significant contributions.</p> <p><strong>Jake Fritz</strong>, junior, Wamego:</p> <p>Fritz started the season somewhat slowly, but his long-range talents are coming to the fore. He is another deep-ball threat to complement Hecht. The 6-foot-1 junior has had a couple of big nights recently, including 18 against Marysville, and 16, including four 3-pointers, against Eudora.</p> <p>Unsung Heroes:</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1070205" first="Avery" last="Bryson"]</strong>, senior, Abilene:</p> <p>The 6-foot-3 guard brings a ton to the table. He is a springy athlete who is tough on the boards, and is a great second scoring option for the Cowboys. He has games of 17, 16 and 14 this season.</p> <p><strong>Wyatt Trost</strong>, senior, Concordia:</p> <p>Trost doesn’t have to carry the water every game, as he is one of an army of seniors at Concordia. The 6-foot-2 guard does occasionally break out, like the 20 he had against Marysville.</p> <p><strong>Jackson Rader</strong>, senior, Marysville:</p> <p>Like his teammate Pieschl, Rader has seen his role grow immensely for his senior season. He might just be in the class of Hecht when it comes to deep threats – he has games of six and five 3-pointers, and has hit at least three in nearly every game.</p>