Postseason Preview: 5 Players to Watch in Class A District A2

<p><em>The postseason is underway across the state of Nebraska and with the month of March approaching, the state’s hankering for hoops soon will peak with the state tournament in Lincoln. But first, district play matchups which kicked off Friday night with the play-in games in Class A districts 1-3, and culminating with all of the Class A District final matchups taking place on Monday night March 1st. I will preview players to watch across all seven Class A districts. Let’s continue with District A2</em></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="890479" first="Saint" last="Thomas"] - 6’7 Senior Forward - Millard North</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="890479" first="Saint" last="Thomas"] is not just one of the top unsigned seniors in the state but in the entire region of the midwest. A 6’7 senior who is averaging 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists a game, Thomas has put in plenty of work to change not only his body but also the way he plays the game each and every game out. He has expanded his game to outside the paint, where he is shooting just under 50% from 3 point range, to go along with an impressive 66% mark from the field. Thomas can do a little bit of everything for the Mustangs and another deep postseason run will hopefully bring about more attention to the fantastic senior prospect. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787647" first="Jasen" last="Green"] - 6’7 Junior Forward - Millard North </strong></p> <p>Green’s game has also developed well this season, as every time I have watched him play it seems like his ball-handling and perimeter skills have taken massive strides. Sometimes the forgotten man on a star-laden squad, Green could be a not-so-secret weapon of sorts for the Mustangs as they look to avenge last year’s Class A runner-up finish. Green is very strong on offense around the rim, with some good post moves and the mid-range game is in his arsenal as well. Fundamentally strong, and with plenty of finesse in his game as well. He just might be one of the most underappreciated players in the state. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1131116" first="Landon" last="Pokorski"] - 6’0 Freshman Guard - Gretna </strong></p> <p>Quite possibly the freshman prospect who is having the best season in the entire state of Nebraska, [player_tooltip player_id="1131116" first="Landon" last="Pokorski"] is extremely versatile for a freshman guard. He is a very strong finisher around the rim, and also has an impressive assortment of floaters and runners that make scoring inside his go-to. He can also step out and hit a three-pointer every now and then. Pokorski has shown a bevy of flashes that are well beyond his age and will certainly be a name to watch not just this weekend but also this summer and for the coming years. Guards who play at Gretna have great fundamentals and strong discipline as well. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="890574" first="Isaac" last="Traudt"] - 6’9 Junior Forward - Grand Island</strong></p> <p>Traudt has blown up nationally since last summer, and that is because you do not see many players his size with his skill set. He is averaging close to a double-double with 25 points per game and 9 rebounds per game as his season averages. A point forward of sorts for the Islanders, Traudt will bring the ball up the floor, put the ball on the deck and go to the rim, as well as step out and hit 3’s. Traudt is also an incredibly skilled ball-handler for someone his size as well. If Grand Island is going to advance against Gretna, a team that thrives on mixing up zone defenses and playing really slow, Traudt will have to continue his standout ways to help the Islanders move on in the postseason. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="890514" first="Kallan" last="Herman"] - 6’2 Senior Guard - Norfolk </strong></p> <p>Another one of the more prolific scorers in not just Class A, but also in the state of Nebraska as a whole, [player_tooltip player_id="890514" first="Kallan" last="Herman"] is the ideal slashing scoring guard for a small school in the area. Herman has had ten 30 point games this season for the Panthers and his bread and butter is getting to the rim and drawing fouls. Herman is an excellent free throw shooter as well, shooting 83% from the charity stripe. Small schools in the area should be knocking on Herman’s door. </p>