Northeast Kansas Juniors in the Rankings

<p>The last school year saw a lot of players in northeast Kansas, many of them from small schools, establish themselves among the top players in Kansas. Now summer is allowing them to pad their resumes and demonstrate their abilities against players from across the Midwest.</p> <p>Here are some of the top rising juniors in the area (in order of rank):</p> <p>12 [player_tooltip player_id="1080171" first="Cameron" last="Carr"], 6-foot combo guard, Manhattan:</p> <p>Carr is apparently headed to a private prep program in Missouri for his junior year. This will be a big loss to Manhattan, which loses its top player from last year, [player_tooltip player_id="889495" first="Owen" last="Braxmeyer"], to graduation. The Indians were already in bit of a rebuilding mode, so losing Carr is big. He’s a long guard who can create his own shot. He’s maturing physically and will develop into a tough-to-guard point/wing.</p> <p>14 [player_tooltip player_id="1080174" first="Jack" last="Wilson"], 6-foot-5 center, Manhattan:</p> <p>Carr’s running mate, Wilson will take on a much bigger role for the Indians next year. He was Manhattan’s top true post as a sophomore and got a lot of quality playing time. Due to departures, Wilson might just be option number one for the Indians next year. He’s big and powerful and has nice moves around the goal. He really came on down the stretch, scoring in double figures in many of Manhattan’s games late in the season.</p> <p>35 [player_tooltip player_id="1146270" first="Keller" last="Hurla"], 6-foot combo guard, St. Marys:</p> <p>One of the most talented guys with the ball in the area, Hurla asserted himself as a leader on the deep, talented, veteran Bears club. His shooting, ball handling, and basketball IQ are all strengths. He brings quickness and anticipation to both ends of the floor. He topped the 20-point mark three times as a sophomore, and was in double figures most nights most nights. He earned third-team 3A honors last year.</p> <p>47 [player_tooltip player_id="1080917" first="Kamryn" last="Kaniper"], 6-foot-4 small forward, Silver Lake:</p> <p>Kaniper’s production for the Eagles ticked up toward the end of the season. He hit for double figures in most of Silver Lake’s games in the final month. He demonstrates a ton of athleticism on the club circuit. His coaches praise his passing, playmaking, and teamwork. Kaniper is a presence in the lane, blocking shots and using his athleticism against bigger posts.</p> <p>55 [player_tooltip player_id="1146294" first="Jerrit" last="Norris"], 6-foot-4 power forward, Troy:</p> <p>Norris has already put two remarkable seasons together at Troy. His production – double-double in two consecutive seasons – places him among the top small-school big men in the state. As a sophomore, Norris was named third-team 1A Div. 1 for putting up 18.1 points and 10.1 rebounds a game.</p> <p>72 [player_tooltip player_id="1146300" first="Eli" last="Oliver"], 6-foot-1 shooting guard, Wabaunsee (pictured):</p> <p>Oliver got a ton of experience on a state finalist. He was one of the reasons the Chargers turned things around mid-season. He missed several games, but came back and became a go-to scorer down the stretch. He’s a long guard who can put the ball on the floor and get from end to end, attack the lane, and hit shots at every level. He’s particularly dangerous from behind the arc.</p>