Topeka JV to Varsity

<p>There is a lot of turnover taking place at the Topeka schools. There will a lot of opportunities for playing time come fall. Here are a handful of guys who made marks on the JV last year and are ready for more (in alphabetical order):</p> <p><strong>Malachi Berg</strong>, 6-foot-4 forward, 2023, Topeka West:</p> <p>Berg has a unique game as a long wing who can handle the ball from end to end and isn’t afraid to run the point. He has a real skill for penetrating and kicking to shooters. If that sounds a lot like recently-graduated [player_tooltip player_id="1070185" first="Tre" last="Alexander"], then Berg might have a chance to get some playing time. Berg is honing his skills with the Kansas 94x50 Elite club, where he provides length and rebounding as well as offense.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1080205" first="Wyatt" last="Conklin"], 6-foot-2 forward, 2023, Washburn Rural:</p> <p>Conklin got a lot of attention for his fine work on the club circuit last summer. He had to wait his turn last year, as the Junior Blues rode a senior class that had tons of talent and experience. Conklin worked faithfully on the JV and got a little action at mop-up time for the varsity. He’ll be ready for a lot more come this fall.</p> <p><strong>Aydren Drew-Gregory</strong>, 6-foot guard, 2023, Highland Park:</p> <p>Highland Park had so many quick, shifty guards last year, it was hard to find playing time on the JV, much less the varsity. But Drew-Gregory showed on the JV that he is a guard who can do a lot of things. He an penetrate and knock down a pull-up jumper or get to the rim. The Scots have several small, explosive guards, but Drew-Gregory’s length may help him stand out.</p> <p><strong>Lukas Hanks</strong>, 6-foot-3 forward, 2023, Washburn Rural:</p> <p>Hanks is a banger who brings toughness to the lane. He is long and athletic, which makes him an up-and-comer for the Junior Blues football team. He brings that mentality to the court. His combination of size – he’s now listed at 245 pounds – and length could be tough to stop in the paint.</p> <p><strong>Jacob Padilla</strong>, 5-foot-6 guard, 2024, Hayden:</p> <p>It’s not very often a freshman gets varsity action at Hayden. But when the Wildcats were depleted at guard, Padilla was ready to step up from the JV for some action. He’s a quick energy bringer who is best when he’s splitting defenses, going downhill and kicking the ball to shooters. He’s a tough, fearless ball handler who is just as gritty at the defensive end.</p>