2023 Rankings New Additions: Center

<p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1165695" first="Collin" last="Nick"] - #13</strong></p> <p>Lincoln High will have several options to protect the rim this season, with Nick being most physical presence. He is incredibly difficult to move in the post, and he stays disciplined when contesting shots. He has solid touch around the rim, and that touch extends out toward the perimeter at a decent clip.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1165696" first="Aiden" last="Welch"] - #17</strong></p> <p>Welch brings mobility to the PF/C position. It allows him to rotate quickly and effectively guard two in the paint. His long arms help him contest shots that appear to be out of his radius, and he can get himself back into plays even when beat initially. The Lincoln Southwest big brings energy and effort to every possession.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1165705" first="Xavier" last="Howard"] - #91 (pictured)</strong></p> <p>The Bellevue East big is raw right now, but the physical tools are there. He is long, mobile, and has solid hands. He must improve his leverage in order to become a consistent threat inside, as he is thin and struggles to stay in an athletic position. He will have a big role for the Chieftains this winter, and I am intrigued to see what he does with it.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1267137" first="Mat" last="Tut"] - #96</strong></p> <p>I only saw Tut play in a few games this summer, but he showed good touch and scoring knack. He has good body control and footwork, which helps him navigate traffic when scoring and rebounding. Tut played in only a handful of games for Omaha Bryan last season, and did not receive many minutes. Look for that to change in his junior year.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1267129" first="Hudson" last="Ames"] - #99</strong></p> <p>Ames provided rim protection and rebounding for EYCE Elite this summer. I got a chance to see him for the first time, and I came away impressed with his shot-blocking ability. </p>