Players to Watch – Wichita Guards

<p>There are always players who haven’t made varsity impact who stand out in the summer. These players bear watching to see if they can translate their summer growth to a role at their high school.</p> <p>Here are some Wichita-area guards to watch as we transition to school ball:</p> <p><strong>Trey Hill</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, Derby</p> <p>There are several talented members of the Derby program who performed well this summer who are still waiting to crack the varsity lineup. Hill is one of a stable of guards who will contend for playing time this year after really impressing with the Kansas Players this summer. He’s a shifty ball handler who is impactful at both ends. He can break down a defender to get in the lane or pop the 3-pointers.</p> <p><strong>Joby Love</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, Maize South:</p> <p>Love earned plenty of…love…for his work defensively for the Kansas Players club. He has yet to make a dent in the varsity, but he impressed this summer, particularly as a shut-down specialist. He can do a lot of things with the ball too, and will be fighting for playing time this all.</p> <p><strong>Nick Reyes</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, 2022, Maize:</p> <p>Reyes played just a handful of games for Maize last year, but he impressed on the club scene this summer with Midwest Magic Elite. He’s a versatile performer, able to handle the ball on the perimeter, as well as to post up strong in the lane. He is quick with the pivot in the post, getting shots off in traffic. He shows a quick first step and the ability to drive on a defender from the wing or the point.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1080190" first="Brady" last="Strausz"], 6-foot-2 guard, Andover:</p> <p>Strausz was blocked by some all-state caliber guards as a sophomore, but his role is about to expand big time. Coaches rave about his ability with TBB KS. He can run the point for the Buddy Buckets group because he sees the floor and gets the ball where it needs to be. He’s physically strong and can get in the lane to score and rebound, and he’s deft from the 3-point line.</p> <p><strong>Deshawn Titus</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, Derby:</p> <p>Titus was a key reserve for Derby last year, averaging 3.7 points per game off the bench. His training with the Kansas Players prepared him to take on a bigger role, but with [player_tooltip player_id="891900" first="Fontaine" last="Williams"], [player_tooltip player_id="891908" first="Jameer" last="Clemons"], [player_tooltip player_id="1195610" first="Trent" last="Parke"] and so many other talented guards around, it will be tough to grow his playing time.</p>