Season Preview: Small School Surprises

<p>Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way. The players in Nevada lost an entire year of their career last season, due to the shutdown of the H.S season. Many players were poised to use the season to make a name for themselves. As it stands, because so many players were denied an opportunity last year, it’s provided more opportunities for players to put together breakout seasons this year. Some players would have undoubtedly made a splash last year, while others would probably have had to wait until this season for their breakout moments anyway. In this article, we take a look at small school players poised for a big breakout season. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="859650" first="Torak" last="TT Valosek"] <em>6’4 CG Incline 2022 (#21PHN 2022)</em> - Valosek has a chance to put up major numbers this season. Expect the versatile guard to have the ball in his hand quite a bit. You can also expect him to be one the biggest, strongest players on the floor, and an impact player throughout the season. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="985625" first="Ryan" last="Hannig"] <em>5’10 PG Meadows 2023 (#23PHN 2023)</em> - Hannig is one of the fastest players end to end with the basketball. Meadows is absolutely loaded and is a heavy favorite for the 2A crown. In addition to playing in some big games, Hannig’s play should go a long way in determining if the Mustangs reach their goals. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1263519" first="Antonio" last="Choi"]</strong> <em>6’8 SF Democracy Prep 2023</em> - Choi is an unknown player, that is transferring in from New York. In addition to size, length and offensive skill Choi is bringing an offer from LMU with him. Very few 2A players will have the physical skills to match up with him, and an engaged Choi could single-handedly lead DP to the 2A crown. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1132363" first="Andre" last="Cade"] <em>6’1 SG Slam 2024 (#30PHN 2024) (featured image)</em> - I’m excited to see Cade take the floor in H.S action. He’s a quick second jump athlete, that should be prepared to make an impact at Slam. His ability to impact the game without scoring could be one of the most crucial skills to Slam’s success this season. Cade serves as a secondary ballhandler, a multi-position defender, and a positional rebounder. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="859645" first="Michael" last="Klekas"] <em>6’3 SF Elko 2022 (#8PHN 2022)</em> - The secret’s out on Klekas. Even with the shutdown last season, the scoring wing got his name on the map, playing in shootouts and exposure events for Elko. He is the odds on favorite to lead the state in scoring, and has positioned himself as a sure-fire scholarship athlete. Elko is the heavy favorite to take home the 3A crown, and Klekas is a big part of the reason why. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="859669" first="Declan" last="Sawin"] <em>6’1 SG Western 2022 (#42PHN 2022)</em> - Sawin played for little known Founders Academy his first two seasons. He will be taking a step up in competition this season, playing alongside one of the top 2023 players Jaquavis Wiliford. Sawin is in a perfect spot to contribute to a Western team, poised to make some noise in the 4A Division. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://twitter.com/7outzbballclub1">Follow Prep Hoops </a></p>