Class A Check-In: Lincoln, Part 2

<p><i>Class A basketball will be as competitive as it’s ever been in Lincoln this upcoming season. I wanted to take some time to highlight key players from a few Class A teams in Lincoln that I got to see over the past few months. I also wanted to give a mini-preview of what I expect from each squad this upcoming season as they prepare for an exciting battle to see who’s the king of the city. Here’s Part 2. </i></p> <p><strong>Lincoln Northstar </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Players to Watch: Brennon Clemmons Jr., [player_tooltip player_id="1150640" first="Jake" last="Hilkemann"], [player_tooltip player_id="1165697" first="Antallah" last="Sandlin’el"], Kajuan Sidney, [player_tooltip player_id="1253968" first="Kuet" last="Gatwech"]</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Northstar will be putting out some very young lineups this year, but that will not hold them back from competing at a high level. Brennon Clemmons Jr. is no doubt one of the stars of this squad. He’s got a great nose for the ball when rebounding and is a phenomenal shot blocker. Clemmons Jr. can also stretch the floor on offense and will be a true double-double threat every night. Lining up in the frontcourt with him will be junior [player_tooltip player_id="1165697" first="Antallah" last="Sandlin’el"]. He really impressed me this summer with his shooting ability at 6’7 and was great at attacking closeouts. Northstar also boasts a trio of sophomores that will be excellent players for years to come. Point guard Kajuan Sidney is blur attacking the hoop and has a budding pull-up game, Guard Kuet "KG" Gatwech is a great on-ball defender and is solid attacking the hoop as well, and guard [player_tooltip player_id="1150640" first="Jake" last="Hilkemann"] is one of the most offensively skilled players in his class. This team is going to be a PROBLEM for years to come. </span></p> <p><strong style="font-size: 1rem;">Lincoln Southwest </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id="1013219" first="Rylan" last="Smith"], [player_tooltip player_id="981706" first="Ben" last="Hunzeker"], [player_tooltip player_id="1253973" first="Bhan" last="Buom"], [player_tooltip player_id="1031440" first="Lukas" last="Helms"], Chuck Love Jr, [player_tooltip player_id="1139274" first="Grant" last="Mielak"]</span></p> <p>I love the mix of youth and experience that the Silverhawks will have this season. [player_tooltip player_id="981706" first="Ben" last="Hunzeker"] is near the top of everyone’s most underrated player’s list. He plays with incredible poise offensively and has a knack for making the right play on both sides of the ball. He’s the quintessential team player and it’s only right that he shares a backcourt with another unselfish player in [player_tooltip player_id="1013219" first="Rylan" last="Smith"]. Smith should have a monster season after having dealt with some injury last year. He sees the floor well and is a vocal leader on the court. A common theme amongst the players on this squad is that they make the right play, and junior [player_tooltip player_id="1031440" first="Lukas" last="Helms"] is no different. He doesn’t force it on offense and I loved his activity level on defense all summer. Chuck Love Jr. should get some run as a freshman this year with his already eye-popping shooting ability. [player_tooltip player_id="1253973" first="Bhan" last="Buom"] has a high ceiling as a 6’6 wing who can put it on the floor and get to the rim with ease. The Silverhawks will be one of the most fun teams to watch this season with their fast pace and high volume three-point shooting. </p> <p><strong>Lincoln Southeast</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Players to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id="1018714" first="Wade" last="Voss"], [player_tooltip player_id="981702" first="Jake" last="Appleget"], [player_tooltip player_id="1253988" first="Taye" last="Moore"], [player_tooltip player_id="1023546" first="Bangot" last="Dak"] </span></p> <p>This is the youngest team in the city and they will be in their second year under Coach Werning. The Knights will have some great building blocks with players like [player_tooltip player_id="1018714" first="Wade" last="Voss"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1253988" first="Taye" last="Moore"]. Voss is a versatile forward who has a nice face-up game and he has really started to pop now with his added athleticism. Moore is one of the best guards in his class and does it with pure basketball ability. His handle is tight and he uses it to get all the way to the rim for tough finishes, or he can create space to pull from three. His game is nice and will only get better with time. [player_tooltip player_id="1023546" first="Bangot" last="Dak"] will be another guy to watch. He’s a solid shot blocker due to his immense wingspan and has some floor spacing ability. If he continues to improve his handle and add more strength, he’ll be a really intriguing prospect. </p>