Wrapping up the 250 Expo KC

<p>It’s been 10 days since the 250 Expo KC brought together some of the best players across Kansas and Missouri. The event provided a great opportunity to get another chance to evaluate some of Kansas’ top players, and some of its top up-and-comers.</p> <p>Before we move on to the preseason coverage that will dominate the next month, the Expo bears one last look. Here are a few final impressions:</p> <p>Best Team: Team 2</p> <p>A bunch of really good Kansas players were augmented by Ruskin’s [player_tooltip player_id="1300798" first="Donald" last="Bangham Jr"], who was probably the most dynamic player at the event. The 6-foot-3 senior is a high-flying athlete who handles the ball and makes acrobatic buckets. But Bangham wasn’t the only standout on Team 2. [player_tooltip player_id="891905" first="Xavier" last="Hall"] from Miege was lights out. Andover Central’s [player_tooltip player_id="1080194" first="Brian" last="Perry Jr"] was, as usual, one of the toughest and most versatile players on hand. Junction City’s [player_tooltip player_id="1268821" first="Seth" last="Clark"] played off the others, dropping an array of bombs from the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id="1146284" first="Bryson" last="Perez"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1300855" first="Walt" last="Bethea"] were really good bigs, and [player_tooltip player_id="1300838" first="Jacob" last="Fritz"] really impressed. And the young guy on the team, [player_tooltip player_id="1300813" first="Da’Mykel" last="Hales"], wasn’t overshadowed in the least. He’s a good young player to watch.</p> <p>Most Fun Player to Watch: [player_tooltip player_id="1076260" first="Elijah" last="Brooks"], 2022, Topeka West (pictured)</p> <p>Hall was really entertaining to watch for his explosive and creative playmaking. Junction City’s [player_tooltip player_id="1300850" first="Alex" last="Watts"] was fun to watch for his hard-nosed, blue-collar style. But Brooks stood out for his remarkable athleticism and the ease with which he made plays above the rim. Brooks is now listed at 6-foot-4, and he appears fully healthy after an injury-plagued junior season. He was shooting the ball well from deep, and making plays all over the court. You never wanted to take your eye off him, for fear of missing a highlight-reel jam.</p> <p>Biggest Difference Maker: [player_tooltip player_id="946270" first="Trent" last="Stimac"], 2022, Bonner Springs</p> <p>Stimac did everything for Team 7. He stood out in every area, ball handling, penetration, distribution and scoring. He defended, he rebounded. The 6-foot-2 guard earned second-team in the tough and talented Frontier League. Look for him to stand out even more this year.</p> <p>Player Who Popped on Radar: [player_tooltip player_id="1300809" first="Dasean" last="Lewis"], 2024, Hugoton:</p> <p>It would be very easy to say [player_tooltip player_id="1300826" first="Aaron" last="Doria"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1300827" first="Michael" last="Doria"] from Frontenac because they hadn’t been seen by the Prep Hoops scouts before. But it’s not like the seniors hadn’t been on the varsity scene already. The 5-foot-8 Lewis put on an impressive show for a young guard against older players. He showed no fear attacking defenses, pushing the ball and knifing into traffic to create openings for teammates. He’s smooth and shifty and gets up and down the court in a flash. He’s another one of the many Hugoton players using the club scene to hone his game.</p> <p>Player Ready to Impact Varsity: (tie) [player_tooltip player_id="1273045" first="Blake" last="Kilian"], 2024, Blue Valley West, and [player_tooltip player_id="1300833" first="Dallas" last="Metzger"], 2024, Derby:</p> <p>These two play at schools where it might be tough to get varsity time this year. But they stand out on the club scene as guys who are ready when called upon. Both are tall and physically developed guys who can play inside, but are really comfortable on the perimeter. Both pass well, with good vision and creativity. Both can shoot it, and both are athletic enough to rebound, run the floor and defend. Neither was in the first edition of the 2024 rankings, but they will be risers very soon.</p>