Back to School Special – Kansas’ Best Rebounders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking across the state for the best players in seven categories, we turn our eyes to the best rebounders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Picking the best rebounders is tough, because some small guards really rebound well for their position, and some small guys chase down a high number of boards while the bigs lock up in the paint. We did our best to take every factor into consideration.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>(FYI, obviously, some guys could have qualified in more than one category. But in order to cover the best in the state, we only considered each individual player for one of seven categories. No repeats.)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kansas Best Rebounders, 2023-2024:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1461338' first='Joey' last='Matteoni'], 6-foot-8 forward, 2024, Blue Valley Northwest (pictured):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This guy brings everything to the table to be a great rebounder. He is long, springy, tenacious, and smart. He is angular and can slice through traffic to get in position. He chases down every play in transition. He goes high above the crowd to get his hands on the ball. And he has the strength to rip it down. Matteoni is good at a lot of things, but he is great on the glass. He gathered in 10 boards a game against the highest level of competition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1270299' first='Eli' last='Lawson'], 6-foot-7 center, 2024, Bennington:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lawson is positioned to be one of the best players in the small school ranks, and one of the best bigs in the entire state. He has the combination of size and power and great coordination. He is a smart competitor who can position himself and use his strength to hold his spot. He corralled nearly 12 boards a game as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1378442' first='Tory' last='Homan'], 6-foot-7 center, 2024, Maize South:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best offensive rebounders you'll find, Homan plays with intensity and determination. He's physically stout, powerful and explosive. He anchored the paint for a good Maize South team last year. He also showed the athleticism to keep up with the Mavericks' fast guards, chasing down a lot of plays in the open court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2147823' first='Christian' last='McAfee']</strong>, 6-foot-4 forward, 2024, Sabetha:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McAfee has labored outside of the spotlight as a defender/rebounder for a talented offensive team. He has been willing to do all the dirty work, quietly earning a reputation as a special rebounder. He's long and lean, which allows him to slice through traffic to get in position, but he's also strong enough to defeat opponents for the ball. Despite playing at a relatively small school, McAfee demonstrates against all levels of competition for [program_tooltip program_id='2075854' first='SSA' last='Hoops Elite'] that he can rebound against anyone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1270292' first='Bryce' last='Beisner'], 6-foot-5 forward, 2024, Beloit:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another small school player who proves his worth in the spring and summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2075854' first='SSA' last='Hoops Elite'], Beisner is physically powerful, tough and determined. He has been a productive rebounder ever since his freshman season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Other top rebounders (in alphabetical order):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1953939' first='Kaden' last='Franklin'], Derby</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1588347' first='Will' last='Goode'], Aquinas</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Gus Grote</strong>, Jayhawk Linn</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1588350' first='Parker' last='Hardgrave'], Wichita South</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1772984' first='Jackson' last='Rumford'], Scott Community</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1936572' first='Seth' last='Schwien'], Victoria</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->