Topeka 2026s Show Off at Top 250 Expo

Prep Hoops Staff

October 18, 2023 @ 11:30 AM

After watching all the intriguing sophomores at the Kansas Top 250 Expo we decided to devote three articles to this impressive group. We posted an article about the Kansas City-area 2026s who impressed on Saturday. Now we turn our attention to the sophomores from Topeka.   The biggest standout from this group was [player_tooltip player_id='2039558' first='Simon' last='Rowley']. The transfer from Atchison is now at Topeka West. He really lit up the event with his fine ball handling and distribution skills and ability to create his own shots. Rowley has a chance to be one of the Capital City's best guards this year.   Here's a look at five more Topeka 2026s who impressed at the Kansas Top 250 Expo (in alphabetical order):   Alejandro Cantu, 6-foot-2 forward, 2026, Shawnee Heights:   Man did Cantu light it up at the Expo. He came out firing from the start, hitting several threes in a row to start the day. He hunts shots off the ball and has the athleticism and size to get open and get it off. He did more than just fire away from deep, however. He showed a nice handle and some ability to attack, penetrate and dish. Cantu has good length and smooth athleticism.   JaiMarion Cook, 5-foot-6 guard, 2026, Shawnee Heights:   People were talking about the impression made by Cook. He's lightning-quick and creative with the ball in his hands. For not being very big, he scored a surprising number of buckets at every level. He could take the floater, the step-back jumper or get to the rim. He hit some threes too. When not creating his own shots, Cook was zipping through defenses and getting the ball to his teammates in good spots. He's a handsy defender too.   [player_tooltip player_id='1890719' first='Ontarius' last='Emmot'], 6-foot-3 forward, 2026, Shawnee Heights:   Another T-Bird who really stood out, Emmot is a guy we've had our eye on ever since last winter when he got used as a role player on the Shawnee Heights varsity. He's long, lanky and athletic – a smooth playmaker. He's an unassuming guy, not dominating the ball or doing a lot of flashy moves. He just makes plays. Emmot hits a lot of jumpers in the midrange with his soft touch. He can put the ball on the floor to get to good opportunities.   [player_tooltip player_id='2228096' first='John' last='Hoytal'], 6-foot-2 forward, 2026, Washburn Rural:   Hoytal showed his scrappiness and versatility, making plays at the forward position. He can get to the goal and body up against bigger guys. Hoytal is a skilled, athletic player who can make plays as a post or on the wing. He dropped some threes and finished through traffic. He showed a lot of toughness and strength on the glass as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='2245738' first='Griffin' last='Zuniga'], 6-foot-3 forward, 2026, Seaman (pictured):   The more you watched Zuniga, the more you noticed that he was making plays all over the court. He might not catch your eye right away, but pretty soon you realize that he has a big impact on the game. He has great touch around the goal and in the midrange. He has fine coordination and a smooth style. The lefty also really impressed with his accuracy from deep. He's a glider who doesn't always look like he's playing that hard, but he does body up with toughness in the post. His versatility and skill will make him an interesting guy to watch this year.

After watching all the intriguing sophomores at the Kansas Top 250 Expo we decided to devote three articles to this impressive group. We posted an article about the Kansas City-area 2026s who impressed on Saturday. Now we turn our attention to the sophomores from Topeka.