Central Kansas Seniors Making Their Names Known

Prep Hoops Staff

December 22, 2023 @ 04:38 PM

There are always some seniors who have been waiting for their chance to shine. Some are developing physically, others have improved their skills, while a large number have just been limited by older players in front of them.   For whatever reason, here is a handful of seniors who are raising their profiles. We're trying to cover the state, highlighting these risers. Here's a look at some from Central Kansas (in alphabetical order):   [player_tooltip player_id='1270291' first='Carter' last='Coombs'], 5-foot-11 guard, 2024, Great Bend:   Great Bend is a team we were very excited to see this season, and they have not disappointed. After a tough overtime loss to Junction City in the opener, the Panthers have stormed through every opponent. Coombs has been a key part of that success. He's a veteran who has played a lot and is a good supporting player with talented teammates around him. The senior is really good at running to open shots on the perimeter, and he also attacks on the dribble and finds creases to get shots off. He occasionally pops for double figures, including the 16 he got in a win over Buhler heading into the break.   Mason Moore, 6-foot-5 forward, 2024, Ellinwood:   It didn't look like Ellinwood had much to be excited about after graduating some high-impact seniors. Yet here the Eagles are, sitting at 4-2 at the break with some guys really stepping up. Leading the way is Moore, a big, long-limbed athlete. Moore can really get hot from deep, like the night he hit all five of his 3-point attempts in a big win over Medicine Lodge. The senior is averaging 16 points at the break.   Talen Pickering, 5-foot-8 guard, 2024, Bennington:   In spite of a disappointing loss to Wichita Independent, Bennington has to feel pretty good about the start to the season. They've got a very balanced attack led by three talented seniors. While others may have received a lot of the attention, Pickering is a feisty, highly productive point guard who has a lot of experience. He is doing a great job feeding teammates to the tune of 4 assists per game. He chases down a lot of rebounds and creates some havoc defensively.   Chase Webster, 6-foot-1 guard, 2024, Kingman:   A big guard who has been a big part of the Kingman program for a couple of years, Webster has taken over the lead role as a senior. He uses his physicality to draw fouls and to body inside for shots. He is a threat from deep and has already had three 20-plus games this season. Webster is filling up the stat sheet trying to help the Eagles get wins.   Calen Wente, 6-foot-5 center, 2024, Fairfield:   The big man in the middle for the Falcons has been a very productive player for three years. He just keeps raising his game each year. As a senior, he's dominating in the paint, getting 15 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game.

There are always some seniors who have been waiting for their chance to shine. Some are developing physically, others have improved their skills, while a large number have just been limited by older players in front of them.