Players Stepping into Bigger Roles

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You knew their names. They were key parts of their teams – some of them very successful teams. But you had no idea just what a big leap these guys were about to make this season. Here are five players stepping into much bigger roles this season:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2169878' first='Diego' last='Esparza'], 5-foot-8 guard, 2026, Macksville:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This guy is really turning heads in the post-state title era. He was an important part of the Mustangs' run last year, averaging 11 points per game. But he's tripling that average this year, literally. He's going for 30 or more every night, knocking down over 40% from deep. The Mustangs lost so many high-quality players last year, so someone had to step up. So far, that someone is Esparza.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1346958' first='Brax' last='Fisher'], 6-foot-1 guard, 2024, Abilene:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fisher has always seemed like a long, lanky guard, not a highly physical type. But his performance on the football field removed any question of his toughness and explosiveness. After an all-state season on the gridiron, Fisher has taken his hoops game to a whole new level. He's an offensive threat to get 20 points, rebound and distribute and disrupt on defense. He went for 27 against in his latest outing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2147823' first='Christian' last='McAfee'], 6-foot-4 forward, 2024, Sabetha:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McAfee has been a junkyard dog for Sabetha for a couple of years – willing to defend, rebound and do all the dirty work. He's an explosive leaper who has made his biggest impact on the glass. Well this season, the Bluejays need a lot more offensive production, and McAfee is stepping up. He went for 22 in his latest game – a total he's rarely approached in previous seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2321572' first='Gabe' last='Pyle']</strong>, 6-foot-4 forward, 2025, McPherson:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pyle impressed as a sophomore as a long wing who can really get hot from deep. We knew he was capable. But with so much talent returning at McPherson, it wasn't clear how much bigger Pyle's role would expand this year. Turns out it expanded a lot. He's gone over 20 a couple of times and become one of the Bullpups leading offensive threats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2211342' first='Dawson' last='Ruder'], 6-foot-5 center, 2026, Hays:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was understandable that Ruder limited his responsibilities as a freshman. He focused on defending the paint and rebounding. He did average 6 points, which is impressive for a ninth grader. But you could tell scoring wasn't foremost on his mind. He's going over double-figures every night, with 23 his career high in a loss to Junction City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->