Seniors Out West Taking It to the Next Level

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>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 out west (in alphabetical order):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lukas Dunham</strong>, 5-foot-11 guard, 2024, South Barber:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Talk about getting off to a great start. Dunham exploded for 33 points against Caldwell in the first action of the season. He's been consistently in double figures and has the Chieftains off to a 3-2 starts. A versatile playmaker on the football field, Dunham is bringing the same energy to the court. He crashes the glass and gets after it on defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Noah Gerstner</strong>, 5-foot-8 guard, 2024, Beloit:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An experienced trio of seniors have the Trojans off to a hot start. Gerstner has been a key contributor in previous seasons, and he's off to a nice start as a senior. He's always been a distributor and tough defender. This year, he's knocking down shots from deep at a high rate. He pumped in 20 in the opener against Concordia, hitting six 3-pointers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brooks Kappelmann</strong>, 6-foot-2 forward, 2024, Liberal:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Liberal has a huge group of 2024s working to make for a special senior season. Kappelman is taking a big role in his final season, averaging 13 points and 8 boards. He's getting his points in the midrange and at the rim. A rugged multi-sport athlete, he really gets after it on the defensive end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2314802' first='Jaden' last='Nuss']</strong>, 6-foot-2 forward, 2024, Hill City:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Ringnecks are off to a fine start, in large part due to the rise in production from Nuss. He's been a mainstay for three seasons, gradually taking a bigger and bigger role. After a handful of games in December, he's nearing the 20 point/10 rebound territory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2387785' first='Jackson' last='Risley']</strong>, 6-foot-1 forward, 2024, Caldwell:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Risley's not new to the scene. He was a key cog in the talented Caldwell team a year ago, But due to graduations, he's now the go-to guy, and he's thriving. He is hauling in 10 rebounds per game. He makes a lot of plays around the goal and draws fouls. He's scoring 17 points per game, highlighted by a 29 point outing against Norwich.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->