Five Unsung Heroes from 3-1A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Good teams win not because they have stars, but because they have guys who make winning plays. We took a look at some guys from big schools who are making that kind of impact without a lot of fanfare. We called them “unsung heroes.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are five guys from the smaller schools who deserve to be recognized as heroes for their teams despite not getting a lot of recognition:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quinn Eilert</strong>, 6-foot-2 forward, 2024, Beloit:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eilert has been a consistent producer for four years for the Trojans. As a senior leader, he is a versatile athlete who can do a lot of things to help the team win. He's a smart and productive passer, getting several assists every game. He defends every spot on the floor and is a high-caliber rebounder. It's this kind of selfless effort that has Beloit rolling, winning every game but an interesting matchup with highly talented 6A Olathe North.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Brady Ketzner</strong>, 5-foot-10 guard, 2024, Cheylin:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's not hard to get overlooked when you play clear out in Bird City. But the group of seniors at the 1A Div. II school deserve to be recognized. And while a couple of the Cougar seniors have received more praise than Ketzner has, he shouldn't be ignored. He actually has seen his scoring output reduced as he's taken over a lot ball handling and distribution responsibilities. He rebounds and defends at a high level from the guard spot, and is a threat to score on his own too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2387748' first='Jalen' last='Massey']</strong>, 5-foot-9 guard, 2024, Lyndon:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lyndon has been on a winning streak in all sports for several years, and some serious studs have littered the roster. Massey has missed getting some of the credit he deserves because of his high-profile teammates. But this guy is a winner. He's a physical, tough and smart leader who can score, but also does all the other things to make everything work. He passes, handles the ball, defends and is in total control. Just what you'd expect from a star quarterback.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2147823' first='Christian' last='McAfee'], 6-foot-4 forward, 2024, Sabetha (pictured):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McAfee has labored in the shadows of talented teammates throughout his career. The reason is primarily because he doesn't have the ball in his hands as much as some others do. But when the ball is in the air, not many go get it as well has he does. The senior is springy, strong and has a nose for the ball. Whether it's on defense or on the glass, he makes impactful plays that lead to points. He's stepped his scoring up this year as a senior leader.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Daniel Young</strong>, 6-foot-4 forward, 2024, Wichita Classical:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They're back at it? That's right. Despite graduating an extraordinary senior class a year ago, the Saints are loaded in the senior class once again. Young is leading the way as one of the top contributors from last season's tournament run. He's a threat to shoot it from deep and he is occasionally a high scorer. But he is consistent in his work on the boards, his willingness to get the ball to shooters, and his defense. Despite moving up to 2A, the Saints appear to be a consistent winner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->