Shooters Looking to Impact 4-3A Races

Prep Hoops Staff

February 18, 2024 @ 04:03 PM

We took a look at some of the top shooters from the 5A and 6A schools. Now let's shine the light on some shooters from the middle classes – 3A and 4A – who we expect to make a big impact in the playoff races over the next few weeks.   A tandem of sharpshooters who deserve special note are sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1785100' first='Jack' last='Donovan'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1588420' first='Tayson' last='Horak'] from Rossville. These two guys have the green light 24/7 and their range is pretty much unlimited. They have combined to hit about 90 three-pointers already this year. With big, athletic teammates to play off, they get a lot of opportunities to let it fly. Rossville has started rolling and might just be a team to watch come postseason.   Here are five other shooters from 4-3A you should know:   [player_tooltip player_id='1300857' first='Logan' last='Garner'], 5-foot-10 guard, 2024, El Dorado (pictured):   Garner's scoring ability has been well documented the past couple of seasons. For the past two seasons, he's been good for about 18 to 20 points every time he takes the court. As a senior, he has really dialed in from deep. He's hitting about 40% of his attempts from behind the arc. He's such a clever ball handler and dangerous driver that defenders are forced to give him space, and Garner exploits it. Unfortunately the Wildcats will have an uphill climb in the postseason as wins have been hard to come by.   Noah Gerstner, 5-foot-8 guard, 2024, Beloit:   At the opposite end of the W-L spectrum is Gerstner, whose Trojans are essentially perfect (their only loss came at the hands of a good 6A team). Gerstner has played a ton over the past four years and his three-point resume is impeccable. Playing off some big, talented teammates, Gerstner gets plenty of opportunities to pull the trigger and he hits a high percentage. He's not just a sniper. Gerstner helps with the ball handling and distribution as well as playing pesky defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1962890' first='Brady' last='Hurla'], 5-foot-10 guard, 2025, St. Marys:   Picking the best shooter in the state is an impossible task. But if you put a gun to our heads, Prep Hoops scouts would be likely to pick Hurla. The guy has a target on his back every game, yet defenses can't seem to shut him down. He creates shoots off the dribble and has great range. And he buries a ridiculous percentage of his looks. Despite carrying a heavy load of ball handling and direction of the offense, he produces big point totals on the regular.   [player_tooltip player_id='1556702' first='Owen' last='Pyle'], 6-foot-1 guard, 2024, McPherson:   McPherson has such a wealth of skill players, they play a very balanced style and spread shots around. Pretty much everyone who steps on the floor for the Bullpups can shoot it well. The senior Pyle has blended in rather than stood out for that reason. But he deserves recognition for his expert marksmanship. He's been a key to McPherson's success since his sophomore season as a smart, fundamental guard. As a part of the McPherson half-court offense, he stretches defenses and makes them pay when they give him an opening.   [player_tooltip player_id='2317399' first='Talan' last='Torrez'], 6-foot-1 guard, 2024, Baldwin:   Similar to Pyle, Torrez has been a big part of Baldwin's success, providing a steady flow of points from the perimeter. Torrez is a smooth, lanky athlete who floats on the perimeter ready to strike. His role has grown as a senior, and Torrez has stepped up, taking a bigger number of shots and still hitting upwards of 40% from deep.

We took a look at some of the top shooters from the 5A and 6A schools. Now let's shine the light on some shooters from the middle classes – 3A and 4A – who we expect to make a big impact in the playoff races over the next few weeks.