Evaluator's Notebook: Who's Trending Up? - Part 3

Coming off a strong junior season, Leo brought valuable versatility to both ends of the floor for a highly competitive Baldwin team. He followed that up with an impressive summer, continuing to showcase his defensive flexibility — guarding both in the post and on the perimeter, often jumping passing lanes and creating turnovers with active, aggressive play. Offensively, Leo attacked the basket with strength, finishing through contact, and shot the ball well from beyond the arc, particularly in catch-and-shoot situations. Heading into his senior year, he looks poised to take on a larger role — aiming to become a more consistent perimeter threat while also increasing his production as a creator and slasher. He'll also look to continue making an impact on the glass, contributing with strong effort on both the defensive and offensive boards.     Manny served as the catalyst for a young Mulvane squad that experienced its share of ups and downs last season. In the process, he gained valuable experience and built chemistry with the team's other emerging contributors. He showcased a well-rounded offensive game — consistently creating and maintaining advantages, and finishing at the rim with a crafty left hand. Myers also established himself as a reliable playmaker, regularly getting others involved and creating scoring chances. As the winter approaches, he'll aim to take the next step in his development — becoming a more consistent perimeter shooter and refining his ability to create off the dribble, probe defenses, and generate high-quality opportunities for his teammates.     Jacobson put together an impressive junior campaign, leading Southeast of Saline in nearly every statistical category. He was especially effective attacking the basket, utilizing a wide variety of extended finishes and floaters to navigate through and around defenders. His footwork and use of pivots allowed him to create scoring opportunities in the paint, while also showcasing the ability to stretch the floor — particularly with pull-up jumpers off ball screens. Following a strong summer, Gannon will look to elevate his game even further this winter by becoming a more dynamic and consistent perimeter shooter, while continuing to refine his passing and playmaking ability.     With Kapaun losing a strong senior class, there are big shoes to fill heading into this season — and Rocco is poised to step into a much larger role. After a junior campaign marked by steady production and growth, Keller continued to develop over the summer, flashing signs of an evolving offensive game. He's comfortable using either hand to finish, handle the ball, and make plays — showing a well-rounded, fundamental approach on both ends of the floor. To take the next step this winter, Keller will need to elevate his offensive output and continue building his ability to create for both himself and others. As he takes on more responsibility running the primary offense, his development will be key to Kapaun's success.     Walker continues to draw attention following a strong junior season at Andover. He developed a solid complementary game — picking his spots to attack and capitalizing on openings in the defense to score efficiently. He also stood out for doing the little things: setting solid screens, rebounding effectively, and displaying a high basketball IQ on both ends of the floor. McClellan's upward trajectory continued this summer as he expanded his offensive skill set — scoring more consistently in the paint and showing the ability to both roll and pop into space, knocking down perimeter shots with confidence. With Andover graduating its top two scorers, Walker will be relied on heavily this season. He'll have the ball in his hands more often and will be tasked with creating offense from both the perimeter and the interior.