Kuehl stepped into a deep 3 pointer to start the game, and that was just the initial starting point of his shooting display he showcased on the big stage. He also stop and popped behind a ballscreen 3 in the 2nd half and fired ahead an impressive lead pass with fantastic touch for an easy Crusader 2 points. Kuehl is shifty with the ball in his hands and presents a difficult task of staying in front to any defender. The senior culminated his high school career with a game high 26 points and 5 rebounds. rn

Kuehl (cover photo) was excellent as a distributor in Heelan’s road win at Treynor last week, dishing out 10 assists (against just 3 turnovers) to go with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. I’ve seen Kuehl play a few times before and he always played a bit more off the ball than on it in previous viewings, so it was a pleasant surprise to see him displaying improved ball-handling and confidence as a playmaker for his teammates. He did a great job passing into his teammate’s shooting pocket, putting them in position to quickly score. He displayed a few nice hesitation moves that he used to temporarily freeze the defender and get into the paint, where he showed a strong floater game. He’s a capable perimeter shooting threat and if this improved handle and decision-making is for real, Heelan will be dangerous in 3A.

Kuehl was a standout at this event last year as well, more for his shooting ability and playing without the ball in his hands. This year, he showed that he can handle the rock and get to the rim with ease as well. He was constantly looking to attack the rim and finish while also creating for others, getting into the paint, getting the defense to collapse, and finding an open shooter on the weakside. He’s a good shooter who moves well without the ball in his hands, but it was the shot creation that impressed on Saturday.