Another valuable prospect on this Blake roster is Konkler, a 6-foot-3 guard who can slide over to the wing and provide impact thanks to his length and toughness. Konkler can do a little bit of everything offensively as a scorer, but meshes with will Martin as a cutter or spot-up shooter. The two can also make things happen in transition and turn steals into points quickly. Speaking of steals, Konkler’s impact on the defensive end is where he stood out in our more recent viewing. Anticipating in the passing lanes, active hands while guarding the ball to cause deflections, and closing out possessions as a grab-and-go guy are all reasons why he should be on college radars.

Konkler put together a nice showing on Saturday for a Blake team that was without the services of Baba Oladotun. Both Konkler and Tahj Martin Tahj Martin 6'2" | CG James Hubert Blake | 2026 State MD had strong performances. While Martin handled much of the on-ball duties, Konkler played off the ball and not only impacted with his efficient scoring (over 14PPG), but also made some key plays on the defensive side in crunch time of games that helped gain momentum for the Bengals. Konkler is a threat from deep off the catch, understands timing on cuts as actions unfold in the halfcourt, and can be a dual-threat in the open floor to create advantages.

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-Loved his defensive activity in a good win over a solid Wise team that should compete at a high level in PG County this season. Konkler always seemed to be in the right place defensively, coming away with three stocks on the day while forcing his opponent into tough shots without fouling. Konkler timed his sprints well in transition and filled the lane with good pace to be the recipient of several kick-ahead passes– usually making the right decision in space to find a shot for himself or a teammate. On a night where the shots weren’t falling for himself, he made sure to impact the game as a great connector on the wing and a good screener off the ball to free up his teammates.

Konkler impressed in all facets of the game. He has good positional size and is imposing on the perimeter. He can score from behind the arc or get downhill to different spots off the bounce. He did a nice job being in good spots to get rebounds. He got to the foul line. Konkler should see a ton of traction from high twos and low ones.

St. Mary’s Ryken guard Eli Konkler Eli Konkler 6'5" | SG Blake | 2026 State MD has outstanding potential to be an elite three-and-d guy at the next level. He is a good shooter right now, but I think he makes his marks on games on the defensive end. Eli’s wingspan makes him play taller than his 6’3″ frame, and it helps him guard multiple positions.