Stiehler first caught the eye on film in the high school season but getting a chance to see him up close this July made it clear that he’s ready to make a big jump forward in terms of production this year. More of a complementary piece as a sophomore, he was a focal point for his Team Fermin group and got the opportunity to showcase a burgeoning skillset as a faceup scorer. He maintained the same energy level that he’d shown in a smaller role, remaining a force near the rim with great hands and a wide base to carve out space in the paint. His biggest long-term value may come on the other end where he’s extremely switchable with his strength, quick feet, and low center of gravity. Very young for his grade, Stiehler is under the radar in recruiting circles but has a chance to change that in a big way over the next year.

The story of the Panthers’ season has been the emergence up front of Stiehler, who’s already doubled his production from a season ago and continued a string of double-digit performances with a career-high 19 points. Stiehler showcased solid hands and efficient technique as a finisher around the rim, running the floor well for early position and embracing physicality with his strong frame. He has solid footwork in the post with a strong sense of leverage, and patience to let traffic clear before rising up under control. The emerging forward also flashed ability to make basic decisions as an elbow hub or in dribble handoffs, and was an active rim protector with 5 blocks. He’ll have to improve his touch and finesse inside, and is likely to have to keep growing or expanding away from the rim for the D1 level, but the Panthers look to have another scholarship-level frontcourt presence on their hands.