A Look at Returning all-Northwest Kansas Leaguers

This should be an interesting year for the Northwest Kansas League.  With Hoxie having departed for the Mid-Continent League, taking two first team league selections with them, five of the seven first and second team 2019 selections and two third teamers return.  And of those nine returners, eight are seniors.  Seven schools now make up the league. <h2><span style="font-size: 12pt;">First Team</span></h2> <strong>Kristen Beckman, 2020, 5'5", G, Rawlins Co., NWK Stars</strong> - Beckman, pictured, averaged 10.4 points per game last season.  Notable is her ability to make entry passes with touch and use either hand well to handle the ball.  Beckman was a Kansas Basketball Coaches Association (KBCA) 1A honorable mention selection in 2019. <strong>Alyssa Van Vleet, 2020, 5'10", G/F, Decatur Co.</strong> - A perimeter shooter with 23' three point range, Van Vleet averaged 15.4 points (30% from three with 45 makes) and 2 steals per game. Her threat as a shooter makes her basket attacking that much more effective.  Able to beat defenders off the bounce she can hit the mid-range shot as well as get to the rim and finish athletically with either hand.  She has transition speed to take the ball end-to-end speed and has good smarts and vision to feed her teammates with solid passes.  Defensively she looks to box out and jumps to the ball well on the rebound. Van Vleet was a KBCA 2A honorable mention selection in 2019. <h2><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Second Team</span></h2> <strong>Karly Bandel, 2020, 5'5", G, St. Francis</strong> - <strong>Anna Carter, 2020, 6'0", C, Decatur Co.</strong> - Carter nearly averaged a double-double in to 2019, 13.1 points and 9.3 rebounds.  She has good hands to catch the lob and uses a quick pivot to create shots out of her back-to-basket game.  Carter has good 8-10' range.  Improvement in boxing out will likely seal reaching double-double nearly every game. <strong>Ella Roberts, 2020, 5'10", F, Dighton, NWK Stars</strong> - Roberts averaged 12.5 points and 8 rebounds. <h3><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Honorable Mention</span></h3> <strong>Haylee Hennick, 2020, F, Wallace Co</strong>. - Hennick is undersized for the forward position but will bang inside with opponents without issue.  Offensively effectiveness will improve by moving to holes in defenses and providing targets for entry passes better. <strong>Emma Johnson, 2021, G, St. Francis, NWK Stars</strong> - <em>Featured Image: Rawlins County 2020 Kristen Beckman looks to score inside during a regional game against St. Francis.  From an image on the USD 297 site.</em> &nbsp;