Down the Ranks 2021 Bigs Needing Big Summers

News at the state level will be the ice breaker for the start of summer tournament season. Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday that, effective Friday, May 22, the state will enter Phase 2 of Kansas' re-opening. Many club coaches have already put together their rosters while others are still assessing their roster of players. Still others are recruiting more players to try out for their teams. Some, as well as high school coaches, have been using video conferencing software to conduct training sessions. A couple have even gone truly old school and hit park courts to get in reps. The class of 2021 is the most affected of all the classes in terms of opportunities to get better this summer whether they hit camps, play for a club team, playing summer league, or running with their high school team. With the green flag seemingly waving my attention will turn to 2021 bigs who are either deep in the list of rankings or are unranked at the moment who really need big summers to get on the recruiting map. #167 [player_tooltip player_id="160936" first="Courtney" last="Stone"], 5'11", F, Sante Fe Trail -- 2020 Pioneer League first team, second team in 2019. Averages 16.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. Averaged 10 points and 8.5 rebounds in 2019. #156 [player_tooltip player_id="160926" first="Reagan" last="Brake"], 6'1", C, Inman -- I first saw Brake early in the season against Goessel. When I saw her again in a March sub-state home game against Hutchinson Trinity I saw a different player. She had substantially improved from the somewhat lost-on-the-court garbage time player to being a major part of the rotation. Long and slender, she ran well, held inside post-ups well, showed good hands catching lob passes on the release, and went up quickly. Brake jumps quickly but not high. She also showed effective use of power dribble before going up. A shot blocker, improving her strength, vertical, post move repertoire, and range will make her a top center in the 2A classification. #153 [player_tooltip player_id="160923" first="Carrie" last="Roe"], 5'10", PF, Herington -- Roe was a Wheat State League first team selection in 2020 after earning honorable mention in 2019. Roe has solid build and good length as well as transition speed on the break. She averaged 15.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, and shot 50% from the field. #149 [player_tooltip player_id="160920" first="Cali" last="Foltz"], 5'10", PF, Anderson County -- Foltz was a Pioneer League first team in 2020. She has the potential to explode like she did when she hung 23 points and 11 rebounds on Louisville. She has the ability to get into the lane off the drive and put together moves to create a shot. Foltz transitions well and makes good use of her strong build on effective up and under moves. [caption id="attachment_126152" align="alignleft" width="200"] Valley Heights 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="123490" first="Emma" last="Toerber"] elevates on her jump shot playing for her Ohlde Elite 2021 club team during a summer 2019 tournament game. Photo by Robert Kelly.[/caption]#134 [player_tooltip player_id="123490" first="Emma" last="Toerber"], 5'10", PF, Valley Heights -- Toerber was a KBCA 2A honorable mention and Twin Valley League first team selection in 2020 after earning TVL second team in 2019. She averaged 8.5 points per game and as the image shows, she elevates well on her jumpers. #127 [player_tooltip player_id="160903" first="Kayte" last="Delong"], 6'1", PF, Blue Valley North -- Delong is a solidly built banger. PGH Kansas' Israel Potoczny noted in a February <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2020/02/ekl-junior-forwards-making-their-mark-2021/">article</a> that she is an rebounder on both ends and that she can adjust her shot against contact to finish around the basket. A very court aware player. [caption id="attachment_172421" align="alignright" width="200"] Haven 2021 power forward MaGuire Estill. Photo by Robert Kelly.[/caption] #126 [player_tooltip player_id="123484" first="Maguire" last="Estill"], 5'11", PF, Haven -- <span data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Strongly build and athletic who showed has good timing for offensive rebounding and shot blocking. Effective, quick use of turnaround jumper off inside. Good transition speed. Shows an understanding of spacing in transition and in the half court."}" data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4609,"3":{"1":0},"12":0,"15":"Verdana"}">Strongly build and athletic who showed has good timing for offensive rebounding and shot blocking. Effective, quick use of turnaround jumper off inside. Good transition speed. Shows an understanding of spacing in transition and in the half court. [caption id="attachment_172410" align="alignleft" width="200"] Olathe South 2021 center T'yonne Duncan posts on Wellington 2023 Maddie Nance during their 2020 Mid-America Classic contest. Photo by Robert Kelly.[/caption] #115 [player_tooltip player_id="123562" first="T'Yonne" last="Duncan"], 6'1", C, Olathe South -- Big, strong bodied. Solid 13-15' range. Clears defensive rebounds well. Would like to see more of her inside, power game, athleticism and ball skills. Improvement in quickness on both ends of the floor and transition speed will be essential. Featured image: Inman 2020 center [player_tooltip player_id="160926" first="Reagan" last="Brake"] stretches to block a mid-range shot by Goessel 2020 Elizabeth Alderfer during a Dec. 2019 home contest. Photo by Robert Kelly.