Mid-Summer Look at 2024s

With Kansas club ball pausing in June for high school teams to put in work I think it is a good time to take a look back at players I saw in person that caught my attention. First up, the 2024s.   [player_tooltip player_id='192780' first='Hailey' last='Contreras'], 5'5", PG, Liberal, Gameball Fusion - Contreras is a player I have followed for many years. Watching her grow and mature has been good fun. She is quick, athletic, and has strong handles. She is also a terrific jump shooter who will pull the trigger out to 30'. Defensively her lateral quickness and hand speed generate her fair share of turnovers, which turn into breaks that she leads effectively. Teammates never have to worry about whether Contreras will find them. I look forward to seeing more of her ability as a floor leader as that is an area I have not viewed enough of.   Avery Eschelman, 6'1", C, Sacred Heart, Thunderbolts - Eschelman not only has good size but she uses it well to spread out and take up space. She transitions very well and catches well in traffic on the fly or playing in the half court. I need to see more of her game but gets up for defensive rebounds and clears the ball well.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/04/Jacqueline-Hall.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1" alt="" class="wp-image-645835" width="113" height="113" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Pittsburg 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='432514' first='Jacqueline' last='Hall']. Photo: Prep Girls Hoops</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='432514' first='Jacqueline' last='Hall'], 5'10", PG, Pittsburg, Missouri Legacy - If you like high motor, long, fast, quick point guards who are great jump shooters look no further. Hall is all that and more. Struggling through a 1-win high school season surrounded by young, inexperienced players, Hall showed leadership to bring her team together to compete while often sacrificing her own stat-stuffing for the team to play better together. That maturing carried over into the summer. Hall can score in many ways, defend, and do so many things well but what really grabs me is her ability to run the show.   [player_tooltip player_id='649342' first='Gracie' last='Kirchhoff'], 5'5", CG, Smith Center, Thunderbolts - Another play I look forward to seeing more of, Kirchhoff runs the floor with speed and changes directs well. She creates well and pushes tempo off the outlet. Among the top players boxing out on the perimeter I have seen so far.   [player_tooltip player_id='231281' first='Amani' last='Lipscomb'], 5'2", PG, Maize South, [program_tooltip program_id='716118' first='Next' last='Level Eclipse'] Life Prep - Lipscomb has settled in nicely with her new club team. Lipscomb is well known for her defensive quickness, ball-hawking of passing lanes, and finishing ability in transition or off the drive. In the past year her offensive game exploded due to hard work. Lipscomb has turned herself into a quality threat in the mid-range and beyond the arc. Lipscomb continues to grow. She is a floor leader teammates can trust to find.   [player_tooltip player_id='335962' first='Jalyiah' last='Manuel'], 6'0", C, Wichita East, [program_tooltip program_id='712424' first='Kansas' last='Bluejays'] - Manuel is on the cusp of turning into an elite center. She just needs to continue learning the subtleties of how to be a mature big. I have been watching Manuel for years. Fast and athletic with great hands, her game grew substantially with Gameball last summer. Big and powerful, playing against her on either end is not easy. Her offensive game is at a point where she always looks to score from 12' in off the dribble and/or in conjunction with a couple post moves. She needs to pass, reset, pass, reset to become even more efficient with the effort she expends. Manuel will run over opponents who do not play with similar physicality. Huge upside.   [player_tooltip player_id='649344' first='Maci' last='McClure'], 5'7", CG, Minneapolis, Thunderbolts - I really like McClure's game. She plays hard, defends with physicality, and transitions with speed. I especially like how well she moves away from the ball. She commands attention because she can embarrass opponents who lose track of her by flashing to the ball and scoring on the perimeter uncontested.   [player_tooltip player_id='649346' first='Azbey' last='Peckham'], 5'6", CG, Salina Central, Thunderbolts - Needs to learn to create step out J on the block. Meh free throw shooter. Directs traffic on O at times. Needs to user her hips and foundation to post up better. Always fakes left and goes right in the lane. Keeps ball too low when going through D to get a shot off; Peckham uses a good step through move to create scoring chances. An effective defender with good length who slid into passing lanes, especially on the interior, to generate turnovers.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/05/Elizabeth-Romer-Kapaun-Mt.-Carmel-2024-boxing-out.jpg?w=425" alt="" class="wp-image-426470" width="106" height="112" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='265117' first='Elizabeth' last='Romer']. Photo: Robert Kelly.</figcaption></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='265117' first='Elizabeth' last='Romer'], 5'10", SG, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Kansas United - "Lizzie," among the best shooters - not just beyond the arc - in the state, is having a big summer. Playing against some of the strongest teams in the region she has consistently shown transition speed and that she just flat cannot be left alone. Especially because she moves well without the ball, she will hurt you with her quick trigger. Romer will spot up, create her shot off the dribble, and work in space in a variety of ways. Her length is also a problem for defenders on the other end as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='396405' first='Alana' last='Shetlar'], 6'1", PF, Andover, Kansas United - Shetlar is one of the best players in the state for good reason. She is talented, long, fast, a terrific rebounder with hops, a strong ball handler on the wing, a major perimeter threat, and the best mid-range shooter in the state. She is also a high IQ player who, if observers have been REALLY paying attention, is substantially bigger and stronger than ever. Her strength and length also enables her to win a lot of battles inside and swat her share of shots. Shetlar will go end-to-end off the rebound. I have watched Shetlar play against some the strongest teams in the region and she has always stood out.   [player_tooltip player_id='198606' first='Destiny' last='Smith'], 5'6", PG, Derby, [program_tooltip program_id='715965' first='Earl' last='Watson Academy'] - How far Smith's game has grown is a testament to her hard work, and toughness, She has an all-around mature game that shows off her high IQ on both ends of the floor. On both ends of the floor she can be clutch. Knocking down pressure shots, navigating ball pressure from strong defenders, finding the open teammate, and just working within the team structure to give what is needed. Smith has strong handles, scores at all three levels well, gets to the hoop off the bounce, and knocks down her free throws.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2023/05/Jaden-Wilson-2024-Derby_2.jpg?w=425" alt="" class="wp-image-666030" width="106" height="110" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Derby 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='192778' first='Jaden' last='Wilson']. Photo: Robert Kelly</figcaption></figure>   Leah Thompson, 5'9", CG, Independent, [program_tooltip program_id='716194' first='[program_tooltip program_id='714510' first='[program_tooltip program_id='713097' first='Dynasty' last='']' last='']' last=''] - The transfer from Wichita East should immediately impact the Panthers. A scrappy player who is a persistent rebounder, Thompson has quickness to get to the hoop off the bounce. With her good, quick hops she gets back up more than once.   [player_tooltip player_id='192778' first='Jaden' last='Wilson'], 5'10", PF, Derby, Gameball Fusion - A player I have been following for years, Wilson had a huge high school season after finally being allowed to emerge from the shadows. She was an integral part of the Panthers' state tournament run inside. A terrific competitor who plays with strength and heart, Wilson has terrific hands and is a formidable rebounder. She will lay the wood on people! Not just a quality defender, Wilson can play on the wing and is a credible threat to score inside and out. She is a great garbage collector. Fast with good feet, she hustles and out works opponents.

With Kansas club ball pausing in June for high school teams to put in work I think it is a good time to take a look back at players I saw in person that caught my attention. First up, the 2024s.