Class of 2024 Ranked Prospects At Topeka Schools

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are two players ranked in the Top 20 in the Prep Girls Hoops Kansas Class of 2024 rankings, but then there is a long list of under-the-radar ranked players from Topeka schools.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a report on five ranked athletes from Topeka heading into their senior seasons and opening to improve and raise their recruiting stock.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='300795' first='Lauren' last='Sandstrom']</strong>, CG, 6'0”, Hayden (No. 56)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sandstrom just finds ways to score. She is a three-level scorer. My favorite part of her game is that she has a mid-range jump shot that has all but disappeared from today's modern game. She can also post up and score in the paint. The Hayden prospect is a solid defender and has no issue sharing the ball on a deep Hayden squad.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='532206' first='Ladaysha' last='Baird']</strong>, SG, 5'3”, Topeka High &nbsp;(No. 87)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Baird is a sneaky talent. Her game is balanced between scoring and dishing the ball. She is fast and likes to get out in transition. Her defense creates turnovers and those turnovers lead to points. She will be leaned on by the Trojans during her senior year. She projects as a solid NAIA or JUCO prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='532209' first='Ayanna' last='Leesman']</strong>, CG, 5'3”, Topeka High (No. 91)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defensive end of the floor is where Leesman really shines. She can shut down the opposition's top scorer. She creates turnovers while staying out of foul trouble. She is more of a distributor than a scorer, but she creates scoring chances for others and capitalizes on her scoring opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='302142' first='Avery' last='Grunert']</strong>, PG, 5'6”, Hayden (No. 118)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grunert can impact the game in all sorts of fashions. She can shoot the jumper, she makes solid passes, and she is sneaky about jumping into passing lanes to pick off the rock. The Hayden point guard won't lead the Wildcat in scoring, but she will be an assist leader as she directs the offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='649351' first='Brooklyn' last='Alexander']</strong>, SF, 5'7”, Topeka West (No. 167)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alexander could have been an <em>Oliver Twist</em> character as she knows how to pick a pocket. She is a defensive magician who loves to steal the ball and get the Chargers out in transition. She has a wide wing span and moves quickly. Her best chances to score come on fast breaks or in the paint during the half-court offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->