Nebraska’s Top Players – Regardless Of Class: #16-20

Throughout the month of September, the state of Nebraska received a much needed Player Rankings Update. There was a total of over 200+ players added to the database throughout the four high school Classes and those lists are only going to grow. In the article below I wanted to switch it up and try out something new within the Rankings. I am going to list the top #16-20 Players in the state, regardless of their grade level. Each one of these players is a college level prospect, that has stood out on multiple stages over their career thus far. 

Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!

#20 – Kennadi Williams Kennadi Williams 5'7" | PG Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE – 2024 – PG – Lincoln Southwest High School

Kennadi Williams Kennadi Williams 5'7" | PG Lincoln Southwest | 2024 State NE is a duel sport athlete. At the collegiate level, Williams has committed and signed on to play both basketball and softball for Northern Illinois University. A pretty impressive feat if you ask me. As you can tell, Williams is an athlete and a competitor. She has an aggressive demeanor as soon as she steps on the court/field and she hates losing more than anything. When it comes to basketball, she is more then just an athlete, she is a Point Guard that is quick off of the dribble and pretty good at putting the ball in the hoop at an efficient rate. She is the player that her team needs to get the ball too in big moments and that won’t change this winter for her Senior season either. It kind of makes you think of how good she could be at either sport if early on in her life, she just stuck to one but to be able to play both at the next level, is something she should be very proud of. It’s not very common and usually what happens is as the players career progresses, they will choose one to finish out their collegiate years with. Will this happen to Williams and if so, what sport would she choose? Absolutely no idea to those questions but for now, she is just worried about one more memorable ride this Senior year. Something I think we can all respect.

#19 – Kenzie Melcher Kenzie Melcher 5'11" | SG Bellevue West | 2024 State NE – 2024 – SG – Bellevue West High School

Northwestern Missouri State went to WORK in getting players out of Nebraska and Iowa in the 2024 Class to commit. One of those players, that is prepped for a monster winter at Bellevue West High School is Kenzie Melcher Kenzie Melcher 5'11" | SG Bellevue West | 2024 State NE . Melcher would be described as a diverse Shooting Guard. She is very good at letting it go from deep behind the arc but she is also good enough to put it on the floor and making some other things happen. Defensively, she demonstrates really quick feet, great first step action toward the ball, and active hands whenever her opponent gives her an opportunity to take it away, causing a lot of deflections/steals. Looking forward, I think that Melcher fits into the Bearcats collegiate system with who else they have coming in. Worse comes to worse, she can shoot the ball and that always translates in this day of age.

#18 – Chloe Hanel Chloe Hanel 5'11" | CG Clarkson/Leigh | 2024 State NE – 2024 – CG – Clarkson/Leigh High School

Chloe Hanel Chloe Hanel 5'11" | CG Clarkson/Leigh | 2024 State NE is committed to play college volleyball when her high school career comes to a close but that doesn’t mean she can’t hoop. Hanel is a 5’11 Combo Guard with a lot of athleticism. She is a solid ball player that uses that athleticism to stand out every contest she competes in and because of that, she has put together a great high school career on the hardwood. Obviously when a player is committed to college for another sport, you might question how much they care about basketball their Senior year but you can tell that Hanel is serious about making this a winter to remember. Her roster is returning a handful of pieces from a year ago and that mixed along with Hanel’s play-style should bring some positive results as the year goes on. We will have to check back in a few months but going into this season, Hanel and company should be a team that everyone knows about before they might have to matchup.

#17 – Ani Leu Ani Leu 5'11" | PG Lincoln North Star | 2026 State NE – 2026 – PG – Lincoln Northstar High School

As of most recent, Ani Leu Ani Leu 5'11" | PG Lincoln North Star | 2026 State NE has taken a visit to Wayne State University as it pertains to her future basketball career. Leu is a taller guard, that is very good at passing and being a leader at the Point position. On the high school floor, Leu is dominate in most facets of the game. She stands out offensively more than most with her ability to make things happen but all in all, she is pretty good across the board. I had the chance of scouting Leu at our PGH Nebraska Top 250 and she opened my eyes a bit. She is a solid talent but plays different than I would have expected. She doesn’t move as quickly as one might anticipate but instead kills her competition with an old school-type game. She knows where the defense is going to try to take away the ball and is very good at adapting to any situation. I’ll be watching Leu more this winter and her Lincoln Northstar team. I think her ceiling is high but I’m not sure exactly how high. For now, she falls into our #17 spot in these rankings.

#16 – Nyaluak Dak Nyaluak Dak 6'2" | C Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE – 2024 – C/PF – Lincoln Southeast High School

Size. Physicality. Strength. Calculated intentions. These are just some of the things that you get with Nyaluak Dak Nyaluak Dak 6'2" | C Lincoln Southeast | 2024 State NE on the floor. Dak is a 6’1 Center with a superior mixture of size and strength compared to most that matchup across from her. In the spring time, when I had chance to see Dak compete, she was doing her thing and dominating the painted area near the hoop. On more than one occasion, she was making big plays on offense with her back the basket and then sprinting back on defense to get disciplined stops. The ceiling that Dak possesses is high in my opinion. For going into her Senior season, she is still very raw as a player. If she is put into the right system moving forward, she could produce at an efficient level, every time she steps on the floor. No matter who lines up across from her.