Thanks For The Memories: Five 2024 Ballers Who Will Be Missed

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It is time for me to say goodbye to the Class of 2024. I have been featuring athletes from that class for the past couple of weeks. As I say goodbye to them it is time to transition my focus to the classes of 2025-20028.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This report celebrates five players I will really miss scouting. I saw each of them play multiple times and in the immortal words of Randy Savage; “the cream will rise to the top,” and these five stars are “the cream of the crop.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I would like to wish good luck to them in their future endeavors, and to all of the 2024 Graduates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thanks for the memories.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231285' first='Addie' last='Kirmer'], </strong>5'7”<strong>, </strong>PG, Emporia, (Emporia State)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kirmer was the best player on one of the most disciplined teams I saw play last season. She was on a squad in which every player was a senior. She can drive, stop-and-pop, and plays intense defense. Her motor runs wide open and she brings a truckload of experience to college. She has signed to play for Division II Emporia State and is an immediate “plug-and-play” impact athlete.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='300795' first='Lauren' last='Sandstrom']</strong>, 6'1”, CG, Hayden, (Rockhurst)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hayden was a salty team and Sandstrom was the leader. She is super quick for a taller athlete. She can score from all over the court, but she plays an unselfish game and shares the rock. Sandstrom will be playing collegiately for Rockhurst University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='396405' first='Alana' last='Shetlar']</strong>, 6'1”, PF, Andover, (Oral Roberts)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sheltar was the best ball-handling “big” I scouted this season. She can score from three levels and has a high basketball IQ. I saw the Trojans play three times last season and she was impressive in each contest. She played with another athlete in this report and they each fed off each other's skills. The Andover senior finished her final high school season averaging 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Shetlar is headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to play for Oral Roberts University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='265114' first='Elizabeth' last='Tjaden']</strong>, 5'9”, SG, Clearwater, (Emporia State)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I first noticed Tjaden's game in 2023 at the Pittsburg State Team Camp. She is very athletic and is a team leader. Tjaden is scary good in transition and can take rebounds away from taller players. The Clearwater senior scored 13.7 points per game and grabbed 5.3 rebounds per contest. She has a bright future playing for the ESU Hornets and with her future teammate, Kirmer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='231259' first='Brooke' last='Walker']</strong>, 5'8”, CG, Andover, (Utah)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Walker has one of the best stop-and-pop mid-ranger jumpers in the game. She is also the most intense player I saw in Kansas last season. She puts a ton of pressure on herself to perform well and eats up that pressure like candy. She and Shetlar were one of the most dangerous “one-two-punches” in Kansas and both could carry the load scoring quarters at a time. She finished her senior season scoring 12.9 points and averaging 4.3 assists per game. Walker finished as the No. 1 ranked player by Prep Girls Hoops and will be playing Division I ball for the Utah Utes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->