Five Small School Under The Radar Athletes (Free Report)
In this article:
Today, I would like to show some love to five small school athletes coming off impactful seasons as freshmen.
These five are all ranked, but have not claimed or completed all information on their Prep Girls Hoops profiles. They are still flying under the radar of most Prep Girls Hoops readers.
Athletes are encouraged to claim their profiles and add profile pictures, game videos, and contact information. College coaches who subscribe to the website prefer to have access to an athlete's contact information, and claimed profiles make the Prep Girls Hoops Kansas website look more professional.
Athletes can claim or create profiles by using the link below.
I am not sure that I will be able to see any of these athletes compete this season, but their performances as “wet behind the ears freshmen” are worthy of attention. They each play for smaller schools and could easily be overlooked.
They are the type of athletes who inspired me to be a scout for Prep Network.
Stay tuned for one more PGH report from me before I take some time off during the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Mackie Conkling
Mackie
Conkling
5'11" | PF/SG
Moundridge | 2028
State
KS
, 5'11”, PF/SG, Moundridge, ‘28
Clear back to my teenage years, Moundridge has always been a hotbed for basketball talent. Conkling is next in a long line of basketball players to watch closely in the quiet Central Kansas town. Conkling is ranked No. 40 overall by Prep Girls Hoops. During her freshman campaign, she averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and one assist per game. She is a three-level scorer who made 29 shots from deep last season. I am interested in seeing how her game on the defensive end and her shot selection evolve this season.
Maggie Lance Maggie Lance 6'3" | SG/SF Pleasant Ridge | 2028 State KS , 6'0”, SG/SF, Pleasant Ridge, ‘28
I had never even heard of Easton, Kansas, until I started writing for a newspaper in Leavenworth in 2023. All the athletic programs at Pleasant Ridge can get overlooked as larger schools are just a few miles away. Lance is ranked No. 70 overall and is a Rams athlete coaches will want to start paying attention to. She scored 8.6 points per game and grabbed 2.2 rebounds per game as a freshman. She converted 34 shots from deep and shot 50 percent from the free-throw line. Lance is a multi-sport athlete who also plays softball and volleyball. I missed the Rams volleyball squad as they withdrew from a tournament. I was expecting to scout them at. I will have to check the Pleasant Ridge schedule closely and see if I can fit a Rams' game into my winter itinerary.
Madison Foster Madison Foster 5'9" | PF/C Oswego | 2028 State KS , 5'9”, PF/C, Oswego, ‘28
Every time I read or hear about Oswego, it brings back memories of my Great-Grandmother, Mary Hughes. She lived on Montana Road between Parsons and Oswego, and I visited the matriarch of our family at her country house several times before she passed at the age of 101 in 2006. Oswego has a handful of talented multi-sport athletes, including their center. Foster is ranked No. 80 overall by Prep Girls Hoops Kansas. She averaged 7.3 rebounds in 19 games played. She scores the majority of her points in the paint and at the free-throw line. She shot 49 percent from the field and 53 percent from the charity stripe as a freshman.
Kaimey Evans Kaimey Evans 5'4" | PG Rural Vista | 2028 State KS , 5'4”, PG, Rural Vista, ‘28
The temperature is always hot when Evans takes the floor for the Rural Vista Heat. Which, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated school names in Kansas. Evans is ranked No. 87 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028. During her freshman season, she averaged 10.3 points and pulled down 4.9 rebounds per game. Her rebound numbers are evidence of her willingness to hustle and her quickness. She drained 36 baskets from three-point range last year. She is another player I want to see how her shooting percentages evolve during her sophomore season.
Mette Maxwell Mette Maxwell 5'7" | CG Ellinwood | 2028 State KS , 5'7”, CG, Ellinwood, ‘28
Ellinwood is another community that brings back memories from my playing days and my short teaching tenure in Chase, Kansas. The Eagles have several young multi-sport athletes, but perhaps none with a brighter future than Maxwell. She is ranked No. 116 overall by Prep Girls Hoops and No. 7 by Prep Dig Kansas. She averaged 7.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game as a freshman. She shot an impressive 83 percent from the charity strip last season with a small sample size. I have not seen her play basketball yet, but I did see her athletic and leadership skills on display during her sophomore volleyball campaign. She had over 600 assists for the undefeated Class 2A State Champion Eagles, was named to the KVA Class 2A All-State second team, and was a member of the 2028 All-Deck Team on Prep Dig Kansas.
