2021 Wings from the State Tournament Part I

Every team that advances this far in their season has a pretty complete squad, and wing play is vitally important in modern basketball.  The more two-way wings that program has, the more successful they will probably.  It is also a great foundation for your team the next season to have a long, athletic wing player that can affect the outcome of the game at both ends of the floor. This will be the first of a two-part series on standout wing players that I saw at the 2020 state tournament that will be part of the 2021 class; part one will feature players that are from the larger classes in the state, while part two will feature 2021 prospects from smaller schools. <strong>Kate Dilsaver (5’10", Lincoln Southwest): </strong>Dilsaver was a key component to the Silver Hawks run in the second half of the season, keying Southwest to 13 wins in their last 15 games before dropping a heartbreaker in the first round of the state tournament.  An outstanding athlete who is a gold medal winner as a sprinter in track, Dilsaver is one of the best perimeter defenders in the state and is truly a shut down perimeter defender; at 5’10", she uses her length and athleticism to disrupt the other team’s offenses.  Dilsaver averaged 13 points a night, but alot of that came in transition and attacking the rim, so she will need to develop her perimeter skills, but she will undoubtedly be one of the best pure athletes in the state for a team that should be near the top of the Class A rankings next season. <strong>Olivia Kugler (5’7", Lincoln East): </strong>Kugler is another outstanding defender that can also put the ball on the floor and attack the rim off the bounce.  At 5’7", she is strong and athletic and attacks the ball very well.  Offensively, she can shoot the ball fairly well, but she differed alot of her offensive game to an terrific senior class, so look for her to score more next season as a senior.  Kugler is used to playing in a high intensity environment, excelling in Lincoln East’s full court system, and she will be a target for many GPAC schools.  With a good summer, she could get some Division II looks. <strong>Hannah Newton (5’10", Crete): </strong>Newton played the perfect Robin to [player_tooltip player_id="94287" first="Morgan" last="Maly"]’s Batman, averaging 10 points a night while getting alot of good looks from the attention that was given to Maly.  She is a really good shooter, but can also put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, where she can finish well or get to the free throw line, where she is a very good shooter.  Newton is a long, strong athlete who can get down and guard on the perimeter, and her length can make it difficult for other players to score. It will be interesting to see how much she excels without Maly as a running mate, but like Kugler, she will probably get alot of strong looks from NAIA schools; a strong summer could boost her stock. <strong>Mak Hatcliff (5’6", Beatrice): </strong>Hatcliff is kind of a cross-breed between Kugler and Newton; she is a dogged defender who is very good both on and off the ball, alot like Kugler.  Like Newton, she is a shooter who can also go a little bit off the bounce.  Hatcliff is not as tall as Kugler or Newton, nor has their length, but she is a highly competitive player who also runs the floor very well.  Her toughness shows on the defensive end with her prowess on the glass, averaging almost six rebounds a game.  Like Newton, she will have to adjust to losing a strong senior class, but she will be pursued by multiple GPAC schools. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="94477" first="Makylee" last="Ailes"] (5’8", Lincoln Christian): </strong>A very good shooter who can also get to the rim, Ailes has been a steadying influence in the Crusaders program.  Averaging almost 10 points a game, Ailes also is a good defender on the perimeter with her length.  She is a decent athlete, but not as explosive as she could be.  Ailes need to get stronger and more athletic this offseason, along with working on her ball skills.  She will also have to adjust to not having [player_tooltip player_id="94293" first="Olivia" last="Hollenbeck"] in the lineup with her, but the Crusaders, as always, will have a strong squad next season.