Class of 2024 Rankings Launch : Meet the top 10
The Prep Girls Hoops prospect rankings are all about the potential players have as college prospects. And while projecting that potential for most freshman is very preliminary the start of the high school season is a great time to become aware of players to track. Hundreds of freshmen will take to the hardwood with aspirations of one day playing varsity and beyond. A small percentage will have an immediate impact at the varsity level from the start. Most may not start separating themselves from the rest of their classmates for a couple more seasons. The initial 2024 class ranking is composed of 53 players, approximately 20 more than appeared in the watch list released in August.
While I have seen a large percentage of the included players, parents; coaches; and other players were very helpful in shaping this list. Without further ado here are the top 10 prospects in Kansas’ class of 2024.
#1 Brooke Walker Brooke Walker 5'8" | CG Andover | 2024 State KS , 5’7″, CG, Andover, Kansas United – The lengthy Walker is a terrific combo guard. A high IQ player, she can penetrate left or right and make the defense extend due to her three point shooting.
#2 Zion Butler Zion Butler 5'8" | PG Wichita South | 2024 State KS , 5’4″, PG, Wichita South – Butler is a speedy, strong ball handler. Averaging well over 20 points per game as an eighth grader, Butler can penetrate and finish with either hand, create her own perimeter shot, and hit the three ball with range. She is also a high percentage free throw shooter.
#3
De’Keira Clay
De’Keira
Clay
5'9" | PG
Wichita South | 2024
KS
, 5’9″, PG, Maize South, Kansas Lady Prime and Arkansas Mavericks – Unselfish and plays hard on both ends are words I have heard to describe Clay. She has shown good quickness and athleticism to play multiple positions. On the defensive end she uses her quickness and long limbs to follow the ball, disrupt basket attacks, and help on ball screens.
#4
Hailey Contreras
Hailey
Contreras
5'5" | PG
Liberal | 2024
State
KS
, 5’4″, PG, Liberal, GameBall Basketball – Besides the GameBall Basketball camp I have also seen her at a couple MAYB tournaments. In July the club reported on a game via Twitter that she had scored 35 points including eight threes. That provides a glimpse of what Liberal’s opponents will have to deal with for the next four years. As a scorer she has strong, quick jump shooting ability off the catch; uses her body well to shield when finishing; puts a great deal of arch on shots including when lofting over bigs on lane finishes; has deep, accurate three point range; uses the glass well; has strong handles; and is very quick and very fast with the ball. As a show runner Contreras has good half court vision, makes solid entry passes, and dishes well. Defensively she is a very good off-ball defender. Interestingly, Contreras showed herself to be a better 1-on-1 back court defender than in the half-court on the perimeter.
#5 Jaden Wilson Jaden Wilson 5'11" | PF Derby | 2024 State KS , 5’10”, SG, Derby, GameBall Basketball – Teams playing Dodge City this season will thank Wilson for transferring to Derby. An already loaded back court would have added a terrific player with size. Derby’s opponents, on the other hand, should be equally unhappy that a strong Derby back court has been made that much better. Wilson brings a good build, transition speed, and length to the table. She is able to create her own shot, has a strong ability to drive baseline and pull up for the mid-range jumper. Wilson also owns a strong runner off the bounce.
#6 Elle Hatcher Elle Hatcher 6'0" | PF Liberal | 2024 State KS , 6’1″, SF, Liberal, GameBall Basketball – Hatcher will be a force around the basket on both ends but also cannot be left alone on the perimeter. She has nearly 25′ range. Still growing and growing as a player into her body, Hatcher battles well boxing out and, from 8’10’ away, has a nose for the offensive rebound off a teammates shot – making her hard to find. As with many swiftly growning players, defensive quickness on the perimeter will be an area she will be looking to increase.
#7 Hayden Snodgrass Hayden Snodgrass 5'9" | CG Andover Central | 2024 State KS , 5’8″, CG, Andover Central, Next Level Eclipse – Snodgrass plays with a lot of confidence but might find it hard to see varsity playing time for one of the top 5A schools in the state that is loaded at guard, including D I and D II commits. At the June MAYB tournament I saw her at she showed strong handles with the ability to create her own shot, including pulling up after backing the ball out of a corner. Snodgrass can jump shoot three point shots and finish with contact after going end-to-end off a steal.
#8
Aleah Moree
Aleah
Moree
6'2" | C
Winfield | 2024
State
KS
, 6’1″, C, Winfield, Midwest United – Moree starts her high school career as the top center prospect in the class. With good physical size and strength, and the ability to 1-hand a rebound, she is an absolute house. While she needs to improve her half court speed, she handles well to drive the basket from the wing starting with a quick first step. Her transition speed showed substantial improvement from when I saw her at a July MAYB tournament to the No Boundaries/MaxLab Training scrimmage held in mid-October. At the scrimmage she matched up with all-Wichita City League
Tiana Winn
Tiana
Winn
6'0" | SF
Wichita East | 2022
State
KS
from Wichita East and held her own, with Winn have the biggest trouble dealing with Moree’s strength. As Moree gains more polish in athleticism and in all aspects of the game, she will only get better.
#9 Zaylee Werth Zaylee Werth 6'0" | CG Hillsboro | 2024 State KS , 5’11”, SF, Hillsboro, Next Level Eclipse – Werth will join a team that lost in a sub-state final to Bennington. A key piece in Trojan’s 2A state volleyball run, Werth’s transition speed; ability to catch and finish at speed; length; ball skills; and state tournament experience should immediately contribute to the basketball team’s run to the state tournament. Boxing out and rebounding are areas that need improvement but with her athleticism I suspect those areas will be shored up quickly, joining senior sister Teegan Werth Teegan Werth 5'8" | CG Hillsboro | 2021 State KS as legitimate standouts.
#10 Emma Mitchell Emma Mitchell 5'10" | SF Rossville | 2024 State KS , 5’10”, SF, Rossville, Wheat State Elite – Mitchell has been one of the hardest working players over the summer, attending tournaments and exposure events in a variety of locations including the Kansas PGH Top 250 Expo in October. Her club team coach Craig Nicholson says “She has good length on her that gives her the ability to cause problems on the defensive end. She can shoot it pretty good from 3, she can attack close out well, and is able to use her body finishing at the rim. With her size she’s able to guard any position for me.” Boxing out physically is an area she can improve upon but as she gains strength I expect her to shore that up quickly.