Who I’ve Seen : Summer Ball All-Kansas 2022 Team
On the heals of my summer ball all-Kansas 2023 team comes my 2022 team. It will be readily apparent that the team is perimeter player heavy. There are two substantial reasons for that. The first is that the class has…
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Continue ReadingOn the heals of my summer ball all-Kansas 2023 team comes my 2022 team. It will be readily apparent that the team is perimeter player heavy. There are two substantial reasons for that. The first is that the class has a substantial amount of talent at those positions. Secondly, I did not have the opportunity to watch the top five or six bigs in the class. As with the previous list, the players included were viewed from the drop of the flag in mid- to late-May to the Gameball camp in Garden City to MAYB Reign the Plains Exposure event on July 21. Enjoy learning about the baker’s dozen included in this 2022 summer ball all-Kansas team.
Point Guards
Ashley Carrillo Ashley Carrillo 5'7" | PG Liberal | 2022 State KS , 5’7″, Liberal, Gameball Basketball, PG – MAYB Summer Kickoff (June) – I have had the fortune to watch Carrillo play a few different times. She is probably one the least known but most dangerous scoring point guards in teh state. Fast, athletic around the basket, quick hands, a level two thinker (poker term) who will sucker defenders, and a strong open court defender.
Kyla Frenchers
Kyla
Frenchers
5'6" | PG
Maize | 2022
State
KS
, 5’6″, Maize,
Next Level Eclipse
Holmes, PG – I was able to see Frenchers several times at MAYB events after not having seen her since last summer. Frenchers is a “run the show” kind of point guard who can make quick, hard, catchable passes. She has quick hands and feet on both ends. Her athleticism and hands were on display for one of the “wow” plays of the summer. On a transition break she one-handed a bounce pass and then scooped a lay-in while being challenged.
Aubrie Kierscht
Aubrie
Kierscht
5'6" | CG
Salina Central | 2022
State
KS
, 5’3″, Salina Central, Wheat State Elite Paul, PG – I was able to see Kierscht at MAYB Summer Kickoff in June. Kierscht is often talked about because of her ability as a three point shooter and scorer. What I hear less about is what really caught my attention, her ferocity as a defender. She sees the ball very well on defense and battles to deny cutters the ball.
Emajin McCallop Emajin McCallop 5'7" | CG Bishop Miege | 2022 State KS , 5’7″, Bishop Miege, Next Level Eclipse KC Bluestar, PG – I saw McCallop at the July 11 MAYB tournament for the first time since her great play in the first half kept Miege in the game against Chapman at the Class 4A state tournament. McCallop is strong, athletic, fast, and can get to the basket quickly. She also has good half court vision to distribute.
Kelsey Bruening
Kelsey
Bruening
5'4" | PG
Kapaun Mt. Carmel | 2022
KS
, 5’4″, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, No Boundaries Athletics, PG – I have seen Bruening play in a few MAYB events, most recently at Reign the Plains. Bruening is a high motor, fast, quick player who elevates well and plays physically. She can finish with speed and with contact. She also has three point range.
Shooting Guards
Maycee James Maycee James 5'9" | CG Goddard | 2022 State KS , 5’9″, Goddard, Kansas United Soyez, SG – It had been several months since I had seen James play before seeing her again at MAYB Reign the Plains. At the Mid America Classic, playing for Wichita Northwest, she led the tournament in assists per game (6.33), steals (5.33), and offensive rebounds (5.33). That alone speaks volumes about her capabilities. At Reign the Plains she continued to show speed and athleticism. She also showed she can be a scorer with her consistent aggression going to the basket.
Harper Schreiner Harper Schreiner 5'7" | PG Eudora | 2022 State KS , 5’7″, Eudora, Wheat State Elite Paul, SG – Schreiner is a scorer with deceiving quickness. I most recently saw her at the MAYB Summer Kickoff. With her strong build and mid-range game, including in transition, she is difficult to guard.
Talayah Thomas
Talayah
Thomas
5'6" | CG
Topeka | 2022
State
KS
, 5’6″, Topeka, Wheat State Elite Paul, SG – Having not seen Thomas since the PGH 250 Exposure event last October, I was ready to see her game at MAYB Summer Kickoff. With her strong handles and athletic scoring ability around the basket, Thomas continued to show how difficult she can be to defend. She also continued to show herself to be a speedy, quick, and forminable defender. What she did not do was shoot well from the perimeter. It will need to be an area to develop consistency in.
Combo Guards & Wings
Emree Zars
Emree
Zars
5'10" | PG
Mill Valley | 2022
State
KS
, 5’10”, Mill Valley, Kansas Elite 17U Novicoff, SF/CG – Zars was another player I had not seen since the PGH 250 Exposure event in Des Moines last October. At MAYB Reign the Plains she continued to show herself to be a consistent, all-around player. While she is susceptible to being picked when looking up to pass off the dribble, she showed good speed with the ball. Zars has perimeter range, can finish with speed on both sides of the basket, and can create mid-range jumpers on the bounce. Defensively, she showed smarts to help from the weak side on basket drives. Zars can be jumpy though. She needs to stay down and draw charges more.
Ali Zeka
Ali
Zeka
5'8" | CG
Wellington | 2022
State
KS
, 5’8″, Wellington, Kansas United Soyez, CG – After seeing Zeka play at the Mid America Classic she showed herself to be a player who almost took it personal when someone attacked her because she was guaranteed to return the favor on the other end with better results. It took her awhile to get going at MAYB Reign the Plains but she showed three point range and the ability to finish athletically. Solid physically, she is able to leverage her strength on her shot creation.
Power Forwards & Centers
Rachel Fischer
Rachel
Fischer
6'0" | PF
Medicine Lodge | 2022
State
KS
, 6’0″, Medicine Lodge, Western Kansas Elite Adigun, C/PF – I saw Fischer at the July 11 MAYB Tournament for the first time. Fischer is a strong player with a big upper body that she uses to good effect. While she is able to create shots over taller defenders she needs to work on her vertical. Fischer runs well, boxes, and scores well.
Tallon Rentschler
Tallon
Rentschler
6'0" | PF
Smith Center | 2022
State
KS
, 6’0″, Smith Center, Wakonda Lakers, PF – At the July 11 MAYB tournament Rentschler showed, above all else, how strong of a motor she has. She can change ends repeatedly with speed and still create effective shots. She also showed offensive persistence. That’s great when things are going well but continuing to try similar scoring moves, and continuing to get swatted by a shot blocker, something needs to change to get a different result. All told, Rentschler is a stretch four possibility. She uses quick face-up and back-to-basket moves around the paint, has handles to go end-to-end off the rebound, and has good hands. I would like to see more evidence of a perimeter game and improved elevation around the basket.
Kaylee Simpson
Kaylee
Simpson
5'10" | PF
Chase County | 2022
State
KS
, 6’0″, Chase County, KS Dream Team, PF – I was able to see Simpson at MAYB’s Get Back on the Court tournament in May. She showed potential to develop into a stretch four. Simpson runs well, is athletic, long, and has mid-range ability. Look for development in her perimeter shooting, handles and quickness to get to the basket off the bounce, and to be more scoring minded.