Prospect Spotlight: Devon Junghans (2021)
After putting together a strong offseason, Salina South 2021 point guard Devon Junghans is hoping the Cougars can rebound from a tough season in 2017-18.
A pass first 5’8 point guard, Junghans loves to push the tempo and is capable of getting to the basket and finishing or making passes for easy buckets.
He says the experience a year ago at South has helped him and his teammates prepare for the upcoming season and beyond as several players return with the added benefit of varsity experience. Junghans averaged 6 points, 3 assists and a steal per game.
“Last season was definitely a learning experience especially starting as a freshman,” he says. “We didn’t win that much but we were a really young team only having two seniors. I feel like I could of played way more aggressive than how I played. But it was good learning experience for the most part and was a big stepping stone for my game.”
Junghans says he has been focused on improving his athletic abilities during the offseason, whether it is getting quicker, faster and jumping higher. He has also been working on adding a mid-range jumper and improving his 3-point shot.
He spent the offseason playing for SSA Elite’s 15U squad and says the experience of traveling during the summer has helped prepare him for the upcoming season.
“We played in a lot of high level tournaments where as a team we won a lot of games and I could show off my talents,” Junghans said. “But it has really prepared me for my next season, for how how to deal with someone who is more athletic then me. In summer ball you meet a lot of freakishly athletic players and going against them constantly really makes you prepared and better.”
Junghans says the biggest influence on his basketball career to date is his fifth-grade basketball coach John Schrieber.
“He’s really showed me how to play the game and gave me tools to play the game at a high level,” Junghans said. “Another person that has influenced my game is one of my best friends Jackie Johnson III. I learned from him that height doesn’t matter as long as you put in the work as well as how to carry yourself off the floor and just really showed me how to be a great player and great person at the same time.”