Topeka Trios to Watch
Turnover in Topeka will open the door for a lot new storylines next season. Some dynamic pairs will have an opportunity to change the landscape of hoops in the Capital City. Topeka Trios to Watch (players are listed by their…
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Continue ReadingTurnover in Topeka will open the door for a lot new storylines next season. Some dynamic pairs will have an opportunity to change the landscape of hoops in the Capital City.
Topeka Trios to Watch (players are listed by their grade next school year)
Highland Park’s CJ Powell, senior, Juan’Tario Roberts, junior, and Jahi Peppers, senior: This trio led a renaissance at Highland Park. They improved from 3-18 to 15-8 and advanced to state. These guys have accumulated a ton of minutes already, and they are offensively dynamic.
Sure, Powell gets quite a few points just because he’s 6-foot-7. But while he’s a dominant inside presence, Powell is really good on the perimeter and scores his share from beyond the arc. He averaged 14.2 points as a sophomore when the Scots went just 3-18. He raised his output to 16.8 as a junior. He helped propel the Scots to the state playoffs by tallying 15 against Leavenworth, then 13 against Aquinas at sub-state. He went for 14 in the loss to Hays at state.
Roberts is a master of breaking down defenders and getting to the goal. He’s also fast enough to create points off the break. He can score from deep, but that’s not where most of his points come from. He averaged 14.9 as a sophomore, after putting up 11.6 as a freshman. He came up big in the 5A sub-state playoffs, going for 15 against Leavenworth and 19 against Aquinas to lead the Scots to state. He might be the most classic example of a “scorer” in the league.
Peppers is sort of the third man of the Scots’ terrific trio. Teaming with Powell and explosive guard Roberts, Peppers keeps defenses honest and creates chaos with his quickness and playmaking ability. The senior-to-be steps up when defenses take the other two studs out of the game. He scored in double-figures 12 times last year.
Seaman’s Dagen Brewer, junior, Ty Henry Ty Henry 6'3" | SG Seaman | 2022 State KS , junior, and Mateo Hyman Mateo Hyman 6'2" | CG Seaman | 2022 State KS , junior: Seaman wasn’t very good last year, but it wasn’t for a lack of perimeter shooters. Playing as just a freshman, Kaeden Bonner was a legit long-range threat. So was Micah Kobuszewski, and he’ll be back as a senior. But Seaman’s best hope to build a winner rests in three talented juniors-to-be who gained a ton of experience last season.
The 5-foot-10 Brewer doesn’t create a lot of shots on his own, but left open, he’s deadly. His scoring totals were up and down last year. But there’s probably not a better pure shooter in the league. He had eight double-digit games, including 19 against Junction City and 15 against Wichita North.
Henry is a 6-foot-3 guard who can handle the ball in the open court, has a good mid-range game and is a cerebral playmaker. He has had six double-digit outings, highlighted by 18 against Hayden. He has the potential to develop into a matchup nightmare.
The best player of the three might turn out to be Hyman. His role grew as the season played out. His playing time increased and he demonstrated smooth play-making ability as a versatile point guard. Hyman is the most dynamic playmaker of the three, able to break through a defense and to score on the drive. He’s also an electric passer. He exploded late in the season as the leader of the Vikings, including a 16-point game against Emporia in which he went 4 of 4 from behind the arc.
Washburn Rural’s Joe Berry Joe Berry 6'4" | CG Washburn Rural | 2021 State KS , senior, Brady Patterson, senior, and Quincey Kidd, junior: Berry is the unquestioned leader of the Junior Blues. But he can’t do it alone, and he’ll need some others to step up to keep Washburn Rural in the upper echelon. Patterson is a versatile athlete, and Kidd is an up-and-coming stud.
Berry finished with a 17.4 scoring average, but he scored 20 or more in six of his first seven games. That after averaging 13 a game as a sophomore on one of the best teams in the state. As a junior, Berry had to do it all, including find ways to score when the entire defense was focused on his. At 6-foot-2, he has skills to play the perimeter, but was forced to score in the lane.
Surrounded by a lot of offensive talent, Patterson didn’t have to score a lot last season. He was able to focus on defending and rebounding. Patterson’s efforts were so well-respected, he earned Centennial League honorable mention without compiling a lot of stats. He is a good athlete who will do more next season.
As a sophomore, the 6-foot-2 Kidd grew into a role on the varsity as the season played out. The Junior Blues need some support for Berry, and Kidd may play that part next season. Down the stretch he scored 12 against Manhattan, 18 versus Olathe North and 9 in the season-ending loss to Wichita West.