Topeka Summer Tourney: Guards Who Shined
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One of the last and best events of June brought a bunch of talent to the Highland Park Summer Series in Topeka. The top two stories from the event were 1) the Runnin’ Scots winning their own event, and 2)…
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Continue ReadingOne of the last and best events of June brought a bunch of talent to the Highland Park Summer Series in Topeka.
The top two stories from the event were 1) the Runnin’ Scots winning their own event, and 2) Perry-Lecompton coming in at the last minute and hanging with the big schools.
3A Perry-Lecompton got a last-minute invite to the one-day event when some other schools backed out. The Kaws didn’t just show up. They took down three Centennial League teams to finish third in the field.
Here are some guards who stood out in the Highland Park Summer Series:
Quentin Adams Quentin Adams 5'9" | PG Highland Park | 2023 KS , 5-foot-9 guard, 2023, Highland Park:
Adams won’t be overlooked this year. His experience as a starter last year, combined with his great development over the summer, will make him an integral piece of the Scot attack next season. He’s a slick and clever guard who leaks out for lots of buckets, handles the ball and makes good decisions. He’s sneaky athletic, but he won’t sneak up on the opposition next season.
Jackson Austin, 6-foot guard, 2025, Junction City:
There will be a real changing of the guards in Junction next year, and Austin has the jump on playing time. He can really push the tempo, made a lot of plays with his hands on defense, including turning some picks into runouts. And man can he shoot. He dropped several 3-pointers on the day in Topeka.
Jack Bachelor Jack Bachelor 6'0" | CG Washburn Rural | 2023 State KS , 6-foot guard, 2023, Washburn Rural (pictured):
Some guys who have been on the Prep Hoops radar for a while tend to start getting overlooked. But with an offer from Washburn University in his pocket, Bachelor deserves some notice for his nice work Tuesday. He is now the unquestioned leader of the Junior Blues, and it will be fun to watch as he evolves as a senior. He can shoot it, penetrate and drop the floater, run the point and distribute the ball. There’s lots of talent at Rural, but it will take time and leadership to put it together. Bachelor will be the focal point of that project.
Carson Marks, 5-foot-11 guard, 2024, Manhattan:
Marks was a gritty leader for the Indians on Tuesday. He goes 100 mph all the time, and he isn’t afraid to throw his body on the floor, against a wall, or into the mix under the glass. He handles the ball with his eyes up and makes great passes in transition. He is an aggressive on-ball defender who helps his teammates, gets his on passes and has the spring to block shots. He penetrated, finished in the lane and showed command of the offense.
Jake Mueller Jake Mueller 6'0" | SG Hayden | 2023 State KS , 6-foot guard, 2023, Hayden:
After a couple of years being a top role player for the Wildcats, Mueller is now ‘the guy’ at Hayden. He ran the point some, but is still dynamic in the off-guard role. He attacks off the bounce and finishes with creativity, and also draws a ton of fouls. Mueller plays at a breakneck pace, but don’t worry about him getting tired. He’s a state champion track star.
Bryson Thrasher, 6-foot guard, 2024, Topeka High:
Thrasher is a gutsy guard who can create his own shot. He provided a lot of the playmaking for the Trojans Tuesday. He can get his jumper off with a nice nose for space and a daring fadeaway. Thrasher is a competitor who knows he has to generate offense. He draws defenders and opens up his teammates for perimeter shots. He’s a fun player to watch.
Ryeki Tuley, 5-foot-10 guard, 2024, Perry-Lecompton:
Aside from having a cool name, Tuley showed off a cool game at Topeka. Forwards do a lot of the ball handling on this team, but Tuley is the traditional point guard the Kaws need to get guys the ball in the right spots. He plays off the ball well, cutting to receive passes that he converts in the mid-range or around the basket. He handles the ball well and pushes the tempo to try to get the ball to his talented teammates. He hit the 3-pointer and rebounded well too.