Class 2 Boys Basketball Players to Watch

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By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)

Basketball season is underway in Missouri. Below are the Class 2 Boys Basketball Players to Watch along with a breakout player.

NOTE: MSHSAA won’t be releasing new class and district assignments until Friday, Dec. 11. WE ARE USING LAST YEAR’S CLASSIFICATIONS for our watchlists. There will be SIGNIFICANT changes to classes when the new assignements come out, as Missouri is adding a sixth class of basketball this year.

Top 11

• Jordan Andrews, Thayer Junior
The 6-foot guard put together an impressive sophomore season, averaging 18.5 points and 3.5 rebounds while leading Thayer to the Elite Eight and the program’s fifth straight 20-win season. He was the District 2 Player of the Year and the only sophomore named to the Class 2 All-State team. The scary part is that he has two years remaining.

• Lawson Beem, Skyline Junior
As a sophomore Beem was a floor general on a really good team, averaging 12 points and five assists for the Class 2 runner-up. But, as we’ve seen him do on the gridiron, it’s time for Beem to turn up. Don’t expect a decline in his assist numbers, but the shifty point guard will likely see a stark rise in his scoring output.

• Wil Carlton, Marionville Sophomore
His freshman year was nothing short of impressive, with the 6-foot guard averaging 15.9 points. He has poise far beyond his years and an advanced frame as well. If his sophomore football season at quarterback was any indication of what is coming on the hardwood, Carlton won’t see any sophomore slump.

• Jaiden Carrasquillo Junior
You can’t be a Carrasquillo without being a bucket and Jaiden is the latest example of this. As a sophomore he averaged 21.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Some of his scoring totals were crazy, including 45 vs. Exeter, 32 vs. Billings, 30 v. Greenfield and 25 vs. Greenwood. He gets it at all three levels with ease. And he’s a gym rat, expect to see elevation in his game this winter.

• Zayne Gale & Wyatt Snelson, Galena Seniors
This will end up being the top 1-2 punch in the SWCL. The Bears put up its highest win total in more than a decade last year and that was without Gale, who averaged 17.2 points and 5.6 rebounds at Spokane. Snelson averaged a double-double, putting up 18.2 points and 10.1 rebounds. Both were All-SWCL picks and are the reason why

• Rafe Kalberloh, Lakeland Senior
Not many have put together the kind of career that Kalberloh has over the last three years. He put up 22.2 points and 6.9 rebounds as a junior and has career averages of 19.2 points and 6.6 rebounds. The all-stater enters his senior year with 1,670 career points and has led Lakeland to a 76-12 record with a pair of district championships.

• Joel Kleeman, Miller Senior
Also a football standout, Kleeman returns after leading Miller in scoring (15.9 points) and rebounding (7.1 rebounds) as a junior. The 6-foot-3 senior has a high motor and great athleticism. The Cardinals will have a new coach, but don’t expect any changes in Kleeman’s production. He’s be in contention for Southwest Conference POY.

• Aminu Mohammed & Victory Naboya, Greenwood Seniors
Aminu Mohammed has been nothing short of incredible in his two seasons at Greenwood. Coming off a year that saw him put on absolute clinics at the Blue and Gold and Bass Pro TOC on his way to averaging 34.8 points, 15.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He continues to develop his game and come back with elements that he didn’t have the season before, which is why his recruitment continues to grow. He’ll go down as the most productive player in the history of the Ozarks due to his elite frame and work ethic. His farewell tour will be one to remember.

Naboya has never played a varsity game in the Ozarks, but the 6-foot-8 D1 prospect will have an instant impact this winter. He already holds offers from SMU, Sacred Heart, Towson and Stony Brook. He was dominant in the paint during fall league and will be one of the top rim protectors in Missouri. Expect the Power 5 interest to increase soon.

• Ryce Piper, Hartville Senior
Piper is the latest in what has been a line of hoopers. He led Hartville to another Class 2 state title as a junior, averaging 17.5 points, six rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals. He can play on or off the ball, he has a high IQ and at 6-foot-3, he has incredible positional versatility at the high school level. He’ll be a favorite for Class 2 Player of the Year. He also has won 85 games in a Hartville jersey.

Others to Watch

• Dhruv Gheewala, Thomas Jefferson Senior
• Bryce Hambelton, Gainesville Junior
• Grant Harper & Tommy Pinegar, Greenwood Senior & Junior
• Luke Lawson, Diamond Senior
• Miller Long, College Heights Senior
• Cody Mahan & Brady Ward, Hartville Seniors
• Cruz Marquez, Southwest Junior
• Isaiah Smith, Crane Senior
• Kyler Tennis & Colton Plowman, Billings Seniors

Class 2 Breakout Player: Isaiah Mitchell, Blue Eye
You’ve heard the name before. His brothers – Christian and Andrew – were both great players at Blue Eye. In fact, the family is full of athletes, including a sister that played volleyball at Tulsa. Isaiah is a 6-foot-4 junior coming off a sophomore season that saw him averaged 7.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. The Bulldogs have no seniors and lose a talented senior class, meaning Mitchell will have plenty of opportunities to advance his production.

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