Aaron Jennings breaks down the standouts from each team from Sunday’s event.

Recapping 2020-2021 boys’ action (Part I)

Aaron Jennings recaps the action at the second annual Future50 Camp&Showcase.

LEBANON, Mo. — The second annuall SWMO Basketball Future 50 Showcase brought together many of the region’s top players last Sunday at Lebanon High. Here is a look at the Class of 2022-2024 boys’ basketball players at the event. The players are listed by the team they played on and their jersey number.

Team G   Alex Boyer

(PLAYER, CLASS, SCHOOL, HT, NUMBER)

Will Carlton             2023 Marionville 5’9    125

A clean player who slashes well and handles contact when the ball goes up. Carlton is a hustle player who plays both ways as hard as he can. He is smart with the ball and is very confident on the floor.

Tristan Duncan        2023 Sommersville  5’9 127

A smart player who moves well off the ball and plays strong on defense. He passes well and can put his head down and score. He fights for the ball and

Caden Kowal           2023 Camdenton 5’5    128

Kowal has a good feel for the perimeter and is good at staying in motion and popping out for an open look. He is a solid 3-point shooter and can connect from several feet behind the line. Also a good dribbler and avoids traffic.

Hunter McCullough   2022 West Plains 5’8    129

A smart player who values defense and unselfish play. McCullough runs the floor well and can stay on target when he gets bumped in the lane. A strong player for his size and one who can score in bunches and make good plays off the ball.

Richie McKinney      2022 Clearwater   5’5    130

Showed a lot of effort and has showcased good body control at times. He passes well and looks inside for cutting players and forwards as much as he does guards on the perimeter. He can also shoot some as well.

Josh McMillen         2022 MCE             5’10 131

A strong guard with a knack for finding his rhythm from distance. He’s an active player when he has the ball and continues the trend while playing off of it. A team-first player who has potential to be a good scorer and catch-and-shoot guy. Also has a strong frame.

Blayne Mendel        2022 Ava               5’10 132

A player who can find a way to score in almost every situation. Mendel is a versatile scorer who can stretch the floor with his deep ball, get shots off in the mid-range and use his speed and quickness to go inside and score near the basket. A tough kid.

Connor Owens        2022 Kickapoo      6’4    133

An explosive forward who has good size and a well-rounded skill set for a wing player to match. He is comfortable playing on the perimeter, handling the ball and can stick open 3-pointers. He gets back on defense quickly and can chase down the ball and block shots off the glass.  

Caleb Ray                 2024 Lebanon       5’4    134

A nice guard who looks to pass, score from outside and score when opponents aren’t looking. He’s not that tall but he was one of the younger players on the floor and held his own. A guard who can do what is needed.

Ethan Wright           2023 Hollister       5’9    135

An aggressive guard, play hard and is a scrappy player. Wright attacks the basket well and works hard at both ends of the court. He fights through screens to stay with his man and can take the ball away from opponents if they don’t pay attention.

Conner Young         2024 Seymour      5’8    148

A smart player who hustles and plays quickly in half court. He can shoot, defend the ball and is good at directing traffic and forcing opponents to think on their toes.

Team H Kyle Kimberling

(PLAYER, CLASS, SCHOOL, HT, NUMBER)

Watson Hafer          2023 West Plains 5’9    136

An improved ball handler and a solid defender. Hafer has good instincts and court vision. He plays an unselfish game and can make contested shots when it counts.

Matthew Jones        2023 Carver          5’7    138

A skilled player with the ball and one who can shake off opponents at times. He has a good rhythm to his game and goes up for rebounds and has a nice jump shot.

Heston Miller          2023 West Plains 6’0    139

A scrappy player who plays fast and can cover a lot of ground when he’s in the zone. He plays strong, physical defense and can get a hand on shots and kick off fast break looks. Also a player who can score when he has an opening.

Sam Moreland       2022 Ash Grove    5’11 140

A good-sized guard with a high basketball IQ. He plays both ends of the floor and competes hard to get open looks, force turnovers and get on the board. He has good range from deep and can get points in the transition game or stop on a dime for a jumper. Also a good passer. Moreland has the tools to get things done.

Brantley Morris     2022 Joplin           6’0    141

Still a scrappy player who moves well and is good at getting inside and absorbing contact. He has a slim frame, but he’s improved his durability. He can handle some and gets on the board through his movement and transition play.

Trey Pulford           2022 Republic       6’1    142

An athletic guard with good size and frame, Pulford has a smooth game, can knock down outside shots, gets to the basket well and can make plays with his athleticism.

Brendyn Paulsen     2024 Southwest   5’9    143

Looked to share the ball and connected from distance some. He passes well and set good screens and rebounded on the defensive side as well as he did on the offensive side. A tougher player who does the little things.

Blake Shanks           2022 Willard                     5’10 144

A smart, heady guard who protects the ball and avoids problem areas of the floor. He has a toughness to him and sees the floor well on the move. He brings consistency to the floor as a scorer and creative passer. A well-rounded player who does a bit of everything at a good speed.

Tyler Tummins                    2023 Ash Grove    5’3    145

A shorter player who shoots before his opponents have a chance to get close and is good at coming off screens with the ball in his hands.

Aidan Vaught          2023 Crane           6’0    146  

A nice player with size, strength and a lot of hustle. Vaught has a strong frame and can defend several positions on the floor including post players and the wing spot. He can get buckets through his effort and just knows when to pass and when to take gambles.

Caden Uthe             2022 Southwest   5’6    147

A shorter guard who uses his smarts and quick shooting to his advantage. He has range and can connect from the mid-range area as well. Uthe is a quiet player who can make plays and is good at seeing where his teammates need to be.