GARDNER,Kan.--TheweekendbeforeMemorialDayisusuallyaprettylightoneonthegrassrootsbasketballcircuit.
Rivals.comwasabletospendmostofSaturdayafternoonattheKCClassic.Asitturnedout,itwastheperfectsettingtogetanextendedlookatsomeundertheradarandsoontobeonthemapprospectslike2016wingWaliParks. Giventhechancetomakeanimpression,6-foot-5smallforward
WaliParksoftheIowaBarnstormersandIowaCity(Iowa)Westmadethemostofit.Athree-starprospectfromtheclassof2016,ParksputtogetheranimpressivedayonSaturday.Anaturalwingwithlongarms,Parksisalongstrideronthefloorandit'snotasurprisetohearthatheexcelsinthe200and400meterdashesasatrackathlete.Whileheimpresseswithhisabilitytoplayintransitionandhisbasketballframe,whatstoodoutmostaboutParkswasthewayheshottheballduringaSaturdayafternoonexhibitiongamewinoverMoKanElite.
Parksspottedupallaroundthethree-pointlineandmadeseveraldeepshots.Healsogotontheglassasarebounderandplayedanallaroundsolidfloorgame.
Splittingtimebetweentrackandgrassrootshoopsduringthespringhasn'tbeeneasy,butParksfeelslikehe'sheldhisown.
"Imissedafewtournamentsbecauseoftrack,"saidParks."ButthetournamentsthatI'vebeenabletoplayinI'vedonewell."
Sofar,ParkshasapairofscholarshipoffersfromIndianaStateandWesternIllinois.AdditionalinteresthascomeinfromthelikesofNorthernIowa,IllinoisState,Butler,AirForce,
IowaandWisconsin.IfParkscancontinuetoplayatanywhereclosetothelevelhedidonSaturday,moreofferswillcome.Movingforwardhefeelscomfortableasasmallforwardbuthopestotransitiontothetwoguardwithmoreconsistentjumpshooting.
"Ishotprettywelltoday,"Parkssaid."ButifIcangetmoreconsistentwithmyjumperIthinkthatIcouldbemoreofatwoguard.Asitis,I'mprobablymoreofasmallforward.
ThoughtheIowaBarnstomersfelljustshortofachampionshipinthe17UdivisiononSunday,losingtoJCHoops,theywereabletotakehomeatitlebeltinthe15Udivision.BasedonthewayheplayedonSaturday,it'sasafebetthat2018shootingguard
JoeWieskamphadalottodowithit.Itisstillreallyearlyfortheclassof2018,butRivals.comhasn'tseenmanyinthatclasswhocanshootitwithrangeorabasketballIQlikeWieskamp.
Standing6-foot-4withlongarms,theproductofMuscatine(Iowa)Highalreadyhasgoodsizebuthedoesn'tappeartobeanywhereclosetodonegrowing.Aknockdownshooterfromdeep,Wieskampwieldsanaestheticallypleasingjumperthatproducesgreatresults.
Thoughhe'snotahighflyerjustyet,Wieskampshowsgoodmobilityandwhencombinedwithshotfakesandchangesofspeedhecanalreadygetwhereheneedstogo.Hepasseswell,heisagoodenoughdefenderandhewillstickhisnoseintoacrowdforalooseballorarebound.
WieskamphasbeenimpressiveenoughthatbothIowaand
IowaStatehavealreadyofferedhimscholarships.He'salsoheardfromNorthernIowa,Creighton,NebraskaandWisconsin."IthinktheylikethatIshootitprettywell,"saidWieskamp."IcangettotherimprettywellandIhavegoodsizeforashootingguard."