One of the top prospects in Arizona's 2013 class is Shadow Mountain High School's 6-foot-2, 175-pound rising senior combo-guard Keegan Hansen. While an unheralded prospect among the 2013 class, Hansen impressed me with his performance this spring on the club circuit in such events as the Double Pump Spring Classic.
Hansen is a lesser known name among basketball enthusiasts in the state, but he has proven himself, while soaring under the recruiting radar, as one of the top guard prospects in the class.
Hansen was the most consistent performer last season as a junior for Shadow Mountain High School and head coach Cain Jagodzinski. While the team struggled last season - finishing with a 9-15 overall record on the season, Hansen was a bright spot and will look to have a big senior season for the Matadors. Shadow Mountain will return a very experienced line-up next season and will also add 6-foot-8 rising senior transfer Tyler Lehew (via Thunderbird HS) to their lineup, which will make the Matadors very tough to beat.
As a result of Hansen's performance as a junior and his strong performance this spring, Hansen jumped into our recent summer rankings for point guards in the 2013 class, and could make a much bigger jump in the next rankings with a continued strong performance this summer.
A native of Nebraska, where Hansen competed regularly on the club circuit, he impressed me a great deal with his ability to shoot the basketball and with excellent range on his shot. He also showed excellent toughness as a player and a serious competitive spirit that sets him apart from the competition. Hansen is capable of playing both guard spots on the floor, and, at 6-2 in height, he is a bigger point guard with a nice frame. He is a very good handler and sees the floor very well - looking for the open teammate. He pushes the basketball up the floor to the open man and is capable of creating his own shot off the dribble, a nice asset.
Hansen is a solid defender and keeps his man in front of him, possessing good lateral quickness. He will need to continue to improve his lateral quickness to stay with quicker more athletic guards at the next level. But his competitive drive gives him an edge on the defensive end.
Hansen advised me that he is currently hearing from numerous smaller college programs at the division-II and division-III levels, and that he is unsure which level he will land at currently, but that he is comfortable with playing at any level - playing time will play a major factor in his decision.
Hansen is also an excellent student and carries a 4.2 CUM GPA, so he will have no problems becoming a full academic qualifier through the NCAA standards.
Hansen competed this spring and will continue to play for the successful Arizona Rebels club program this summer - traveling to events in California and Las Vegas during the month of July.
Keep an eye out for Hansen this summer and next high school season, as he returns to lead an experienced Shadow Mountain HS team back to the top of the Division-II standings.
