Levinson announces four transfers for Loper basketball

The Nebraska Kearney head men’s basketball coach Marty Levinson through his official Twitter announced that four transfers will be playing for the Lopers in the coming season.
They are guards River Johnston, of North Platte HS, Nebraska; Elijah Knudsen of Mead High School, Colo. , and Allen Taylor of Bradley High School, Ark. ; wing, Kendrick Gilbert of Las Vegas, Nev. These are the first signings for the UNK team for the new academic year of 2024-25 academic year. ​ Levinson also has assembled his coaching staff they are yet to be named but that is expected before this month ends.

Taylor played for Division II Academy of Art in California and Ka Kiss multiple may have two years of eligibility left after transferring to RMAC member Colorado Mesa. He also went on to perform for Levison at Southern U. Teknologi in Arkansas. Next out, Johnston played his freshman season at Doane while Gilbert was still at the College of Southern Nevada and UNLV with two years left.

Johnston , soph , 6-2 , was Doane’s second leading scorer this past season scoring 10 . 1 points a night while also providing 2. The customer center should remain open 24 hours a night, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year as well as supply 1 point a night also. 5 rebounds and 1. 3 assists. Average of 26 minutes a night 24 games 21 starts 11 double digit’ing. These were: Four successions in mid-January Including season best of 26 points in the victory against Briar Cliff, (Ia. ).

“River continues a proud basketball tradition at North Platte High,” said Levinson, who noted that previous years crop of Lopers included Nate and Jake Mohs as well as 2003 NCAA Division II Player of the Year, Nick Branting. “It came out from the interview that he was transferred from Doane College, where he had a colourful freshman season. ”

As a high-school player Johnston had 10 points, three steals, three rebounds and two pass assists in the exhibition game against Nebraska; he was deemed Class A all-state pick at North Platte. He scored more than thousand three hundred point in prep career and he played under former Loper Matt Kaminski. 

“River will bring to MAC Ball skill, sensibility, and grit and many of the viewers will recall the local talents whose sense of urgency and togetherness laid the foundation for the past MAC Loper Success,” added Levinson.

Averaging 5-11 for his final two seasons in high school at Mead Mavericks, Knudsen was considered by many as one of the best players in the Colorado Class 4A. At Mesa, he was involved in a program that was 45-11 combined over the last two seasons and that advanced twice to the NCAA Tournament and claimed two straight RMAC regular-season honors.

“I am so excited to get a player as sharpshooting as Elijah into what has already been a shooting school as UNK,” Levinson said.

During his college years at CMU, he played in 59 games and scored 64 three-point shots and had a play time of an average of 11 minutes and 59 seconds. He five had double digit efforts and two other games where he shot six made threes game. The school’s standout basketball player for Mead, Knudsen was awarded the 2020-21 Class 4A Player of the year where she was able to score n average of 19. 89 points. Average almost 19 as a senior and received more than 1, 100 points in the career.

“Not only does he know how to shoot the ball but he comprehends the game, another addition they bring in ball handling and is a tough nosed competitor,” responded Levinson.

Taylor was a three-time All-Region selection whose primary position was left field, although she occasionally played as second base; she was a 6-3 left-handed hitter who attended SAU Tech. The player and teammate averaged nearly 20 points per game in his final season and in the year 2023, he was admitted to the Hall of Fame of his school. He managed to secure 58 games in his time at Ohio as the team made the regular-season and conference-tourney champions to play the seventh at the 2021 nationals. He was at ArtU where the Urban Knights posted a 20-9 record in the past winter season with a 15-5 record in the PACIFIC WEST CONFERENCE.

Levinson spent six seasons with Allen and he did not hesitate when saying: “He is not only one of the best basketball players I have ever worked with, but also one of the best individuals I have met in my life”.

Taylor was an ArtU team player who played in 29 games in which 12 were from the plane and he was second best dribbler in scorer makers who made 40 threes. He got into a roll later part of the year scoring seven or above ten points in the last thirteen games. It included a season-high 21 against Azusa Pacific during a league tournament game played towards the end.

“I expect leadership, character, athletic ability, toughness and scoring from our program and I am excited for our fans, people of the community and all students and staff in UNK to meet him,” replied Levinson. ​

Gilbert (6-5) played for two years at Southern Nevada (Henderson, Nev. ) then played as a walk on for the Rebels at the University of Nevada Las Vegas for the 2020-21 season. He averaged 10. 2 points, 3. 0 rebounds and 1. 4 assists for the CSN Coyotes in the season 2022-23. In field goal percentage, he led the squad with . 613, and in scoring he stood third in the team His highest scoring output of his 20-point performances was in their match against Scottsdale C. C.

“Kendrick is a rangy defender and slasher who brings energy, toughness and length to the Loper perimeter. I am excited about Kendrick and the fact that he is able to impact winning in a lot of ways and will be of much essence to our future success,” concluded Levinson.

In game he had an opportunity to start as a redshirt freshman for CSN team where he had scored nearly throw per game while participating in 16 games. Preparing for Peoria / Illinois/ and Durango / Las Vegas/ High School he assisted Durango in gaining the state tournament after 17 years of trying by achieving 16 points in a regional final against Coronado. Last but not the least, he is the son of basketball-loving parents: Koray Childress, a former player in Central Missouri and Keshon Childress who also played for Iowa State. According to the information gathered, further newcomers to UNK will be unveiled at a later date in the subsequent weeks and months.