KBCA All Star Game Coverage: Small Schoolers Show Out
The annual Kansas Basketball Coaches Association all star game at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina Saturday gave a bunch of Kansas seniors one more chance to show their stuff. As would be expected, some of the biggest stars in the…
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Continue ReadingThe annual Kansas Basketball Coaches Association all star game at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina Saturday gave a bunch of Kansas seniors one more chance to show their stuff.
As would be expected, some of the biggest stars in the game were from the bigger school classifications. 5A in particular contributed some of the best performances, from players like Sam Somerhalder, Elijah Brooks, Ty Henry and Kyle Grill. 6A sent two state champions in Dreylin Kemp and Chase Harris. 4A stars included Kaleb Becker and Seth Madron.
But not all the best players were from the bigger schools. Harrison Voth from 3A Cheney stole the show by going off from behind the arc, racking up 17 points. Toby Miller from 2A Lyndon hit shots and demonstrated his mettle as one of the games best players. 3A Royal Valley’s Nahcs Wahwassuck showed off every skill necessary to be a top “point forward.”
Several other players from smaller schools took advantage of the all-star setting to show that you don’t have to be from Kansas City or Wichita to know how to play the game.
Derek Hoelting, a state champ from 1A Olpe, found his groove in the second half and make some nice plays, including drilling a 3-pointer when left alone, and hit both his free throws to finish with 6 points. He grabbed an impressive 5 rebounds too.
Emmitt Jueneman (pictured), showed the athleticism that made him a 1A star for Hanover. He didn’t attempt many shots, but he hit 2-3 from the field, including his only attempt from deep. Jueneman’s experience on the club circuit guaranteed he would not be intimidated by the competition, and his smooth explosiveness plays in any setting. He blocked two shots and recorded a steal too.
Though just 5-foot-10, Scott Price from 1A Bucklin zipped in and out of traffic fearlessly and created space for a three buckets. He recorded 7 points, but more indicative his skill as a point guard, he dished out 4 assists.
3A star Brett Sarwinski showed just what a gritty tough guy he is. Though just 5-foot-11, he bulled his way into traffic and grabbed 7 rebounds, tied for the game high. Sarwinski is a point guard who plays with physicality. He tallied 8 points and 2 assists.
Cason Richardson from 3A Hesston was not an unknown. You don’t lead your team to back-to-back state titles and fly under the radar. But it was good to see the versatile 6-foot-3 guard balling with his friends despite a big knee brace from a previous injury. Richardson showed physicality and some of the explosiveness that made him the best player in 3A the past two seasons. He scored 5 points and grabbed 6 rebounds and ran the show from the point.
Trever Quaney was the biggest man in Salina. The 6-foot-8 center from 1A Burlingame fit in nicely in the up-tempo, run-and-gun style. He grabbed 3 boards and dished out 3 assists because he wasn’t able to mesh with the athletes around him. He’s a load in the paint, has length and works hard.
2A Hillsboro’s Grayson Ratzlaff was a late add to the roster but he showed he belonged with the all stars. The 6-foot-7 power forward attacked aggressively and used his length and bounce impressively. He is a flat-out athlete. He got to the goal through traffic for 4-7 shooting and 8 total points. His versatility led to 3 rebounds and 3 assists.
Finally, Cav Carlgren is from 4A Concordia, but he deserves mention for his performance. He might have been one of the lesser-recognized stars at the game, but he really showed some special talent. He has great vision and threw some nice passes up the floor. He handled the ball effectively and distributed it unselfishly, racking up 4 assists. He dropped a 3-pointer and scored 5 points to go with 3 rebounds.