4A Semifinal Standouts

<p>Bishop Miege is putting on quite a show, steamrolling through the 4A field. They will be challenged Saturday by Louisburg, the final obstacle between them and the state title. Here are a handful of significant performances from Thursday:</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="787626" first="Mark" last="Mitchell"], junior, Miege:</p> <p>The state’s top-rated junior showed what he can do in every phase of the game. The 6-foot-8 forward knocked down three 3-pointers when he wasn’t dunking over the smaller Bullpups. Mitchell is just as impactful at the defensive end, blocking shots and causing complete disruption.</p> <p><strong>Taj Manning</strong>, junior, Miege:</p> <p>Manning hasn’t received the publicity that Mitchell has garnered, but he’s impressive in his own right. He is a long-armed rim protector who made play in the lane problematic for the Bullpups. He tossed in 16 points, including 8-8 from the line.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="889470" first="Harrison" last="Braudis"], senior, Miege:</p> <p>The cagey senior point guard knows how to direct the attack and get the most out of the immense talent around him. He’s a steady ball handler who always has his eyes up and his wits about him. Scoring isn’t his primary objective, but he’s effective when he pulls the trigger. Thursday he hi 3-3 from long range, 4-6 from the line, and tallied 13 points. The 6-foot-1 point man was also credited with 10 boards and 7 assists.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="946262" first="Seth" last="Madron"], junior, McPherson:</p> <p>The Bullpups didn’t have the size to knock off Miege, but Madron battled nonetheless. The 6-foot-1 junior attacked the lane and hit 5-8 from the field. He accounted for 14 points and 5 boards.</p> <p><strong>Jayton Alexander</strong>, senior, McPherson:</p> <p>The 5-foot-9 guard wasn’t intimidated by the immense size of the Stags. He drove downhill and found opportunities in the lane. He converted 8-17 from the field and finished with 16 points and 5 rebounds in the losing effort.</p> <p><strong>Weston Guetterman</strong>, senior, Louisburg:</p> <p>The star quarterback of the football team is a play-making point guard. He was an efficient 8-14 from the field, including three 3-pointers, to record 21 points in the semifinal victory over Augusta. The senior is a steady hand and a dynamic athlete to lead the Wildcats</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="891902" first="Julian" last="Margrave"], junior, Louisburg (pictured):</p> <p>One of the top big men in the 2022 class, Margrave has a refined post game and can move out to the perimeter with a fundamentally-sound shot. He was too much for Augusta, hitting 9-15 from the field to finish 23. He pulled down 8 rebounds and was a disruption in the lane at both ends.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1080197" first="Kaden" last="McDaniel"], sophomore, Augusta:</p> <p>The long and versatile Oriole was a force throughout the playoffs. One of the top sophomores in the state, the 6-foot-5 forward turned in 19 points in the quarterfinal defeat of Rose Hill. He is a standout shooter from deep, but can do a lot of things, including hit the boards. He finished his season with 14 points and six rebounds in the semifinal loss to Louisburg.</p>