6A Rising Stars

<p>From the <em>Topeka Capital-Journal</em> All-State team, 11 of the 15 players listed on the first, second and third teams all graduated. There is a vacuum at the top that will have to be filled.</p> <p>Who will be the 6A all-staters next year? Well, the best place to look is at the list of honorable mention picks. Listed for that honor were (in alphabetical order):</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1131273" first="Kernan" last="Bundy"], 6-foot-3 guard, Blue Valley North:</p> <p>A key component of the 6A champs, Bundy was enormous in the state tournament. He scored 12 points in the semifinal against Lawrence, and 12 more in the championship over Campus. He asserted himself at the defensive end as well. Now the top returner for his school, Bundy will have a chance to show off his athleticism, his ability to handle the ball and shoot it from anywhere, and his creativity.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="891917" first="Zaid" last="Dajani"], 6-foot-3 guard, Olathe Northwest:</p> <p>One of the biggest risers in the Prep Hoops rankings, Dajani was a stat-sheet stuffer last year. He averaged 18 points per game, and continues to improve on the summer circuit. He is an athletic finisher with the ball who shoots a high percentage from deep. Dajani is long, lean and agile, with hands to thwart passes and shots.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="891903" first="Cooper" last="Jackson"], 6-foot guard, Free State:</p> <p>Jackson will be an experienced and capable point guard at Free State. He will be part of a tremendous trio with all-stater [player_tooltip player_id="891899" first="Mozae" last="Downing-Rivers"] and all-state transfer [player_tooltip player_id="952433" first="Jordan" last="Brown"]. That unfair collection of talent will feature Jackson’s ability to distribute the ball. Jackson excels at the defensive end, with a high motor and nose for the ball.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076405" first="Howard" last="Johnson"], 6-foot-1 guard, Junction City:</p> <p>Johnson is a dynamic ball handler and creator of shots. He can push the ball in transition, or break down a defender to get open. Once he’s in range, he has a nice pull-up jumper and an even better floater. He has the athleticism to get clear to the rim, or to shoot accurately on the move. When healthy last season, he ripped opponents for 20-plus multiple times. The Blue Jays graduate some veteran talent and will look the experienced Johnson for leadership.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1139919" first="Pearse" last="Long"], 6-foot-5 forward, Lawrence:</p> <p>Perhaps no player is better positioned to jump in recognition than Long. With the graduation of all-state guard [player_tooltip player_id="599752" first="Zeke" last="Mayo"], the Lions will be looking for leadership and production. Long showed last year that he can score in a variety of ways, and when needed he had some big nights, like the 23 he posted against Mill Valley. He can be explosive from deep, and has the athleticism to make plays in the paint, and at the defensive end.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="891900" first="Fontaine" last="Williams"], 6-foot-2 guard, Derby (pictured):</p> <p>A ball-handling wiz with an elite crossover and first step, Williams blows by defenders routinely to wreck defenses. He has flash to his game, but there is substance too. He can hit from deep, rebound and get the ball to teammates. The guard-rich Derby team may use Williams on the wing more, or even in the paint. He averaged 16.4 points as a junior.</p>