AHSAA Final 4: Class 3A Standouts

The Class 3A Final Four saw two competitive semifinal games and a highly contested finals match-up. Plainview HS battled hard to capture the blue map, so we would like to congratulate Plainview HS on being the Class 3A State Champions.   Some exciting players displayed their talents during the Final Four, the biggest stage of the year; here are a few…   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Cole-Millican.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1404063 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Cole-Millican-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="966170" first="Cole" last="Millican"] (6’2/Combo Guard/2022)   School: Plainview HS Instagram: colem3 Twitter: N/A   Cole had a high-caliber performance during the Final Four. He was definitely the engine that paced Plainview en route to the championship. He shot the trey ball well in the semis but had an outstanding shooting performance from behind the arc in the championship game. He had all of the tools in his toolbox on display during the Final Four. <blockquote> He created off the bounce for teammates and himself, facilitated the offense, and put up solid numbers in the scoring column. </blockquote> He was extremely aggressive during both games and played with an attitude that his team would not be denied the championship. His stat line from both games was as follows:   Semifinal: 17pts (7-16; 44% from the field) (3-8; 38% from three); 7-rebounds   Final: 22pts (8-12; 67% from the field) (5-8; 63% from three)   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/PH-Jaborri-McGhee.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1382107 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/PH-Jaborri-McGhee-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="1378845" first="Jaborri" last="Mcghee"] (6’2/Combo Guard)   School: Winfield HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: @jastarr_   I have included Jaborri in several articles during the season. Our 11th ranked player in the 2022 class was simply a scoring juggernaut and was hands down the best scorer throughout the entire Final Four across all classes. <blockquote> He had his foot on the pedal from the time the ball was tossed in the air to the final horn. </blockquote> He plays with a ton of confidence, has a vast scoring arsenal, and is one of the most challenging covers in our state. His game gets him to the line, and he is one of the top free-throw shooters in the state as he went 14-14 in the semifinal game. Questions regarding if he signed too early loomed throughout Legacy Arena as he won the heart of media, spectators, and other coaches watching the performances he put on. His Final Four stats were as follows:   Semifinal: 36pts (10-27; 37% from the field) (2-6; 33% from three); 16 rebounds   Final: 38pts (15-26; 58% from the field) (1-8; 13% from three); 11-rebounds   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/PH-Luke-Smith.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1346221 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/PH-Luke-Smith-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="1385925" first="Luke" last="Smith"] (6’5/Small Forward/2023)   School: Plainview HS Instagram: olukesmith14 Twitter: @lukesmith_14   Luke is our #8-ranked player in the 2023 class and showed why his stock is on the rise. He was one of the most skilled wing players in the Final Four across all classifications. He is highly versatile on both ends of the court. <blockquote> Offensively, he showed his ability to score at all levels, off the bounce and off the low-block. </blockquote> Defensively, he can guard the two thru the five at the current level. At times in both the semifinal and final games, Luke made it look easy, as he was by far the best player on the court during the semifinal game and was the most well-rounded player in the finals. He is definitely a player to keep an eye on during the spring and summer, and we will keep you up to date on his recruitment. His stat line from the Final Four was as follows:   Semifinal: 20pts (8-16; 50% from the field) (2-5; 40% from three); 7-rebounds   Final: 18pts (6-11; 55% from the field)   Chris Thomas (5’10/Point Guard/2022)   School: Southside-Selma HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: N/A   Chris was one of the most electrifying guards in the Class 3A Final Four. He is lightning quick with the ball in his hands and was getting the ball out in transition, as he was terrific out in the open court. <blockquote> One thing that assisted in his production in the open court was his work on the defensive boards, as he rebounded the ball well from the guard spot. </blockquote> When he secured the rebound, he was starting the break and looking for scoring opportunities with teammates that were running the floor, or he was looking to attack the rim off the bounce. As you see from his stat line below, he struggled from the field, but he was definitely a critical piece that Southside-Selma looked to for production.   Semifinal: 10pts (3-17; 18% from the field) (2-7; 29% from three); 10-rebounds   Kadyn Mitchell (6’0/Point Guard/2025)   School: Houston Academy HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: N/A   Kadyn was a little shaky early, but I will put that on him being a freshman playing on the biggest stage he has probably played on thus far in his young career. Kadyn went into half-time with just two points. Before the start of the Final Four, I had an opportunity to speak to Head Coach Scott Whitaker, and he was extremely high on his freshman. <blockquote> He mentioned how much of a competitor Kadyn is and how he has a sky-high IQ. </blockquote> Kadyn showed a lot of promise in the semifinal game against Plainview. He has enormous potential, and when we update our 2025 rankings in the next couple of weeks, Kadyn will be on the list. He is a multi-dimensional lead guard with a bright future ahead of him. The six turnovers during the contest will be chalked up to the inexperience as a freshman on the big stage. His stat line from the semifinal game is as follows: Semifinal: 16pts (5-10; 50% from the field) (2-4; 50% from three); 6-rebounds; 5-steals   More news is coming from the AHSAA Final Four.