Final Four Recap: Top Unsung Standouts

<p>Prep Hoops Missouri spent the weekend in Springfield to watch the second weekend of the MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown at Missouri State University. Today, we will feature a group of unsung players who may not garner headlines, but were very valuable to the success of their teams that advanced to the Final Four and/or won state championships.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1269936" first="CJ" last="Lang"] (Webster Groves): The 6’1" 2023 point guard was instrumental in the Statesmen’s drive to the Class 5 state championship with his defensive tenacity and playmaking ability. He can hawk the ball with his quick hands and play the passing lanes while applying on-ball defense. He is also quick on the dribble and will keep the ball moving. He had a tremendous all-around performance in the state championship game against Helias with 10 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1186889" first="Justus" last="Johnson"] (CBC): The 6'1" 2022 guard is one of the most impressive defensive players in the state and that was on display throughout the weekend as the Cadets won the state title. He applies relentless ball pressure and will pick up the ball handler in the backcourt and hound him the full 94 feet. He had three steals in both the state semifinal and championship games.</p> <p>Dierre Hill (Vashon): The 6’0" 2025 point guard was an All-State running back in football during the fall and he brought that toughness and tenacity to the basketball court as he helped the Wolverines repeat as Class 4 state champions. He is a tremendous on-ball defender who moves his feet well and keeps the pressure on at all times. In the championship game against Father Tolton, he had seven points, three rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1164776" first="Jordyn" last="Turner"] (Nixa): The 6’4" 2022 guard was tremendous in the Eagles’ loss to CBC in the Class 6 state championship game. With the Cadets concentrating their defensive efforts on teammates [player_tooltip player_id="1182211" first="Colin" last="Ruffin"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1070087" first="Kael" last="Combs"], Turner broke loose to score 20 points in what was an impressive shooting display. He was seven of eight from the field, which included six of seven from 3-point range. He was knocking them down from well beyond the 3-point line with a lot of confidence. on the big stage.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1070096" first="Evens" last="Appolon"] (Father Tolton): The 6’9" 2023 power forward has a solid presence at both ends for the Trailblazers. He finished with power in the paint and he was an active shot blocker who moved well inside. He had seven points, three rebounds and three blocked shots in the championship game against Vashon.</p> <p>Kenyon King (New Madrid Central): The thick-bodied 5’11" 2022 guard has been a solid contributor for the Eagles throughout the season. He was always good to hit a timely 3-pointer when his team needs it. In the third-place game, he scored 13 points in a victory over Pembroke Hill. He did a nice job of scoring in transition and being in the right spot to contribute some buckets off of his movement.</p> <p>Jalen Purvey (Webster Groves): The 6'1" 2023 guard came off the bench to have his best game of the season in the Class 5 state championship game victory over Helias. He played strong defense while contributing 12 points on five of six shooting from the field. He hit a big Corner 3-pointer in the first half. He also contributed three rebounds and three assists.</p> <p>Henry Neunsenwander (Helias): The 6'0" 2023 guard was the unsung hero in the Crusaders' 53-50 victory over Springfield Catholic in Friday night's semifinals. He entered the game averaging 4.2 points a game, but he scored nine big points which came on a trio of 3-pointers. The biggest trey came with 1:18 left in the game which gave Helias a 49-48 lead. It turned out to be the game-winner as the Crusaders would not trail again.</p> <p>Kendall Huston (CBC): The 6'2" 2022 forward is another standout on the Cadets state championship football team and that toughness and effort was on display on the basketball court. He was a tough defender and he was a tireless worker on the offensive boards and getting to loose balls. He had six points and six rebounds in the victory over Nixa in the Class 6 state championship game.</p>