Top Returners: Best Senior Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With school back in session, we can take a look around at what everyone returns. In this series, we'll look at best senior class, backcourt, front court, and one-two punch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting off, here's a look at a few schools that return stellar senior classes:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Andover: Wow. This senior class is rare. The Trojans return nearly everything from a 17-5 season, with some of the state's best 2023s like <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1080189' first='Eli' last='Shetlar'], [player_tooltip player_id='1080185' first='BJ' last='Redic']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1254402' first='Chris' last='Harris']</strong> all back. Shetlar and Harris are polished offensive threats who can shoot you out of the gym. Redic is a rugged athlete who can do some of everything, particularly rebound, lock down on defense and score in the midrange. Those three combined to average about 43 points per game last year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1300871' first='Brad' last='Harris'], [player_tooltip player_id='1080190' first='Brady' last='Strausz']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1408578' first='Devon' last='Neal-McFarthing']</strong> are athletic and skilled complements to the big three.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Highland Park – This group may not get the same recognition as the Andover senior class, but man this group is diverse and talented. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1300865' first='Ketraleus' last='Aldridge']</strong> is a human highlight-reel. A short list of ‘Most Athletic' in Kansas would have to include his name. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1378392' first='Jahmir' last='Kingcannon']</strong> is a lights-out shooter who is long and smooth and knows how to play a supportive role. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1454197' first='Tre' last='Richardson']</strong> isn't too busy tearing up the football field and track to make an impact on the court. He might just be the fastest basketball player in the state, and it translates to great defense and transition play. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1300861' first='Quentin' last='Adams']</strong> is smooth and smart with the ball and he plays hard at the point.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ellinwood – The Eagles have ridden the class of 2023 to a ton of wins the past three years, only to have their hearts broken come playoff time each year. Will this be the year they get over the hump? <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1080178' first='Britton' last='Dutton']</strong> (pictured) is the ringleader, with nearly 1,500 points in his three year career. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1378393' first='Parker' last='Scheck']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1378400' first='Koy' last='Behnke']</strong> are both long forwards who can pass, score in the midrange and rebound.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wichita Classical – Like Ellinwood, Wichita Classical returns three seniors who led the way as juniors. Guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1212167' first='Jordy' last='Dolloff']</strong> has gained the most accolades thus far, having received some all-state mentions during his stellar career. He's a leader who gets everyone the ball and creates havoc on defense. <strong>Brett Buckingham</strong> has averaged in double figures the past two seasons. He rebounds and hits consistently from deep from the guard spot. 6-foot-4 <strong>Carter Sinclair</strong> has averaged about 13 points and 6 boards the past two seasons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Miege – Seems like every Miege class could be rated a great class. 2023 is no exception. They lost a lot from the 4A championship team, but two integral pieces return in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1080169' first='Aiden' last='Wing']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1080201' first='Daegan' last='Jensen']</strong>, who combined for 20 points per game last season. <strong>Isaiah Coppage</strong> and <strong>Mac Armstrong </strong>are multisport studs who contributed last year as well. And don't forget about <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1300808' first='Patrick' last='Mccallop Jr']</strong>, a track star who sat out last basketball season due to injury. He was healthy and explosive on the court this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>SE of Saline – The tandem of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1080163' first='Eli' last='Sawyers']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1378391' first='Nakari' last='Morrical-Palmer']</strong> is one of the most versatile and skilled in the small-schools ranks. These guys are both tall, smart and unselfish players. They combined to dish out more than 7 assists a game. <strong>Luke Gebhardt</strong> plays the game with the kind of intensity. He's the kind of leader every good team needs and is an effective third-scoring option for the Trojans. <strong>Drake Augustine</strong> is an important leader from the guard spot as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->