Top Teams, Top Players: 6A

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking at the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association's rankings prior to the holiday break, you find balanced teams with special leaders guiding the way. Here's a look at some of the top players from the top teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1 Olathe West – [player_tooltip player_id='1080206' first='Harrison' last='Kisling'], 6-foot-2 guard, 2023 (pictured):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Owls finished 2022 atop the 6A rankings. They started the campaign with three wins over good teams at the Hays Invitational. They closed out the year by holding off Mill Valley to remain undefeated. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1080206' first='Harrison' last='Kisling'] picked up right where he left off at the state tournament when he torched opponents for 49 points. The 6-foot-2 guard earned Most Outstanding Player of the Hays Tourney. He's a lights-out shooter who can take over a game when allowed to get hot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#2 Blue Valley North – <strong>Blake Garrett</strong>, 6-foot-5 forward, 2023:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Mustangs are ranked second due in large part to good balance and depth. They won the Shawnee Mission East Tournament and entered the break with some impressive wins over Missouri schools. Garrett earned MVP of the season opening tournament. The big man is giving the Mustangs a rim protector to lock down their defense. Garrett is averaging 14 points, 8 rebounds and shooting 57% from field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#3 Wichita Heights – [player_tooltip player_id='1270090' first='TJ' last='Williams'], 6-foot-5 forward, 2024:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Falcons got a huge boost when Williams returned from Sunrise Academy for his junior season. Though they are currently ranked third, they figure to be right in the hunt to the very end. Williams doesn't always score a ton, but he affects the game in monstrous ways – handling the ball as a big guard, passing and setting up his teammates. He started this season with 18 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4 Lawrence – [player_tooltip player_id='1378439' first='Zaxton' last='King'], 6-foot-2 guard, 2024:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lions are back in the mix in 6A after somewhat of a rebuilding season last year. King leaped to the front of Kansas' 2024 class with a big sophomore year and is the team leader as a junior. He's a lanky scorer who can handle it, create his own opportunities and shoot it from anywhere. He exploded for 32 points and 11 boards against Olathe South.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#6 Derby – [player_tooltip player_id='1300833' first='Dallas' last='Metzger'], 6-foot-3 forward, 2024:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1454148' first='Kaeson' last='Fisher-Brown'] has gotten off to such a great start (21 points per game) that he's overshadowed some of the work done by teammates. But Metzger deserves a ton of credit for his play, particularly from behind the arc. The big-bodied wing is averaging 17 points, hitting nearly four three-pointers per game. He's a forward who floats around the perimeter and into the paint, posing a versatile threat that's hard to defend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->