Freshmen from Small Schools Earn Post-Season Honors
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In the all-league teams compiled across the state, there were 30 freshmen who earned some form of post-season honors. As is to be expected, the majority of those players were from small schools. We want to celebrate all those freshmen…
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Continue ReadingIn the all-league teams compiled across the state, there were 30 freshmen who earned some form of post-season honors.
As is to be expected, the majority of those players were from small schools. We want to celebrate all those freshmen who stood out on the varsity level, and to shine a light on a few who really excelled, so we broke our look at freshmen into big schools and small schools.
Here are the freshmen from 1A-3A schools who earned all-league honors:
Luke Henderson Luke Henderson 5'10" | PG The Independent School | 2027 KS , 5-foot-10 guard, 2027, Independent School Wichita – Central Plains League second team:
One of the ninth graders who leaped out at us in fall club action was Henderson. He’s a physically strong point who uses the pick and roll effectively, finding ways into the paint where he makes creative passes. Henderson walked into a ton of playing time due to graduations at Wichita Independent, and he made the most of the opportunity.
Brecken McGuire, 5-foot-10 guard, 2027, Olpe – Lyon County League first team (in alphabetical order):
Arguably the most impactful freshman in the state this year, McGuire stepped into a great situation at Olpe. The team had veteran studs and a winning culture, but they needed a playmaking guard. McGuire fit the bill, handling the ball, running the offense like an upperclassman and knocking down big shots. No moment seemed too big for him. After averaging nearly 18 points per game in the regular season, he racked up 16 points per game in the tournament. He dealt out 3 assists and recorded 3 steals per game as a freshman.
Jameson Miles, 6-foot-1 forward, 2027, Peabody – Wheat State League honorable mention:
For some reason, a lot of the freshmen who stand out early at small schools are guards. Miles is a powerful forward who showed he could mix it up in the paint against older guys. He averaged 12 points and 9 rebounds, the closest any freshman came to a double-double this year. Peabody was super young this year, so they may be building something.
Colton Musil, 5-foot-7 guard, 2027, Deerfield – Santa Fe Trail League first team:
Deerfield was competitive while relying heavily on three freshman guards. Musil averaged 15 points. He was dangerous from deep and broke out with several 20-plus point games. His season was highlighted with a seven three-pointer game in which he finished with 29 points against Moscow.
Jaylen Phillips-Grey Jaylen Phillips-Grey 6'4" The Independent | 2027 KS , 6-foot-4 center, 2027, Wichita Independent – Central Plains League second team:
Independent looks to have a dominant big man in the small school ranks in Phillips-Grey. He’s tall and massive, yet moves with light feet and plays with finesse. He was good for 12 points and 6 boards, but that may just be scratching the surface for this guy.
Other Small School Freshmen to Earn League Honors (in alphabetical order):
Aiden Aschenbrenner, Ellis – Mid-Continent League third team
Kamden Barnett, Fredonia – Tri-Valley League honorable mention
Cristian Botello, Deerfield – Santa Fe Trail League first team
Brody Crites, Central Plains – Central Prairie League third team
Tyler Garrison, Rolla – Santa Fe Trail League second team
Charlie Keller Charlie Keller 6'1" Syracuse High School | 2027 KS , Syracuse – Hi-Plains League second team
Michael Lira, Deerfield – Santa Fe Trail League second team
Braxon Mangan Braxon Mangan 5'6" | SG Greeley County | 2027 KS , Greeley County – Northwest Kansas League honorable mention
Dreyden Marlow, Uniontown – Three Rivers League second team
Calvin Mattison, Solomon – Wheat State League honorable mention
Felipe Ruelas, Rolla – Santa Fe Trail League honorable mention
Tyler Warner Tyler Warner 6'3" | C Southeast | 2027 KS , Southeast-Cherokee – Three Rivers League second team
Coy Wilkinson, Hartford – Lyon County League second team