KCI Tournament Standouts

Prep Hoops Missouri took a look at the semifinals of the KCI Conference Tournament on Thursday night at East Buchanan. In the first semifinals, No. 1 seed East Buchanan posted a dominant victory over West Platte. In the second game, Mid Buchanan held off a late rally from North Platte to advance to the championship game against East Buchanan. Here is a look at some of the standouts from those two semifinals games.    The 6'3" 2025 guard was the most versatile player that I watched during the evening. He is a strong motor and a high basketball IQ to match. The southpaw standout is an excellent offensive player who can score at three levels, but he also makes his teammates better with his passing. His court vision enables him to drop some impressive dimes at all angles. He can slash to the bucket and also pull up and knock down 3-pointers. He rebounds the ball and can go coast to coast on the drive. He also uses his length to be disruptive on the defensive end.     A 6'2" 2026 guard who is one of the most impressive shooters in the Northwest part of the state. After he missed first couple of shots, he went on a eight point run that featured a pair of long 3-pointers and a nice drive for a bucket. His range extends well beyond the 3-point line and he can hit shots off the catch or off his own dribble creation.     A 6'2" 2027 guard who looks to be one of the better young small-school talents in the region. He has a long and lanky build and he's very skilled as a ball handler, passer and scorer. He made one of the best plays of the night when he was leading the break and he threw a 40-foot cross court pass with his opposite hand to a running teammate for a layup. He is also smooth on the drive as he can find the seams in the defense and attack into the lane. This youngster has a bright future.     A 5'10" 2027 point guard who plays with a lot of confidence on the offensive end. He is very good at breaking down defenders off the bounce as he uses his quickness to get into the lane. He compliments his dribble penetration with his ability to hit 3-pointers while on the move. He also has some quick hands on defense, which he used to strip players while coming over from the weak side. it was my first look at this young point guard and I was impressed with his court savvy.     A 5'9" 2025 point guard who is solidly built with good handles and an excellent shooting stroke from 3-point range. He was on fire from long distance early in the victory over West Platte. He knocked down a trio of 3-pointers in the first five minutes to get his team off and running to an easy victory. He also did a good job of handling the offense and distributing the basketball.     A 6'5" 2026 forward who gives East Buch some size and athleticism at both ends of the court. He made an immediate impact on the defensive end when he blocked three shots in the fourth quarter. He also did a good job of snatching offensive rebounds and keeping the ball high to get the putback. He also showed the ability to wheel and deal on the drive from the high post area to score in the paint. He also runs the court very well in transition.     A 6'1" 2027 guard who has a solid build and good athleticism. He was muscling his way inside to score. He was very patient before making his moves. He also had the ability to score with either hand. It was to the point that I had trouble figuring out if he was left or right handed. He was scoring on runners and short jumpers in the lane with either hand. His body control in the lane was also very good.     A 2025 point guard who did a good job of changing speeds and keeping defenders off balance. He distributes the basketball well and he was capable of creating a shot off the dribble when he needed to. He also had one impressive play in the first half when he made a nice spin move along the baseline and hit a 15 foot fadeaway jumper.

Prep Hoops Missouri took a look at the semifinals of the KCI Conference Tournament on Thursday night at East Buchanan. In the first semifinals, No. 1 seed East Buchanan posted a dominant victory over West Platte. In the second game, Mid Buchanan held off a late rally from North Platte to advance to the championship game against East Buchanan. Here is a look at some of the standouts from those two semifinals games.