NE KS 4A-6A Playoff Standouts

<p>Playoff basketball is underway. Here are a few standout performances from the early results from the bigger school ranks:</p> <p>Xavier Hernandez, senior, Atchison:</p> <p>The high scoring guard closed out his career with 19 points in a 58-51 loss to Holton. The 6-foot-2 senior had quite a season, putting up 20-plus points on a number of occasions.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="889486" first="Jack" last="Hutchinson"], senior, Washburn Rural:</p> <p>The Junior Blues perimeter threat hit 7-9 attempts from the field to finish with 17 in romp over Manhattan. Hutchinson has tons of playoff experience and will be a key to Washburn Rural’s run this year.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="730642" first="Tanner" last="Hecht"], senior, Wamego:</p> <p>Hecht has such great touch on the basketball, he’s not a guy you ever want to send to the line. Hayden sent him there 13 times, and he hit 10 in the 64-55 win. Hecht finished with 20.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1140375" first="Jake" last="fritz"], junior, Wamego (pictured):</p> <p>Fritz has really found the range in the second half of the season. The Red Raiders needed to find some support for Hecht on the offensive end, and Fritz is rising to the occasion. He poured in five 3-pointers and registered 25 points against Hayden. Fritz is a lights-out shooter, who could really impact the playoffs as a complement to Hecht.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1080188" first="Joe" last="Otting"], sophomore, Hayden:</p> <p>As Hayden’s senior guards struggled to stay on the floor, the Wildcats had to look increasingly to younger players. Otting is unquestionably a big man they can build around. In Tuesday’s loss, he showed he has an inside/outside game. He is a force in the post, without a doubt. But Tuesday he also hit two 3-pointers en route to 23 points. Otting will be one of the top big men in 4A next season.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1073376" first="Jalen" last="Smith"], senior, Topeka High:</p> <p>The game was actually a play-in game against Junction City over the weekend, but Smith’s final performance should not go without mention. With his team trailing in the fourth period, Smith refused to see his career come to an end with anything left in the tank. The physical and athletic 6-foot-2 guard went off! He scored an amazing 20 points in the fourth quarter to try to prolong the season. The Trojans lost, but Smith’s effort was memorable.</p>