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<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Blaise-Porter1.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/04/Blaise-Porter1-300x200.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1426243" /></a></figure>
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<p><strong>Preseason Player of the Year: </strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='956871' first='Blaise' last='Porter'] (New London)</p>
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<p>The Tigers are the best team in the division yet again, and Porter is their best and most important player. A dynamic lead guard who can dominate games as a scorer or facilitator, he looks primed to have a massive senior year for a team looking to break through and make the state tournament.</p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>First Team</strong></p>
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<p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='956871' first='Blaise' last='Porter'] (New London): 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.7 steals, 55.7 FG%, 44.6 3P%</strong></p>
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<p>Porter is the leading returnee in the division in assists, dishing out nearly six helpers a game as a junior. The lead guard holds Division I offers from Bryant and IUPUI and has the combination of speed, handles, toughness, shooting, and court vision that makes him arguably the best player in 1A basketball.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Kade-Benjamin.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Kade-Benjamin-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1254941" /></a></figure>
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<p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='956872' first='Kade' last='Benjamin'] (New London): 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 2.5 steals, 2.1 blocks, 67.9 FG%</strong></p>
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<p>An ideal running mate next to Porter, Benjamin is a rim-running, lob-catching, 6-6 big man who finishes at an extremely high level around the bucket and is a dominant rim protector defensively. He has great hands and is a terror in transition alongside Porter. </p>
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<p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167734' first='Jackson' last='Manning'] (Van Buren County): 19.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals</strong></p>
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<p>Manning is a big-time scorer who accounted for nearly 42% of his team's scoring last season. He does a great job getting into the paint for finishes or getting to the free-throw line.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail"><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/Caiden-Gourley.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/06/Caiden-Gourley-150x150.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1474946" /></a></figure>
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<p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1288859' first='Caiden' last='Gourley'] (Danville): 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.5 steals</strong></p>
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<p>A long, skilled wing who uses his length effectively in the Bears' aggressive defense, Gourley plays downhill and gets to the bucket routinely for finishes. If he can become a more consistent jump shooter (and the form looks good), he could have a massive senior year. </p>
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<p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171665' first='Brady' last='Martin'] (West Burlington): 13.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.8 steals, 43.1 3P%</strong></p>
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<p>A 5-11 guard who has shown during the last two years that he can play both with and without the ball in his hands, Martin is a knockdown shooter off the dribble or the catch, and he has really improved as a playmaker over the last 12 months. He's a quick guard who sees the floor well and can change the game with his ability to shoot it. </p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Second Team</strong></p>
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<p>2024 Conner Gehling (Holy Trinity)</p>
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<p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476982' first='Hunter' last='Hughes'] (WACO)</p>
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<p>2023 Simeon Reichenbach (WACO)</p>
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<p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1587378' first='Colton' last='Leichty'] (WACO)</p>
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<p>2025 Brayden Wyrick (Central Lee)</p>
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<p></p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></p>
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<p>2023 Carsen Jones (Notre Dame)<br>2023 Jace Figuereo (West Burlington)<br>2024 Liam Delaney (Notre Dame)<br>2024 Reece Oswald (WACO)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381425' first='Mason' last='Watkins'] (West Burlington)<br>2025 Izaak Loeffler (Van Buren County)<br>2023 Mason Miller (WACO)<br>2023 Tayshun Donaldson (New London)</p>
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