Most Outstanding Player Candidates from the 4A Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the season just a few weeks away, we are looking at the best players in the state in search of the next Most Outstanding Player from each class. Here are the leading candidates from 4A:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Frontrunners:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1436793' first='Kyden' last='Thompson'], 6-foot-2 guard, 2024, McPherson:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There aren't a lot of obvious candidates for this award in 4A, with Thompson the primary exception. He blew up last season leading the Bullpups to the brink of a championship, and we're guessing he will be even better as a senior. He doesn't necessarily rack up stats, in part due to all the talent around him. But his playmaking and versatility are top level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1461341' first='Logan' last='Sullivan'], 6-foot-3 guard, 2024, Eudora:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sullivan's path to this award will be tough. Defenses stacked to stop him last year, and it will only get worse this season as the Eudora roster turns over. But there's no question Sullivan's ability to create shots and score. He will be the unquestioned leader and an experienced playmaker who will try to lift everyone around him.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1953940' first='Xiomar' last='Hernandez'], 6-foot guard, 2024, Atchison:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Atchison will be really good. A lot of the Phoenix' main guys are balling out in football too. They are experienced and battle tested. So which guy is the top candidate for this award? We'll go with Hernandez, a fast and flashy athlete who can get shots on his own, create turnovers on defense and get to buckets in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Contenders:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1461339' first='Cory' last='Muehler'], 5-foot-11 guard, 2024, McPherson:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Two players from McPherson on this list? They are both this good. Thompson might be the more dynamic and explosive player, but Muehler is really good in his own right. He can handle the ball, shoot it, make plays in every way, and provide veteran leadership.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1270098' first='Kaiden' last='Abasolo'], 6-foot guard, 2024, Mulvane:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Somewhat similar to Sullivan, Abasolo is an elite scorer. He hasn't gotten a ton of recognition because Mulvane hasn't been great the past couple of years. But the team returns some talent and Abasolo will be the leader of the pack. He's capable of racking up some serious stats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Surprise Candidates:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1962891' first='Carter' last='Burnett'], 6-foot-4 forward, 2025, Wellington:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Graduation could cause Burnett to play a much bigger role as a junior. He's a big, tough athlete who has the skills to produce in a lot of ways. If you're looking for a guy to grow his game significantly this season, it might be Burnett.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1962886' first='Cole' last='Pladson'], 5-foot-10 guard, 2025, Clay Center:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pladson led Clay Center to state as a sophomore and could be even better this year. He's a tough physical guard who can light it up from deep. The only thing that might limit him is his time spent playing football and his dedication to baseball, the sport he plans to play in college.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->