Top Underclassmen at the Current River Challenge

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Hoops Missouri takes a look at some of the top underclassmen that were in action on Saturday at the Current River Challenge, which was held at Van Buren High. The event was presented by Big 3 Athletics.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Elijah Van Wagner (Van Buren): The 6'1" 2025 guard scored a game-high 26 points for the host school in a victory over Clarkton on Saturday. He has a solid body and he used it well to attack the basket whenever possible. He was very good at getting into the seams of the zone defense off the dribble. He was also excellent in transition and he hit the Corner 3-pointer. He could also post up and use his strength to score inside against smaller defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2284688' first='Korbin' last='Kinder'] (Woodland): The 6'1" 2026 guard enjoyed an impressive performance on Saturday with a game-high 28 points in the victory over St. Pius. He is an excellent 3-point marksman with a smooth shooting stroke and quick release. He hit a couple of shots when the net didn't ripple. He also hit the mid-range jumper as well as a couple of runners in the lane. He also showed more than just shooting as he grabbed eight rebounds and handed out five assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2835499' first='Emmett' last='Jones'] (Doniphan): The 2025 guard got his season off to a good start as he scored 22 points in the Dons' victory over Viola (AR). He was putting constant pressure on the defense with his ability to drive and score in the lane. He was very effective with the two-foot jump stop, which enabled him to draw contact and score on balance. He was also posting up inside and getting buckets against smaller defenders.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2717822' first='Corey' last='Hagood'] (Doniphan): A 2026 point guard who has a very nice feel for the game. He plays at his own speed and has a smooth aura about him when he has the ball in his hands. He distributes the ball well as he exhibited good court vision. He could also create his own shot off the dribble as he knocked down a jumper of the spin move as well as another step-back jumper.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cooper Sturgeon (Greenville): A 2025 wing guard who scored 18 points in the Bears' victory over Bakersfield. He is very effective around the basket as he could use his body to create contact and he made good use of pump fakes inside. He could also grab a defensive rebound and take off on a coast to coast drive for a layup in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bryce Stahl (East Carter): A 6'2" 2026 guard who scored a game-high 18 points in a victory over Alton. He is an athletic wing player who plays with good bounce and a lot of activity. He attacks hard to score on tough takes in the lane as he could also hit the short jumper and floater in the lane. He is also a very good rebounder who will get out of his area to grab boards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Aiden Sullivan (Winona): A 6'2" 2026 small forward who scored 14 points against Bernie on Saturday. He's an active young player who has good footwork inside and a strong motor. He operates at the high post effectively and he can also work along the baseline with his ability to finish. He is also a good athlete who excels in transition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2717754' first='Will' last='Baugus'] (East Carter): A 6'5" 2026 player who has a wide body and he knows how to use it in the low post. He's hard to move when he establishes his position inside and he can finish very well on the drop step. I also watched him during the summer and was impressed with his moves in the post. He's a young big who definitely bears watching in the future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->