CLASS 4A: Players to Watch
The Kansas 4A state championships were short lived in Kansas as the Kansas High School Activities Association announced on Thursday the remaining state tournament games will not be played following a single quarterfinal round of play. Here, Prep Girls Hoops…
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Continue ReadingThe Kansas 4A state championships were short lived in Kansas as the Kansas High School Activities Association announced on Thursday the remaining state tournament games will not be played following a single quarterfinal round of play.
Here, Prep Girls Hoops takes a look at several players who stood out at the event, with a look here at several senior guards.
To recap the quarterfinal scores, Nickerson beats Buhler, 63-36; KC Piper 63 got past Baldwin 48; Clay Center Community defeated Eudora, 47-42; and Bishop Miege defeated Chapman 60-45.
Ashlyn Bledsoe, 5’11, F, 2020, Chapman
Bledsoe is a nice senior forward who brings height, length and a good rebounding presence to the floor for Chapman. Bledsoe can also score from 3-point range. A nice player who does a bit of everything and was a vital piece for Chapman. Bledsoe also added to the scoring with 13 points and also secured five rebounds.
McKenna Kirkpatrick, 5’10, G/F, 2020, Chapman
A nice two-way player for Chapman who runs the floor and looks strong on the low and high post. She is a smart player and looks to contest shots and secure rebounds. Kirkpatrick is also an impressive shot blocker who doesn’t step away from a challenge. That said, Kirkpatrick is a smart offensive player who can connect from 3-point range, the free throw line and inside. She led her team in scoring with 17 points and had five rebounds.
Harper Schreiner Harper Schreiner 5'7" | PG Eudora | 2022 State KS , G, 2022, Eudora
A nice young player for Eudora who has a good upside, good control and the ability to make something out of very little. Schreiner is an athlete who swarms the basket and has the handles to push the tempo after a steal or rebound also looks to attack the basket and score from 3-point range. She scored eight points and also grabbed eight rebounds in the loss to Clay Center. An important piece moving forward for Eudora.
Ashton Verhulst Ashton Verhulst 6'2" | SG Bishop Meige | 2020 State KS , 6’2, G/F, 2020, Bishop Miege
The UCF signee has a terrific size, solid speed and the creativity to score and make plays on both ends of the floor. Verhulst can make plays with her dribble and looks to attack the basket and score from distance. She’s great at adapting to given circumstances and can see time inside and outside as both a defender and scorer. Verhulst scored 14 points and had four rebounds against Chapman.
Payton Verhulst Payton Verhulst 6'1" | CG Bishop Miege | 2021 State #7 Nation KS , 6’1, F, 2021, Bishop Miege
The all-around playmaker brings an elite combination of size, skill and athleticism to the floor. Verhulst can dominate on both ends of the floor given her shooting accuracy, ability to create with the ball and on the block. She’s a terrific defender as well and her length is a problem for opponents looking to make plays inside or the mid-range area. Verhulst had a solid showing against Chapman. She didn’t look to light things up offensively but was solid overall on both ends of the floor.