Efficiency Experts of the 2020 Season

This past September I took a look at the top returning, most efficient, assist <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2019/09/10-efficient-returning-assist-leaders/">leaders</a> heading into the 2020 season.   With the season behind us let us take a look at who the most efficient assists leaders actually turned out to be.  We will also learn which players continued to be among the best in the state.  Do note that all statistics studied were mined from the Kansas Girls Basketball statistics section of <a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/list/stat_leaders.aspx?gendersport=girls,basketball&amp;state=ks">MaxPreps</a>. In September's report all but three of the top ten were 2020s.  Then Highland Park point guard [player_tooltip player_id="121714" first="Ariyana" last="Grassity"] rang up an astonishing 136 assists in 20 games and lead the state with a 2.96 assists-to-turnovers ratio.  None of the other top ten registered more than 100. This update includes returners Grassity, Cheney's [player_tooltip player_id="123530" first="Lexi" last="Cline"], Rural Vista's Hannah Riedy, and Topeka's [player_tooltip player_id="48269" first="Talayah" last="Thomas"].  Several others from the previous list did not make this one for reasons ranging from not playing enough games, their assists per game ration was too low, or - through no fault of their own - not enough games were reported to reach the 20 game minimum. Players were selected using the same criteria as before save for one change. The assist-to-turnover ratio has been bumped up to 1.6 from 1.4 for simple brevity. Cheney 2021 point guard [player_tooltip player_id="123530" first="Lexi" last="Cline"] waits for the ball to be inbounded. Photo by Robert Kelly. <ol> <li> Played in 20 or more games;</li> <li> Dished out 50 or more assists;</li> <li> Averaged 2.5 assists per game; and</li> <li> Had a assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.6 or greater.</li> </ol> Many players had greater than a 1.6 ratio but averaged under 2.5 assists per game or did not reach the 50 assists per season plateau.  Players are listed by class, then by assists-to-turnover ratio. &nbsp; <table style="width: 75.8947%;" width="714"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;" width="131">Name</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;" width="64">Hgt</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;" width="64">Pos</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%; text-align: center;" width="131">School</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%;" width="64">Games</td> <td style="width: 10.409%;" width="64">Assists</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;" width="64">APG</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%;" width="68">TOs</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;" width="64">A/TO</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;"><strong>2020</strong></td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;"></td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;"></td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;"></td> <td style="width: 8.78605%;"></td> <td style="width: 10.409%;"></td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;"></td> <td style="width: 9.46805%;"></td> <td style="width: 23.024%;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="121714" first="Ariyana" last="Grassity"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'4"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Topeka</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">84</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">3.7</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">24</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="90170" first="Tianna" last="Lohse"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'8"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Hanover</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">20</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">53</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">2.7</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">25</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">2.12</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">Ashley Cookson</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'7"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">SG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">West Elk</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">59</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">2.6</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">31</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">1.9</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">Hannah Riedy</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'8"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Rural Vista</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">60</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">2.6</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">34</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">1.77</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">Christy Wiebe</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'10"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">G</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">South Gray</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">70</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">3</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">41</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">1.71</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="121759" first="Jenna" last="Pfau"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'11"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">F</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Oskaloosa</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">21</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">100</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">4.8</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">59</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">1.69</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;"><strong>2021</strong></td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;"></td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;"></td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;"></td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;"></td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 23.024%;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="123510" first="Jaden" last="Newfarmer"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'9"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">G/F</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Andover Central</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">143</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">6.2</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">36</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">3.97</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="123498" first="Ja'Neysha" last="Hendricks"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'3"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Topeka</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">72</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">3.1</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">30</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">2.31</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="123530" first="Lexi" last="Cline"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'4"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Cheney</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">24</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">98</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">4.1</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">43</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">2.28</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="123502" first="Bailey" last="Wilborn"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'8"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">CG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Andover Central</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">63</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">2.7</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">33</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">1.91</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="123508" first="Alissa" last="Heskamp"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'5"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Spearville</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">24</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">74</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">3.1</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">45</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">1.64</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;"><strong>2022</strong></td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;"></td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;"></td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;"></td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;"></td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 23.024%;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">[player_tooltip player_id="48269" first="Talayah" last="Thomas"]</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'6"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">G</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Topeka</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">59</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">2.6</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">24</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">2.46</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">Kassie Smith</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'6"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">PG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Golden Plains</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">99</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">4.3</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">49</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">2.02</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;"><strong>2023</strong></td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;"></td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;"></td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;"></td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;"></td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;"></td> <td style="width: 23.024%;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 23.4557%;">Kiki Smith</td> <td style="width: 7.12988%;">5'7"</td> <td style="width: 7.03823%;">CG</td> <td style="width: 17.3808%;">Topeka</td> <td style="width: 8.78605%; text-align: center;">23</td> <td style="width: 10.409%; text-align: center;">72</td> <td style="width: 6.84699%;">3.1</td> <td style="width: 9.46805%; text-align: center;">26</td> <td style="width: 23.024%;">2.77</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> &nbsp; A couple of interesting things to note.  The undefeated, #1 ranked, 6A Topeka Trojans landed for four players on this list including two that appeared in September.  [player_tooltip player_id="121714" first="Ariyana" last="Grassity"], who transferred from Highland Park, and teammate [player_tooltip player_id="48269" first="Talayah" last="Thomas"] repeated.  Also repeating is Cheney's [player_tooltip player_id="123530" first="Lexi" last="Cline"] and Rural Vista's Hannah Riedy.  Thomas and Cline have legitimate shots of earning the hat trick come this time next year.  The one loss, 5A Andover Central Jaguars also landed two on the list, juniors [player_tooltip player_id="123510" first="Jaden" last="Newfarmer"] and [player_tooltip player_id="123502" first="Bailey" last="Wilborn"].  While Grassity improved her efficiency from an already high 2.97 to 3.5 assists to turnovers this season, Newfarmer recorded seven more assists than Grassity did a year ago and nearly reached a four to one ratio. Probably the biggest pleasant surprise on the list is the appearance of West Elk senior Ashley Cookson.  With teammates Megan McClendon, a University of Central Oklahoma commit, and junior [player_tooltip player_id="47086" first="Madelyne" last="Koop"] garnering a great deal of attention, the unranked Cookson ended her senior season by earning recognition as being among the most efficient players with the ball. <em>Featured Image: Four Topeka Trojans made the PGH Kansas 2020 Efficiency Expert List. Left to Right, [player_tooltip player_id="123498" first="Ja'Neysha" last="Hendricks"] (25), Kiki Smith (23), [player_tooltip player_id="48269" first="Talayah" last="Thomas"] (15), and [player_tooltip player_id="121714" first="Ariyana" last="Grassity"] (1). Courtesy of Topeka High School.</em>