Kansas Preview: Top Returning Scorers In Class IA DI

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are less than a week from the first girls' basketball games in the Kansas High School season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The majority of teams begin their season on Friday, December 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Class IA Division I has a significant number of players returning who scored in the double-digits as juniors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at some of the top returning scorers at Class IA DI schools in the Class of 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='192785' first='Alaina' last='Eck']</strong>, 5'4”, PG, Little River, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Eck is a guard who can score in transition or from deep. As a junior, she averaged 17.9 points per game for the Redskins in 21 games. She also is solid in the other major categories averaging 3.3 steals, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='606247' first='Morgan' last='Ruff']</strong>, 5'8”, G/F, Hodgeman County, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At five-foot-eight Ruff can play multiple positions and score from all over the floor. The Longhorn points leader scored 17.5 points per game in 22 games played. Her stat sheet was chocked full of stats with 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 steals, and 2.6 assists per contest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='265130' first='Mayce' last='Russell']</strong>, 5'6” CG, Macksville, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Russell is a two-sport prospect in basketball and volleyball. She scored 16.4 points per game as a junior. She is also a shutdown defender with 5.5 steals per game in 2022-2023. Russell has also averaged more than four rebounds in three seasons of varsity action and is a double-threat volleyball player racking up kills and digs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='396068' first='Vi' last='Helm']</strong>, 5'9”, SF, South Gray, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Helm is a solid scorer in the paint. She can play power or small forward for the Rebels. During her junior season, she averaged 15.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='300817' first='Aubrey' last='Olander']</strong>, 6'2”, C, &nbsp;Little River, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arguably the best post player in a Kansas small school is Little River's Olander. She can score in the paint, but also is an effective jump shooter. She averaged 14.5 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per contest as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='453779' first='Gracie' last='Riner']</strong>, 5'6”, G/F, Osborne, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Osborne Bulldogs have a versatile scorer in Riner. She can play both guard positions and as a small forward. She averaged 13.7 points per game as a junior in 22 games played. Riner can also dish the ball as she finished with four assists per game last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='192784' first='Shea' last='Wurtz']</strong>, 5'9”, SF, Clifton-Clyde, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wurtz has a big wing span and has scored in double-digits at the varsity level for three years in a row. She scored 13.6 points per game in 23 games played as a junior. That is actually less than she scored as a freshman. Wurtz also impacts the game on the boards as she has averaged 7-plus rebounds per season in all three years in high school. She heads into the 2023-2024 season just 77 points short of the 1,000-career point threshold.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1047977' first='Lauren' last='Brummet']</strong>, 5'11”, F, Lakeside, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brummet might be one of the best two-sport prospects in Kansas that no one knows about. She is a beast on the volleyball court and a top-tier basketball prospect in North Central Kansas. She averaged a double-double during her junior season with 12.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. Coaches at NAIA and JUCO programs need to recruit this young lady in both sports.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Angie Linder</strong>, 5'10”, F, Rural Vista, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Heat's Linder posted solid numbers during her junior campaign. She averaged 11.9 points per game and eight rebounds per game in 22 games played.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='649350' first='Maiya' last='Shelor']</strong>, 5'2”, CG, Minneola, ‘24</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shelor rounds out this group as a combo guard who scored 10.6 points per game during her junior season. The Wildcat guard, though only 5-foot-2, is not afraid to mix it up with the tall timber as she averaged 4.2 rebounds per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->