My Class 6A All-First Round State Tournament Team
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Eight teams converged at Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University on Wednesday to battle for spots in the Class 6A state tournament semi-finals. Many players had stand-out performances so to shine some light on them I present…
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Continue ReadingEight teams converged at Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University on Wednesday to battle for spots in the Class 6A state tournament semi-finals. Many players had stand-out performances so to shine some light on them I present my 6A All-Day First Round State Tournament Team.
Jaliya Davis Jaliya Davis 6'2" | C Blue Valley North | 2025 State KS , C, Blue Valley Northwest, 2025 – Despite never really getting into a groove offensively the Mustangs do not beat Olathe South without her. She had a lot of difficulty scoring inside either because she would get swatted by OS’s Eve Long Eve Long 6'3" | PF Olathe South | 2027 State KS or caught too far under the basket. She made the best of her 5 offensive rebounds (9 boards overall) and the too-late passes she would catch that would result in her being there. She drew 7 fouls and sank several important free throws (7/11) late to lead the Mustangs to victory. Davis, one of two players repeating on the list, also collected 4 assists and 3 steals.
Maxine Doering Maxine Doering 5'8" | SG Manhattan | 2024 State KS , 5’10”, SF/PG, Manhattan, 2024 – The Indians came on fire against Shawnee Mission South knocking down shots from three-point land, Doering included. But where she was especially impactful was playing in the middle of the Indians’ 2-3 active 2-3 zone. When SMS started finding some footing in their half-court offense she was moved inside and anchor things she did. Her 4 steals reflected her success.
SaMiyah Ellis SaMiyah Ellis 5'8" | PG Wichita Heights | 2025 State KS , 5’9″, PG, Wichita Heights, 2025 – Ellis had a consistently strong game from the opening haymaker quarter Heights through at Washburn Rural through a frantic fourth quarter where the Falcons applied maximum full court pressure that the Junior Blues were forced to make play after play against. Ellis led all Heights scorers with 15 points including a pair of three balls and going 5/8 from the line. She consistently showed leadership and poise to go with quickness and speed. On a deep Falcons squad she was one of three players who played nearly the entire game.
Hayden Halliday Hayden Halliday 5'5" | PG Olathe South | 2027 State KS , 5’5″, PG, Olathe South, 2027 – Yes Halliday had 5 turnovers. But Blue Valley North did not get the memo that you cannot steal the ball from her. Traps, back court double teams, running an extra defender at her in the half court – it is Borg like futile. It is not that she will beat the efforts but it is how she does it. She finds the open teammate (3 assists) or just takes you to the hole herself. Or shoots the quick three (3/6). She has great handles but she is just too smart, too savy, too whatever. Defensively, how about a pair of steals and second half blocked shots.
Kate Hinck Kate Hinck 5'4" | PG Washburn Rural | 2025 State KS , 5’4″, PG, Washburn Rural, 2025 – On a floor filled with fast, talented and quick guards on both teams Hinck was the Lightning McQueen of the bunch. Hi motor, corner turning, sprinting and getting every loose ball kind of play from her was relentless. She was at her best in a fourth quarter where Wichita Heights ratcheted up full court pressure to regain the lead. Hinck could not be stopped in the open court and it was practically fatal for a Heights guard to make a positional mistake in the half court. She got to the rim in lightning fashion and found open teammates in positions to do something with the ball. She finished with only 6 points, 3 steals and 1 assist but had only a single turnover.
Gabriella Jackson Gabriella Jackson 6'1" | SF Shawnee Mission Northwest | 2025 State KS , 6’0″, SF, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2024 – What a performance. In a wire-to-wire tightly fought contest ‘Gabby’ played all but one minute and piled up 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, and a blocked shot. She also only turned the ball over 3 times and went to the line repeatedly from being fouled a whopping 10 times. All game long she showed great hands, strong handles, an ability to repeatedly beat nearly every Panther forward or guard off the dribble and great scoring ability. Fast, long, quick, great hops, and lets not forget toughness and endurance – it was all on display. And she nearly buried a game winner with a jump three off the catch with a half second left.
Eve Long Eve Long 6'3" | PF Olathe South | 2027 State KS , 6’3″, C, Olathe South, 2027 – Long was, in a word, huge for the Falcons in their tight loss to Blue Valley North. Her skill set and talents were on full display. From blocking several shots (ignore the 1st half box score – none for anybody appeared), taking Mustang bigs off the bounce, to handling the ball at a near point-guard level, to running the floor consistently, to getting up nearly an elbow’s length above the Mustangs’ Aubrey Shaw Aubrey Shaw 6'1" | PG Blue Valley North | 2025 State KS and Jaliya Davis Jaliya Davis 6'2" | C Blue Valley North | 2025 State KS on rebounds all the time. Even had she not scored, which she did (8), Long would be on this list because of how impactful she was in so many ways.
Mya Mayberry Mya Mayberry 5'4" | PG Heights | 2024 State KS , 57″, PG, Wichita Heights, 2024 – Mayberry had a terrific all-around game from the moment the Falcons did their best to take Washburn Rural out with a haymaker first quarter to take a 14-5 lead. But her best play came in the second half where Heights found themselves fighting to retain their composure while also flexing their quick strike capabilities. While she only put up 5 points in the game she canned a three, gathered 2 assists, a block and several rebounds in a second half where the Falcons frantically applied full court pressure to come back against the Junior Blues. She showed speed, defensive quickness, leadership and especially composure.
Camryn Smith Camryn Smith 5'8" | CG Shawnee Mission South | 2024 State KS , SG/PG, Shawnee Mission South, 2024 – Smith and back court mate Joycelyn Moore Joycelyn Moore 5'5" | PG South Mission South | 2024 State KS had a extremely quiet first half that found them getting lit up by Manhattan’s perimeter shooters and not doing much on the offensive end themselves. Combined the pair had 2 points, 3 rebounds and 8 turnovers. After the half, different story. Limiting the Indians to only 10 second half points on 25% shooting and being a big cause of 11 second half turnovers while picking up 4 steals apiece Smith also got on track in the scoring department. With 9 second half points (11 total) she also had 2 assists, 2 steals and only 1 turnover. On both ends of the floor she was a major difference maker.
Destiny Smith Destiny Smith 5'7" | CG Derby | 2024 State KS , 5’8″, PG, Derby, 2024 – Just as with her take at the end of the game down the right side of the lane that resulted in her score against a pair of challengers with a second left, that ultimately was the game winner, Smith was not to be denied. She just flat willed the Panthers to win the one-point game over Shawnee Mission Northwest that was tightly fought from the tip. Finishing with 11 points on 5/11 shooting, 6 assists and 3 steals Smith, even more importantly, just flat led. Her experience and headiness, while playing nearly the entire 32 minutes, was absolutely impressive.
Madison Smith Madison Smith 5'9" | CG Derby | 2024 State KS , 5’8″, SG, Derby, 2024 – Repeatedly Shawnee Mission Northwest could not find Smith soon enough and paid for it with buried three ball after buried three ball. Finishing with 15 points every point came from three point land on 50% shooting. Being one of the best defenders of close-out attackers in the state and showing consistently strong transition hustle Smith’s grittiness and experience also made her play impactful. I have seen Smith play too many times to count over the years, including the summers, and this night was one of her best performances ever.
Maddie Vickery Maddie Vickery 6'1" | PF Washburn Rural | 2027 State KS , 6’1″, PF, Washburn Rural, 2027 – Wichita Heights flexed the muscle, speed and quickness they used all season to hammer on nearly every opponent they faced this season. Their rested size and power inside and depth at guard and wing positions enabled the Falcons to take a commanding 14-5 first quarter lead. But as the game wore on the equally rested and battle hardened, state tournament experienced Junior Blues gradually got them to a 2 point half time deficit and created a consistent arm’s length distance from late third quarter on. Vickery became a physical and talent mismatch that Heights had no answer for. Showing off a advanced skills set and the arguably the quickest feet of any forward in the state Vickery just kept catching great passes, hitting big shots, contesting interior shots with length and hops, and rebounding. She finished with 24 points, 9 big defensive rebounds and a assist. She also shot 3/5 from three (6/12 overall) and 9/11 from the line to put the game away. Heights forced 8 turnovers but through most of the second half Heights’ bigs either could not run with her or players that could were not able to stop her from scoring.
Camryn Smith Camryn Smith 5'8" | CG Shawnee Mission South | 2024 State KS , 5’9″, PG/SG, Shawnee Mission South, 2024 – While Smith is known for her creativity, quickness, and scoring what she did best on the day was defend Blue Valley’s Jadyn Wooten Jadyn Wooten 5'6" | PG Blue Valley | 2024 State KS . Not until the end of the game was Wooten able to shake loose. She used her quickness, length, smarts, speed, and physicality effectively. Although Wooten would finish with 9 points, 5 assists, 4 steals and 8 rebounds she also turned the ball over 5 times. Before fouling out in the overtime loss Smith generated 10 points, 5 offensive rebounds (8 total) and 4 assists to go with 4 turnovers against Wooten. Their individual competition was terrific to watch but Smith just would not let Wooten shake free in half court play.
Jaliya Davis Jaliya Davis 6'2" | C Blue Valley North | 2025 State KS , 6’2″, C, Blue Valley North, 2025 – With 27 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and a blocked shot versus 4 turnovers Davis was the key to the Mustang victory. Arguably the top center in the state, Davis used her great size; length; strength; and transition speed to weather the triple teaming she would face especially on entry passes from the much smaller Wichita Southeast Buffaloes. In a contest featuring two completely contrasting rosters and styles of play the Mustangs took advantage of their interior size and had effective shooting and passing guard playto keep the interior open for her to work.
Honorable mentions: Tyara Davis Tyara Davis 5'10" | SF Blue Valley North | 2024 State KS , Blue Valley North; Jaden Wilson Jaden Wilson 5'11" | PF Derby | 2024 State KS , Derby; Ella Anderson Ella Anderson 5'11" | PF Olathe South | 2024 State KS , Olathe South; Ruth Gipson Ruth Gipson 6'0" | PF SMNW | 2027 State KS , Shawnee Mission Northwest; Macayla Askew Macayla Askew 6'0" | SF Derby | 2026 State KS , Derby; Destiny Maze Destiny Maze 5'8" | CG Wichita Heights | 2027 State KS , Wichita Heights; Azailah Funches Azailah Funches 6'0" | CG Shawnee Mission South | 2024 State KS , Shawnee Mission South; Joycelyn Moore Joycelyn Moore 5'5" | PG South Mission South | 2024 State KS , Shawnee Mission South