Derby Knocks Off Maize South In An Instant Classic

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was some serious basketball played Friday night in Maize.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In what was the best game of the year I have scouted to date, the Derby Panthers knocked off the Maize South Mavericks in a 49-45 come-from-behind road win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Normally, I would write about four athletes who performed well, but in this game, I could not narrow it down to four, so here are six players who impressed me in the AVCTL Division I tilt with the league championship on the line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='719101' first='Macayla' last='Askew']</strong>, 6'0”, SF, Derby, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Askew is the No. 1 ranked athlete in the Kansas Class of 2026. Her intangibles on the court are what make her such an impressive talent. If you have followed me long on Prep Girls Hoops then you should know that my favorite stat is the double-double. Askew was the only payer to record one in this defensive tilt. She finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Panthers. She made up for a tough-shooting night (4-of-17) by scoring on key possessions during clutch time. She also registered two steals, two assists, and two blocked shots. Askew has an offer from Oral Roberts University and is being recruited by multiple Division II programs in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='936077' first='Aysia' last='Fox']</strong>, 5'8”, PG, Derby, ‘27&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fox is ranked No. 30 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. Fox is a min-Askew in the making. She has some serious sandpaper to her game. She finished the night with seven points, seven rebounds, and five steals. She arguably is the best defender on the Panthers' roster. She plays tougher than you would expect just by watching her in warmups. She is a hustle athlete who leaves all her energy on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='894521' first='Sarai' last='Graham']</strong>, 5'5”, SG, Derby, ‘28</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Graham was the surprise of the night. She started off slow missing her first two 3-point attempts of the night, but then turned it on the second half. She finished with four made 3-pointers and scored 14 points in the game to lead Derby in scoring. She is not afraid to mix it up in the paint, but it is obvious that she loves to shoot from deep along the baseline and at the wing. Graham is currently ranked No. 5 overall in the Kansas Class of 2028.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='349460' first='Skylar' last='Seals'], </strong>5'6”, SG, Maize South, ‘25</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We have had our fair share of snowfall in Kansas this month, but Seals brought the rain for the Mavericks. She finished with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the field. She was hot from deep, dropping five 3-pointers in nine attempts. I first saw her play last season as a junior and was impressed with her quickness and ball handling. Seals is a catch-and-release weapon! She is an uncommitted multi-sport senior who also golfs. If I were an in-state JUCO coach still looking to fill out my Class of 2025 recruiting class, I would recruit her if only for her threat to hit a big 3-pointer late in a game. &nbsp;Seals is currently ranked No. 50 overall by Prep Girls Hoops Kansas.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='649153' first='Ali' last='Singhateh']</strong>, 5'7”, CG/SF, Maize South, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Singhateh is ranked No. 116 overall in the Kansas Class of 2026. She put together my favorite performance of the game. She dominated the first half on the glass and the defensive end of the floor. She grabbed 12 rebounds and made five steals. She scored just seven points, but they were tough-earned points in key spots. She will do most of her scoring in the paint and in transition. She probably won't ever lead a team in scoring for the season, but she will make a run at leading several other categories.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='719105' first='Jaela' last='Thompson']</strong>, 5'10”, PG/SF, Maize South, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thompson is a bruiser! I don't know if I have ever seen such a physical point guard in my scouting days. She is not as tall as Magic Johnson, but she can run the court and find open teammates. She is a high-quality passer but was also not afraid to shoot late in the game once the Mavericks got down. She scored six points in the game including a couple of clutch free throws.&nbsp; She had two steals and five assists. &nbsp;Thompson is currently ranked No. 27 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027. Look for her to rise a couple of spots at least during the next rankings update after the conclusion of the season. Point guard is where the Mavericks need her to play, but I also think she could have a bright future playing small forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->