Players to Watch at the 2025 5A State Tournament

<p>The 5A state basketball tournament tips off at White Auditorium, Emporia, Wednesday, March 12. Defending state champion and undefeated Seaman (22-0), Andover (21-1), Maize South (19-3) and St. Thomas Aquinas (15-7) return. Joining them are Hays, from the Great West Activities Conference, Spring Hill and Piper, both from the Frontier League, and the Aquinas' Eastern Kansas League rival St. James Academy. An interesting opening match-up pits Piper against Seaman. Roughly two weeks ago Seaman outlasted the Pirates on the latter's home floor 48-47. The rematch should be a dandy. The 5A field is, once again, strong across the board. Selecting players to watch was not easy but take a look below at whom I think are particularly key to the first round match-ups.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#1 Hays (22-0) v #8 St. Thomas Aquinas (15-7)</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='350246' first='Molly' last='Martin'], 5'7", PG, Hays, 2025 - The Ottawa University commit has been leading the rise of the Tigers for years. She is a highly experienced, very fast and quick point guard who leads a talented and deep backcourt. The physicality of Aquinas' guards on both ends of the floor and top-notch scoring ability will be an enormous challenge, something Hays' guards have faced little of in 2025 much less across an entire team's lineup. Composure and consistently finding the right pass and getting transition baskets will be keys for Martin's success.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='459216' first='Katie' last='Linenberger'], 6'1", PF, Hays, 2025 - Linenberger is a hardworking, experienced post whose length and toughness impact on both ends of the floor. A top-notch high jumper Linenberger, committed to Fort Hays University for track, uses her footwork and hops to challenge shots and grab rebounds. She is very effective at clearing the ball to get the Tigers running game going. Linenberger and her fellow bigs will need to control the glass and run the floor with speed. Transition hoops and helping on basket drives to get Aquinas' scorers frustrated will be something to watch for.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='779210' first='Sofia' last='Calovich'], 5'10", PF, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2027 - Hays fills the front court with good size and toughness. They can take a shot as well as dish it. Calovich and her front court mates will need to find success scoring through contact, off the offensive glass, and from mid-range jumpers. Calovich is known for being able to do all of those things. Whether it is Calovich or another big, the Saints will need consistent production from the interior to upset the Tigers.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='649149' first='Alex' last='Crouse'], 5'8", PG, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2026 - Crouse is a strong-minded scorer with strong handles who has put up 15.5 points per game this season. Playing in the always loaded Eastern Kansas League, there are rare nights off. She is used to playing against strong competition and, having won a state title as a freshman, knows what it takes to reach the title game. Crouse and her back court mates will face a undefeated team with a talented, speedy guards who love the transition game. They will guard you, attack the basket with quickness and shoot it from everywhere with range. For Crouse to be successful she needs to continue to do what she does best, score it from everywhere and get the ball into the hands of her teammates where they can score it and do so through contact. She and her teammates must also run the floor defensively or Hays' guards will make things ugly quick.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#2 Seaman (22-0) v #7 Piper (18-4)</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='349798' first='Anna' last='Becker'], 5'10", CG, Seaman, 2025 - The Drake University commit is a force on both ends of the floor and in transition. The career scoring, assists and steals record holder for the Vikings can do it all and is gunning to defend the 5A state championship win from a season ago. Physical, active, heady she will score it from everywhere in the mid-range and from beyond the arc. As someone who runs transitions lanes well she is a sure bet to get finishing opportunities at good angles. A double digit scorer her entire career Becker averaged over 16 points and 5 assists on the season. The team is very talented at every position but the intangible of disruptiveness defensively could give them an edge. </p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='722996' first='Maddie' last='Gragg'], 6'0", SF/PF, Seaman, 2026 - Gragg is a lengthy, quality forward who provides quality defense and shot blocking inside and transition speed and smarts on breaks. Since I first saw her at a Prep Girls Hoops event before she entered high school she turned heads with her perimeter shooting. Accurate, fluid release, squared up and will bury them from everywhere with range. Put together a ball fake with her 6'0" size, her perimeter shot is nearly unblockable. Gragg and her Viking teammates won the 5A championship last year and fought through a brutal regular season schedule this season to run the table. She will not be intimidated by the state stage nor any by anybody she matches up with. </p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='335930' first='Grace' last='McCallop'], 5'10", CG, Piper, 2025 - The California commit is no stranger to what it takes to win a championship. The transfer from 4A Bishop Miege won three titles with the Stags and now has her sights set on being a rare player to win championships at two separate schools. McCallop scored 24 points in the sub-state win over Shawnee Heights and can be anticipated to put up numbers again. She has terrific length, speed, quickness, handles and quickness to score at all three levels. What will be key will be how things go defensively against the Vikings. If she can shut down whomever she defends while pouring in points on the other end that night will go very well for the Pirates.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='544018' first='Faith' last='McCallop'], 5'4", PG, Piper, 2026 - Without question McCallop is among the top point guards in the state. Very fundamentally sound on both ends of the floor and a terrific three-level scorer what especially separates her apart is her IQ and quickness. Despite her stature she understands how to defend guards who try to work against her inside. On the perimeter, her elite quickness is hard to stop in transition and makes her darned near impossible to beat off the dribble. McCallop had 22 points in the sub-state title win over Shawnee Heights and, as a transfer from 4A Bishop Miege, is no stranger to knowing what it takes to win a state championship. If a title happens for the Pirates, she will be one of the few players to win state championships at two separate schools. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#3 Andover (21-1) v #6 St. James Academy (18-4)</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='349458' first='Aliyah' last='Green'], 6'1", PF, Andover, 2025 - I have enjoyed watching Green's growth as a player. Talented but still sharpening her tools through her sophomore year. I decided last year that if there is a player who puts a capital 'P' in power it is Green. She had arrived! The Butler Community College basketball and volleyball commit is big, strong, fast, a freight train heading to the bucket and can hit the perimeter shot. She is also not a player who can be moved easily inside at either end. Just too strong. With the size St. James Academy has she has her work cut out for her though. The Thunder are a big team with highly skilled, fast and long players who can score from anywhere. If she can stay out of foul trouble, control the glass, and take consistently good scoring chances she and her teammates will have a big night.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='791747' first='Bella' last='Bouddhara'], 5'6", SG, Andover, 2027 - Perimeter shooting and transition defense are going to a big key for Andover to be successful and Bouddhara figures to be a major component of those efforts. Someone will have to run with and defend St. James Academy's heady point guard [player_tooltip player_id='773198' first='Riley' last='Kerwin'] and Bouddhara is a likely candidate. She has handles, solid speed and perimeter ability to attack her on the offensive end and has length to challenge any shot Kerwin looks to take off the bounce or beyond the arc. Andover has to limit the number of quality interior looks the Thunder guards get and be strong enough to pinch off basket drives by the Thunder bigs.</p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='623724' first='Emma' last='Smith'], 5'8", CG, St. James Academy, 2026 - If you only look at statistics there is not much that jumps out at you from 5.6 points per game, 1.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and a steal. What she brings to the table is shutting down opposing scoring guards with her quickness and physicality. Andover generates substantial production from its shooters. And judging by her play against some of the strongest guards in the EKL, her ability to cripple a piece of an opponent's offense will be huge. Oh, and by the way, she also shoots the ball well - to the tune of a whopping 40% from three point land and 69% from the line. </p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='773203' first='Elle' last='Robinson'], 6'0", PF/C, St. James Academy, 2026 - Robinson is part of a corps of long, fast, athletic and talented posts and forwards the Thunder put on the floor. With the physicality that she plays with on both ends of the floor I anticipate Robinson will shoulder the role of defending and going at Andover power forward [player_tooltip player_id='349458' first='Aliyah' last='Green']. Robinson has put up solid numbers all season with averages of 11.2 points on massive 64% field goal shooting, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals. She has also shot 65% from the line on a team leading 55 attempts.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">#4 Spring Hill (19-3) v #5 Maize South (19-3)</h2>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='616731' first='Sydney' last='Buscher'], 5'10", SF/PF, Spring Hill, 2025 - The Washburn University volleyball commit has been a fixture starting at a forward spot for a few years. The forward is well regarded as a tough interior player. Strong, quick and creative with an ability to finish through hard contact she is also a strong rebounder who clears the ball well to get the Broncos out and running. If she gets a lot of looks and Maize South's top bigs get in foul trouble life could be really difficult for the Mavericks. Buscher has put up strong numbers this season, 17.1 points and 8.4 rebounds. </p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='773206' first='Isla' last='Herman'], 5'9", SG, Spring Hill, 2026 - The one-two punch for the Broncos is [player_tooltip player_id='616731' first='Sydney' last='Buscher'] inside and Herman on the outside. She is a gifted, quick scorer who puts a lot of elevation into her jumpers. And she shoots if with accuracy and range from everywhere. A starter for the Broncos for a couple years Herman is fast, athletic and strong. She uses those talents along with her quick hands and length to generate blocked shots and turnovers, which gets the team out in transition. Should Maize South work some man into their trademark zone defense I suspect she will be working against [player_tooltip player_id='719105' first='Jaela' last='Thompson']. And that could be fun to watch in its own right. Herman has averaged 17.2 points per game. </p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='719105' first='Jaela' last='Thompson'], 5'10", CG, Maize South, 2027 - Thompson is no stranger to state tournament pressure. After earning a strong third place finish with McPherson a season ago she now has a shot to run deep in a brutally talented 5A field. Thompson is long, quick, fast and can score creatively at all three levels. Where she has hurt teams the most this year is with her passing and defense. She has averaged 5.3 assists and 3.6 steals. Her ability aside, packaged with her size and length will be a real match-up problem for the Broncos. </p>   <p>[player_tooltip player_id='649148' first='Kaylee' last='Brunton'], 6'0", PF, Maize South, 2026 - I saw what was coming while watching Brunton coming off the bench for the Mavericks during her freshman year. I knew she could be REALLY good but I sure did not anticipate where she is at this point in her high school career. Back then I saw how well she competed on both ends of the floor, how well she ran, and the ability to use her size and handles to work inside and out. Now, she rarely comes off the floor and is capable of putting up double-double numbers in points and rebounds every night. Her scoring and rebounding are needed but her role defensively will be huge against Spring Hill. She has a great frame, quickness and length so there will be numerous situations where she will have to specifically defend Bronco power forward [player_tooltip player_id='616731' first='Sydney' last='Buscher']. The Mavericks have more guards and small forwards than you can shake a stick at. If Brunton gets in foul trouble Buscher could be unstoppable. </p>

The 5A state basketball tournament tips off at White Auditorium, Emporia, Wednesday, March 12. Defending state champion and undefeated Seaman (22-0), Andover (21-1), Maize South (19-3) and St. Thomas Aquinas (15-7) return. Joining them are Hays, from the Great West Activities Conference, Spring Hill and Piper, both from the Frontier League, and the Aquinas' Eastern Kansas League rival St. James Academy. An interesting opening match-up pits Piper against Seaman. Roughly two weeks ago Seaman outlasted the Pirates on the latter's home floor 48-47. The rematch should be a dandy. The 5A field is, once again, strong across the board. Selecting players to watch was not easy but take a look below at whom I think are particularly key to the first round match-ups.