Opening Week Top Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Northeastern Kansas tipped off its high school basketball season this week, and the early slate delivered several <strong>intriguing matchups</strong> featuring some of the region's top programs. As expected, many of these elite teams are powered by standout talent—athletes who set the tone and elevate their squads from the opening tip.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this article, we highlight <strong>some of the top performers</strong> from the the Northeastern part of the state who made an impact in the season's first week of action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1480445"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6931dbc1ba130"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Shawnee Mission South opened its season Tuesday against Shawnee Heights, and <strong>Riley</strong> made an immediate statement in her first high school action. Coming off the bench, the freshman put her full shooting ability on display—just as advertised. In an early fall article, I identified Riley as one of the top shooters in the state <strong>regardless of class</strong>, and she proved exactly why on opening night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Riley finished with <strong>24 points and 4 steals</strong>, showcasing not only her perimeter shooting but also her defensive instincts and ability to get out in transition for easy scores. Even in a one-sided game, she played with impressive poise and confidence, giving the Raiders a glimpse of the impact she's poised to make this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["351760"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6931dbc1ba1d1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Olathe North hosted St. James on Wednesday night for their season home opener, and <strong>Asia</strong> delivered a standout performance, pouring in a game-high <strong>23 points</strong> while showcasing her full offensive arsenal. She consistently created her own looks, using her quickness off the bounce to get downhill for tough, physical finishes—several of which resulted in <strong>and-one opportunities</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Asia was also dynamic out of the high pick-and-roll, exploiting switches and attacking mismatches with confidence. After settling in following the first quarter, <strong>Lee</strong> caught fire from beyond the arc, knocking down <strong> three-pointers</strong> on her way to the 23-point outing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["544018"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6931dbc1ba23d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Piper opened its season Tuesday on the road against Seaman in Topeka, KS. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='544018' first='Faith' last='McCallop'] and the Pirates</strong> set the tone early with their ability to pressure the ball and play at an up-tempo pace—an approach that perfectly complements <strong>Faith's</strong> skill set. Faith was active in passing lanes, relentless on the ball, and consistently created turnovers that turned into runouts and easy layups. She was nearly unstoppable getting to the rim and also knocked down several jumpers on her way to an impressive <strong>24-point performance</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1264441"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69323d827dc8e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Delaney and the Lady Bobcats delivered an impressive performance in their Tuesday night win over Gardner Edgerton. Delaney ran the team with confidence, showcasing her full skill set—scoring, passing, rebounding, and overall floor leadership.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wittkop did an excellent job controlling the pace, helping the team choose the right moments to push in transition while also executing smoothly in the half-court offense. Delaney kept her teammates involved throughout the game and demonstrated her strength rebounding from the guard position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">She finished just shy of a triple-double, posting <strong>13 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 5 steals</strong> in a standout all-around effort.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["544056"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693320e5c8246"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Schaffer and GE suffered a tough opening-night loss to Basehor on Tuesday, but <strong>Landri</strong> put on an impressive performance, finishing with <strong>34 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals</strong>. Her length and athleticism consistently create problems for opponents, allowing her to disrupt passing lanes and ignite fast breaks. Much of the game, Landri was the catalyst for transition opportunities, often starting the break off a blocked shot or a steal. Whether attacking the basket or spotting up beyond the arc, she showcased her scoring versatility, hitting three-pointers with consistency.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["649149"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-693645e3f1709"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Alex and St. Thomas matched up with Skutt Catholic on Friday, and she set the tone early. She opened the game by showcasing her ability to finish at the rim, moving well without the ball to create easy scoring opportunities on cuts and rubs. Alex also thrived in transition, continuing to pad the stat sheet with efficient finishes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>She displayed excellent touch with floaters over bigger defenders and the strength to finish through contact. In the second half, Alex expanded her showcase by proving she can flat-out shoot it—knocking down a series of threes as the Saints began to stretch their lead.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Alex closed the night with a <strong>team-high 33 points</strong> on an impressively efficient shooting performance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["836261"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69364b8d91fca"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Riley and Mill Valley opened their season at home on Tuesday, Dec. 2, against Maranatha Academy, and Marshall quickly set the tone for the type of junior season she looks poised to deliver. Known primarily for her ability to consistently knock down shots, she reminded everyone that her game is far more complete—especially on the defensive end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marshall's on-ball and off-ball defense stood out all night, creating numerous turnovers that she turned into easy transition points. Her activity sparked a steady flow of defense-to-offense opportunities, allowing her to get quick buckets before the defense could recover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, she didn't stray from what she's best known for: shooting the basketball. Marshall had her perimeter game in full effect, knocking down multiple threes to round out an impressive opening-night performance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">She finished with <strong>27 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals</strong>, highlighting a strong start to what could be a breakout season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->