Guards and Wings to Watch: 5A Sub-State Semis and Finals

The road to the state tournament for the 5A class began Saturday, February 25, with a few quarterfinal games. Semi-final games will be played Tuesday, March 2, with games being held at the higher seed. The March 5 finals will also be at the higher seed. In this article I take a look at guards to watch in the 5A sub-states. <h2>Point Guards</h2> [player_tooltip player_id="123493" first="Madison" last="Skelton"], 5’8", St. Thomas Aquinas, 2021 - MAYB Tournament (7/11/20) - Skelton’s hard work has resulted in her becoming a complete player. She is a very strong ball handler, passer, shooter, and scorer who plays with composure. Skelton uses good ball fakes and her quick first step to get to the paint. Once there she can absorb contact on the finish just as well as drop a dime for a teammate to collect. At a tournament I saw her at last summer, on the other end she did not allow anything easy. Skelton will be taking her game to Emporia State University next season. [player_tooltip player_id="123467" first="Evelyn" last="Vazquez"], 5’5", Piper, 2021 - Vazquez is a high IQ player with strong handles and high court awareness. Off the bounce she can take a hit on the finish just as well as create for others. With her defensive quickness, she is also a transition basket waiting to happen. Two years ago she was a part of the 4x100 state champion team. She also took third in the 100m and 200m. She is faster with the ball than most players are without it. Vazquez will be taking her game to Northwest Missouri State next season. [player_tooltip player_id="106920" first="Jordyn" last="Rowe"], 5’5", Sumner Academy, 2021 - Rowe is a deceptively quick, high IQ, all-around player. Her terrific vision and smarts do not just enable her to pick her spots to attack and score over even the best of defenders but enables her shot selection to be so strong. A scorer who can finish around the basket with both hands, split defenders with a eurostep, or can a three point shot. (she averaged 27.4 points per game in 2020), Rowe is a good distributor. Her smarts influences her defensive game as well. She boxes or keeps in contact with opposing perimeter players on the shot. She is also sees plays developing and helps well from the weak side. She was the Kansas City Atchinson League’s defensive player of the year in 2019 for good reason. Rowe is uncommitted at this point. [player_tooltip player_id="123525" first="Mallory" last="Woolston"], 5’7", Andover, 2021 - Woolston is quick with the ball and likes to push tempo. , She runs the floor, scores, and distributes well in transition. She is strong with the pull-up jumper on the run or in the half court. She also has 25’ three point range. She averages 12.5 points, 2.4 steals, and 1.8 assists in 2020. Woolston will be taking her game to Tabor College next season. [player_tooltip player_id="23467" first="Aubrie" last="Kierscht"], 5’6", Salina Central, 2022 - Kierscht is a “runs the show” kind of point guard who can make quick, hard, catchable passes. She is also a dangerous scorer in all situations with a strong motor on both ends of the floor. She is very ball aware in transition and is able to finished on the run. In one instance this past summer on a right hand scoop off a bounce pass, she one-handed the ball in transition and finished while challenged. Defensively, she has quick hands and feet. On both ends she plays MAYB Get Back on the Court (June 2020) - has quick hands that she puts to use on both ends. Kierscht has averaged 19.7 points, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 assists. She is also shooting 50% from three with 69 made and 85% from the line. She has committed to Navy. [player_tooltip player_id="93976" first="Kyla" last="Frenchers"], 5’6", Maize, 2022 - Frenchers is another "runs the show" kind of point guard who can make difficult, quick, catchable passes. She also has a strong cross-over, no-look pass ability, and can finish as well as shoot the three. Her quickness off the bounce also shows on the defensive end where she causes turnovers with her quick hands and feet. [player_tooltip player_id="48304" first="Gracie" last="Gilpin"], 5’6", Emporia, 2022 - Gilpin brings to the table strong decision making, ball control, and toughness. She shoots quickly on the perimeter off the catch or the stop-and-pop. Gilpin is also solid defensively. [player_tooltip player_id="156319" first="Sophia" last="Gimino"], 5’4", Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 2023 - Fast with the ball, creates off the bounce. Able to finish athletically and gets air under the ball. Sees the floor well. Coach Dwayne Paul stated on twitter 7/5/20 "She sets the tone for our team on both ends of the floor. She does a great job seeing the floor and playing with great pace." Wichita City League honorable mention. <h2>Shooting Guards</h2> [player_tooltip player_id="123502" first="Bailey" last="Wilborn"], 5’7", Andover Central, 2021 - My Prep Girls Hoops Missouri colleague Willis Reed wrote that she "...is an electric combo guard with the ball in her hands. Very creative off the bounce and takes and makes big shots with ease. Elite level scorer at all three levels. A very solid defender. Sees the floor well and plays unselfishly." This season she has averaged 13.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals. She is shooting 43% from three, 90% from the line, has improved her assists to turnover ratio to 2.74 from the 1.91 in 2020. Wilborn will be heading east to play for the University of Maine next season. [player_tooltip player_id="123468" first="Claire" last="Worthington"], 5’7", St. James Academy, 2021 - Worthington started heating up from beyond the arc against Blue Valley in early February and has shot better than 50% from that point. Last year she averaged at least three made 3’s per game while averaging 12 points, including 50% from three, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Worthington is a good ball handler, good defender with a quick release and deep range. Worthington is uncommitted. [player_tooltip player_id="123510" first="Jaden" last="Newfarmer"], 5’8", Andover Central, 2021 - Has a 5.44 assists to turnovers ration after leading the state a year ago with 3.97. A good and prolific three point shooter, hitting on a 38% clip with 61 made, Newfarmer also has a quick first step with either hand and is able to get to the rim to finish with speed. Shot 83% from the line last year. She has athleticism around the basket, quick hands, and good speed with the ball. She is taking her game to Washburn University next season. [player_tooltip player_id="123524" first="Kennedy" last="Nicholson"], 5’7", Eisenhower, 2021 - MAYB Tournament (7/11/20) - The quick, slightly built Nicholson is a good shooter who has range and is strong shooting in flow after the catch. She also has good transition speed with the ball and athleticism to finish on both sides of the rim. Nicholson will be playing for Benedictine College next season. [player_tooltip player_id="156314" first="Riley" last="Bruggeman"], 5’8", St. James Academy, 2023 - Kansas PGH Top 250 Exposure event - Bruggeman does not take a play off and, notably, had 18 points against always strong Bishop Miege in mid-Febrary. A high IQ player who reads the floor well, she makes good entry passes where post players want to catch the ball; can create her own shot to get to the rim; and hit the three ball. She also runs the floor and defends well. She averages 11.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.5 steals. <h3>Combo Guards and Wings</h3> [player_tooltip player_id="123511" first="Aleshia" last="Jones"], 5’8", Leavenworth, 2021 - Jones is fast with strong handles and good length. She spots well and is a solid three point shooter. Jones is uncommitted. [player_tooltip player_id="161216" first="Adell" last="Gore"], 5’7", Basehor-Linwood, 2021 - 17 points (1 3) v De Soto. 2020 KBCA 5A honorable mention. 2020 United Kansas Conference first team, honorable mention in 2019. 12.10.19 Coach reported on twitter that she’d just set the school record for steals at 188, 92 steals just in 2019. Gore has the toughness to step in for a charge and to finish athletically on both sides of the rim through contact. Can create her own shot and Is a high IQ player with terrific anticipation defensively to deflect passes and generate steals in a variety of situations. Gore is uncommitted. [player_tooltip player_id="124971" first="Abby" last="Augustine"], 5’9", Blue Valley Southwest, 2022 - Augustine is a strong defend on the perimeter, including boxing out; shoots the three well; has transition speed; and consistently works without the ball. A season ago she shot 32% from three, with 25; range, with 37 made. The lefty uses a good crossover on the drive, finishes well on both sides of the rim, and has the IQ to see the floor in flow. She gets the ball out quickly off of defensive rebounds, has good hands to score off the catch inside, and handles the ball well. [player_tooltip player_id="124978" first="Hampton" last="Williams"], 5’11", Salina Central, 2022 - Williams is listed here with the shooting guards but could just have been included with forwards. She is well built, has good length, and is active on both ends. Williams averages Williams averages 7.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals. She is also shooting 64% from the line. A year ago she averaged 9.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1 block while shooting 73% from the line. Offensively she can drop dimes on the break or in the half court and she sets her feet well on perimeter looks. She is a solid inside both defensively and as a scoring option for Central. A high motor player, she does not take plays off and finds ways to stay in the face of opponents as a defender. Williams is a Abilene Christian University commit. [player_tooltip player_id="158575" first="Maycee" last="James"], 5’9", Goddard, 2022 - James is fast, athletic and consistently aggressive going to the basket. A strong ball handler, she can score well at all three levels and is very quick an scrappy defensively. James finishes athletically and is physical and durable. She averages 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.8 steals, and 3.7 assists. She also shoots 69% from the line. [player_tooltip player_id="93991" first="Emree" last="Zars"], 5’10", Mill Valley, 2022 - <span data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"2020 USJN Battle at the Border pool B 17U all star. MAYB Reign the Plains (7.21.20) - Good speed with the ball - got picked when looked up to pass. Needs to stay down more and draw charges, jumpy. Transitions well. Helps well on strong side drives. Good head fake 2-dribble move for mid-range jumper. 2020 Eastern Kansas League honorable mention. PGH 250 Expo Iowa (10.31.19) - Zars had a great event on both ends of the floor. With her size, build, and athleticism Zars showed she can play and/or defend nearly every position. She was fast in transition, showed quickness defending on the wing, can create her own shot off the dribble, finishes well, and has three point range. While overlooked in a 2019 article on 2022 stretch 4 candidates Zars definitely should be considered. PGH Contributor Mason Asher viewed at .... Noted her that her game is well developed and fluid. She was "...finishing through length..." He recognized her as one of ten standouts he viewed at Be The Best event in Ames, Iowa."}" data-sheets-userformat="{"2":4609,"3":{"1":0},"12":0,"15":"Verdana"}">Zars has the skill set and build to play and defend several positions. She has good speed with the ball, has a good 2-dribble move to can the mid-range jumper, transitions well to both ends, and helps well on strong-side drives. PGH National Scout Mason Asher states that her game is fluid, well developed, and finishes with length. [player_tooltip player_id="231259" first="Brooke" last="Walker"], 5’7", Andover, 2024 - Walker has quickly established herself as one of the top 2024 players in the state. A high IQ player who is long for her size, she penetrates well left and right and extends the defense with her three ball. Featured image: Leavenworth’s [player_tooltip player_id="123511" first="Aleshia" last="Jones"] shoots a free throw at October’s Kansas PGH Top 250 event. Photo: Prep Girls Hoops.