St. Joseph, MO: City of Champions

It was a tremendous season of girls hoops for the city of St. Joseph, MO. There was a lot of championship hardware coming back to the schools’ trophy cases around the city. Benton finished with a 25-6 record and advanced to the Class 4 state championship game and took home the runner-up trophy. Central won 20 games and a Class 6 district championship. LeBlond finished xx and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 2 tournament while St. Joe Christian won 21 games and a Class 1 district championship. Prep Girls Hoops Missouri takes a look at some of the top player from the schools in St. Joseph that produced all of this winning around town. <h3>Benton</h3> Kelsey Johnson: A 5'10" 2023 guard who displayed a very impressive skill set at last weekend's Class 4 Final Four in Springfield. She handles the ball well and can create off the dribble and she has the height to go inside and get buckets in the lane. Jaida Cox: The 5'8" 2022 All-State guard closed out her prep career in a big way with a game-high 20 points against John Burroughs in the Class 4 state championship game. She was very impressive on the drive and she was also hitting the 3-point shot to compliment her aggressive takes to the basket. Lauren Burright: A 5'9" 2022 forward who is a little undersized, but she knows how to operate inside. She is strong and she uses her body well to maintain position. She also has a good shooting touch around the basket as she shot 55 percent from the field for the season. &nbsp; <h3>Central</h3> [player_tooltip player_id="296941" first="Ella" last="Moody"]: The 5'11" 2022 Northwest Missouri State recruit concluded her stellar career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,465 points. She has a versatile skill set which includes a quick release 3-pointer and the ability to attack off the dribble and score in the lane. She is also a very effective rebounder who will grab the board and go coast to coast off the dribble. [player_tooltip player_id="170612" first="Teegan" last="Broaden"]: A 6'0" 2023 wing who has the height, athleticism and length to impact the game at both ends of the court. She can disrupt with her ability to get deflections, steals and block shots on defense. She also has solid handles with the ability to get to the basket with her long stride that covers a lot of ground. [player_tooltip player_id="170611" first="Charlie" last="Broaden"]: Like her twin sister, Charlie is a lengthy 6'0" wing player who can get buckets on the drive and excel on the defensive end as well. She's mobile and she is a very effective slasher to the basket. &nbsp; <h3>LeBlond</h3> Kierra Herrera: The 5'11" 2022 Benedictine recruit was a do-it-all performer in leading LeBlond to the Class 2 state quarterfinals. She was just as comfortable operating as a playmaker with the ball in her hands as she was going inside and scoring in the low post. She can shoot the 3-pointer and knock down the pull up jumper. Shae Lewis: A 5'9" 2023 guard who plays with a high basketball IQ as she plays with and without the basketball equally well. She is always moving and finding the open spots on the court, which results in a layup or a short jumper. She plays at her own pace on the drive and she can hit an open 3-pointer. Tatum Studer: A 5'7" 2023 guard who can really space the court with her 3-point shooting. She has range from well beyond the 3-point line when if she gets a good look. She is also an effective passer with good court vision. She passes well on the move. &nbsp; <h3>Christian</h3> Chloe Burnham: A 5’8” 2024 guard who led Christian to a district championship. She averaged a team-high 18.6 points a game. Lexi McDaniel: A 2025 guard who enjoyed an impressive debut season at the varsity level. She averaged 13.6 points a game for the district champions. &nbsp; <h3>Lafayette</h3> Talicia Byrd: A 2024 guard who had a solid season in leading the Irish to a 16-12 record. She averaged 11.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and two assists a game this season.