By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Highland Park senior Bo Aldridge headlines the 2023 TopSports.news' All-Shawnee County boys basketball team after helping lead the Scots to a 24-1 record and a third-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament.
BO ALDRIDGE
Aldridge was tapped as the Shawnee County player of the year after leading Highland Park to a second straight state tournament berth while averaging 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
The Scots, whose only loss was a heartbreaking one-point semifinal decision to eventual state champion Andover, also put seniors Tre Richardson and Jahmir Kingcannon on the TSN Shawnee County Top 10.
TRE RICHARDSON
JAHMIR KINGCANNON
Richardson averaged 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Scots while Kingcannon averaged 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots per game.
Highland Park's Mike Williams was named the county coach of the year after the Scots posted a county-high victory total by nine wins.
The Highland Park trio of Aldridge, Richardson and Kingcannon are part of an outstanding group of county seniors that earned nine of 10 spots on the TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10, with Aldridge, Washburn Rural's Jack Bachelor, Seaman's Kaeden Bonner and Hayden's Joe Otting all first-team repeaters.
JACK BACHELOR
Bachelor was named the Centennial League player of the year after averaging 17.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists while hitting 32 3-pointers and shooting 82 percent from the free throw line for the 15-6 Junior Blues, who shared the league title.
KAEDEN BONNER
Bonner, who helped Seaman win its first-ever boys 5A state title as a junior, fought through an injury plagued senior season but still averaged 15.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while hitting 24 3-pointers and shooting 81 percent from the free throw line for the 13-8 Vikings.
JOE OTTING
Otting, a Notre Dame football signee, earned first-team all-county honors in both football and basketball for the second straight season while putting together a string of double-double performances for the 11-11 Wildcats.
Shawnee Heights junior Brennon Dodge, the lone underclassmen on the all-county Top 10, and Seaman senior Aron Davis both moved up to the Top 10 after being Second 10 picks a year ago.
BRENNON DODGE
ARON DAVIS
Dodge was the floor leader and a top 3-point threat for a Shawnee Heights team that posted a 15-7 record this past season while Davis averaged 16.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists for Seaman.
Topeka West seniors Xavier Alexander and Malachi Berg also garnered Top 10 spots after helping the Chargers post a 14-8 record this past season.
XAVIER ALEXANDER
MALACHI BERG
Alexander, a first-team All-United Kansas Confererence pick, averaged 15.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists with 53 3-pointers while Berg averaged 14.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals..
Rossville freshman Jack Donovan and Seaman freshman KaeVon Bonner were named Shawnee County co-newcomers of the year.
Donovan averaged 10.4 points and connected on 49 3-pointers for the Bulldawgs while Bonner averaged 8.4 points and 2.3 rebounds while hitting 32 3-pointers.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL
TOP 10
Player, school Ht. Gr.
Bo Aldridge, Highland Park 6-4 Sr.
Xavier Alexander, Topeka West 6-0 Sr.
Jack Bachelor, Washburn Rural 6-2 Sr.
Malachi Berg, Topeka West 6-3 Sr.
Kaeden Bonner, Seaman 6-3 Sr.
Aron Davis, Seaman 6-5 Sr.
Brennon Dodge, Shawnee Heights 6-0 Jr.
Jahmir Kingcannon, Highland Park 6-4 Sr.
Joe Otting, Hayden 6-5 Sr.
Tre Richardson, Hiighland Park 6-0 Sr.
SECOND 10
Player, school Ht. Gr.
Quentin Adams, Highland Park 5-8 Sr.
Wyatt Conklin, Washburn Rural 6-2 Sr.
Mason Gomez, Topeka High 6-3 Sr.
Troy Heiman, Silver Lake 6-3 Sr.
Amare Jones, Washburn Rural 6-0 So.
Isaiah Lyons, Topeka High 5-9 Jr.
Jake Muller, Hayden 6-1 Sr.
Jacob Padilla, Hayden 5-8 Jr.
Jacorey Robinson, Highland Park 6-5 So.
Jaret Sanchez, Shawnee Heights 6-3 So.
Honorable mention
Cair Paravel: Simon Everhart, jr.; Jase Pavlik, so; Evan Will, jr. Hayden: Mister Cameron, jr.; Ayden McGibboney, fr. Highland Park: Tamir Anderson, jr.; Mikey Williams, so.; Jamon Wilson, so. Rossville: Jack Donovan, fr.; Kade Perine, sr. Seaman: KaeVon Bonner, fr. Shawnee Heights: Jeremyah Kendrick, sr.; Q Stovall, sr. Silver Lake: Dayne Johnson, fr.; Jared Johnson, so.; Elijah Lopez, jr. Topeka High: Da'Mykel Hales, so. Washburn Rural: Kaden Ballard, so.
Player of the year -- Bo Aldridge, Highland Park.
Co-newcomers of the year -- Jack Donovan, Rossville, and KaeVon Bonner, Seaman.
Coach of the year -- Mike Williams, Highland Park.
