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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
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural senior standout Brooklyn DeLeye was tapped as the TopSports.news 2023 All-Shawnee County girls basketball player of the year after helping lead the Junior Blues to a second straight appearance in the Class 6A state title game.
A three-time All-Shawnee County first-team pick, the 6-foot-2 DeLeye helped the Centennial League champions post an 18-6 record and come within an eyelash of winning a second straight 6A state championship, with the Junior Blues dropping a 35-34 heartbreaker to Blue Valley North in the title game.
DeLeye is joined on the all-county Top 10 by 6-foot senior teammate Chloe Carlgren while Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led the Junior Blues to a pair of state titles and a runner-up finish since 2019, was named the county coach of the year.
Washburn Rural senior Brooklyn DeLeye has been named the TSN Shawnee County girls player of the year after helping lead the Junior Blues to a second straight appearance in the Class 6A title game. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural senior Chloe Carlgren has been named to the All-Shawnee County first team after helping the Junior Blues win the Centennial League championship and finish second in Class 6A. [File photo/TSN]
Veteran Washburn Rural coach Kevin Bordewick, who has led Rural to two Class 6A state basketball titles and 10 state crowns overall, has been named the TSN Shawnee County girls basketball coach of the year. [File photo/TSN]
DeLeye averaged 16 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals, shot 59.7 percent from 2-point range and 38.5 percent on 3-point attempts as a senior while Carlgren averaged 9.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, shot 35 percent from 3-point range and was the Junior Blues' defensive stopper.
Like DeLeye. Topeka High senior star Kiki Smith earned TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 honors for the third straight season after leading the Trojans to a 16-6 record this past season.
Topeka High senior star Kiki Smith (23) earned All-Shawnee County first-team recognition for the third straight season. [File photo/TSN]
Smith, a 5-8 senior, helped the Trojans reach the Class 6A state tournament her first three high schools seasons, including a state runnerup finish in 2021.
As a senior Smith averaged a city-high 20.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.1 steals while connecting on 50 3-pointers.
Seaman, which posted a 21-2 record and won the United Kansas Conference title, is represented on the first team by 5-10 sophomore Anna Becker and 5-9 freshman Maddie Gragg, who was also named the Shawnee County newcomer of the year. Becker is a Top 10 repeat pick and was named the United Kansas Conference player of the year.
Seaman sophomore Anna Becker has been named to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after helping lead the Vikings to a 21-2 record. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman's Maddie Gragg earned All-Shawnee County Top 10 honors as a freshman while also being named the county newcomer of the year. [File photo/TSN]
Becker averaged 12 points, 3.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals this past season while Gragg averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 60.2 percent from the field on 2-point attempts and 75 percent from the free throw line.
Silver Lake junior Makenzie McDaniel earned a spot on the TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10 after helping lead the Eagles to a 23-3 record and a third straight trip to the Class 3A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake junior McKinley Kruger (12) is a repeat pick on the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after helping lead the Eagles to a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament this past season. [File photo]
Silver Lake, which went 23-3 on the season en route to a fourth-place finish in the 3A state tournament, put sophomores McKinley Kruger (5-7) and Makenzie McDaniel (6-1) on the All-Shawnee County first team for the second straight season.
Shawnee Heights senior Emari Doby moved up to the All-Shawnee County Top 10 this season after earning Second 10 recognition as a junior. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville junior Kinsey Perine was tapped for the 2023 TSN All-Shawnee County Top 10, moving up from the Second 10 as a sophomore. [File photo/TSN]
Highland Park sophomore Amelia Ramsey earned a berth on the All-Shawnee County Top 10 after leading the Scots to a 19-4 record and their first berth in the Class 5A state tournamet in 11 seasons. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior Emari Doby (5-9) and Rossville junior Kinsey Perine (5-8) move up to the Top 10 this season after earning Second 10 honors last season while Highland Park sophomore Amelia Ramsey (6-0) earned first-team recognition this season after receiving honorable mention a year ago.
Doby averaged 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds as a senior while Perine averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 5.8 steals and Ramsey averaged 19.8 points and 15.8 rebounds while shooting 65.2 percent from two-point range.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural Mason Casebeer is a two-time All-City pick and a former Class 6A state medalist. [File photo/TSN]
MASON CASEBEER, Washburn Rural
A senior, Casebeer was the 2022 city champion in No. 2 singles, finished third in singles in the Centennial League meet and was a regional runnerup to earn his second straight Class 6A state tournament berth. As a sophomore, Casebeer teamed with Nick Luetje to post a 12th-place state doubles finish. Casebeer is a two-time All-City pick.
Topeka West senior Carter Cool finished sixth in Class 5A doubles last spring. [File photo/TSN]
CARTER COOL, Topeka West
Cool, a senior, teamed with graduated senior Gavin Chavez to finish sixth in doubles in last spring's Class 5A state tournament, helping the Chargers finish second as a team. Cool and Chavez were the city champions in No. 2 doubles and finished second in doubles in the Centennia League and 5A regional tournaments. As a sophomore Cool claimed the city No. 1 singles title and a 5A regional singles championship. Cool is a two-time All-City honoree.
Topeka West twin brothers Miles (left) and Ian Cusick celebrate a big point during the 2022 Class 5A state tennis tournament. The Cusicks won the 5A state doubles title, leading the Chargers to z runner-up finish as a team. [Submitted photo]
IAN CUSICK, Topeka West
A senior, Cusick teamed with his twin brother Miles to win the Class 5A state doubles championship last spring, completing a sweep of city, Centennial League, regional and state doubles titles. West won the co-team title in the city meet and won a regional team title before finishing second as a team at state. The Cusicks won city, league and regional championships for a second straight season and earned their second state medal, finishing ninth as sophomores. The Cusicks are two-time All-City selections.
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By KEVIN HASKIN
TopSports.news
Musings at the mid-month:
Watched KU in the Big 12 tournament and couldn’t help but wonder what the program would look like without Bill Self.
Like everyone else, I suppose.
Every elite basketball power has endured some kind of noteworthy dip in the timeframe the Jayhawks have enjoyed stellar consistency.
No KU coach has embraced and upheld the tradition quite like Self.
But the thumping by Texas in the Big 12 tournament final proved that KU is not just a plug-and-play coaching position.
That, and Texas is on a roll.
Good news: no three-game runs in three nights exist in the NCAA tournament. Depth is not as big an issue with the lengthy TV breaks.
During the Under-4 time-out, you can order a pizza and a Buick and have each delivered during a maddening 6-minute table review with 39 seconds left.
One thing about Self -- he’ll turn the furor created over the Jayhawks’ draw in the West Regional into a motivational ploy.
Be well, Bill.
Gotta feeling KU will have a lot of supporters in Las Vegas if it advances to the second weekend as expected.
Tough regional draw, though. Especially if KU is overly reliant on Jalen Wilson for offense.
Of course, Wilson is key to a deep run. What a season.
One plus to KU in the NCAAs: no more alternative, special occasion or let’s wear ‘em ‘cause Adidas made ‘em games.
Well, I guess there’s always a chance the Jayhawks wear gold or yellow.
Rather than wear replicas of a 1923 uniform representing a national champ crowned by a Los Angeles bread maker, put up a banner declaring the 2020 Covid team the national champ.
Makes every bit as much sense.
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By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Eight Silver Lake and Rossville players earned All-Mid-East League girls basketball recognition from league coaches, including first-team picks McKinley Kruger and Makenzie McDaniel of Silver Lake and Kinsey Perine of Rossville.
Silver Lake junior McKinley Kruger (right) has been named to the All-Mid-East League first team after helping the Eagles post a 23-3 record in 2022-2023. [File photo/TSN]
Silver Lake junior Makenzie McDaniel earned first-team All-Mid-East Leaue honors after helping lead the Eagles to a fourth-place Class 3A state finish. [File photo/TSN]
Rossville junior Kinsey Perine has been named to the All-Mid-East League first team after helping lead the Bulldawgs to a 16-7 record in 2022-2023. [File photo/TSN]
Kruger, a 5-foot-6 junior, and McDaniel, a 6-1 junior, helped lead Silver Lake to a 23-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament while Perine, a 5-8 junior, helped lead Rossville to a 16-7 record and a berth in a sub-state final.
Rossville junior Emma Mitchell (5-11) and Silver Lake senior Taylor Ross (6-0) earned second-team All-Mid-East recognition.
Rossville freshman Rylee Dick (5-5) and Silver Lake senior Mariah Farmer (5-6) and junior Kaibryn Kruger (5-7) received honorable mention.
St. Marys sophomore Hayden Heim (6-1) and Riley County senior CJ Rignell (5-7) joined M. Kruger, McDaniel and Perine on the All-Mid-East first team.
ALL-MID-EAST LEAGUE GIRLS BASKETBALL
