Craig Wind visited three Kansas state tourney sites in three days, and wrote his top all-state tourney team from the Kansas City area for the semis and finals.
NATE BARNHART, De Soto, 6’11” 2021
Committed to Wyoming. Didn’t put up huge numbers down the stretch. But he garners so much attention on the offensive end of the floor. Big difference maker on the defensive end of the game. Helped lead the Wildcats to a wonderful 19-4 season.
HARRISON BRAUDIS, BISHOP MIEGE, 6’1” 2021
Committed to Minnesota State. With all the underclassmen stars on this team, that never prohibited HB to get good shots up and make good shots. Supremely productive in Salina for the Stags. They will miss his high character and high-end production in 2022.
KERNAN BUNDY, BLUE VALLEY NORTH, 6’2” 2022
Looking forward to playing a new AAU season with the now KC Spurs, and his play in Wichita has them equally pleased. He got dunks and treys and for the most part, runs the show at the point and led his team to the “promised land” in 2021.
MOZAE DOWNING, FREE STATE, 6’3” 2022
The long and bouncy junior combo guard consistently shows he’s one of our state’s best ‘lock down’ defenders. As his offensive game matures and develops, he’ll be a coveted recruit in the class of 2022.
TRAYON GRANT, WASHINGTON, 6’2” 2021
He’s long and his skills kinda remind me of an Iowa juco transfer over at the University of Kansas. That’s probably because Tyon Grant-Foster is his brother. Trayon was the leading scorer for the Wildcats in Emporia this past weekend.
TAJ MANNING, BISHOP MIEGE, 6’6” 2022
Consistently scores and rebounds and gives a workmanlike performance for the Stags that puts them in position to win these championships. Taj will have every mid D1 coach in the Midwest offering him a scholarship for the Fall of 2022.
JULIAN MARGRAVE, LOUISBURG, 6’9” 2022
Led his team to the state championship game vs. Miege by averaging in double digits, the leading scorer for the 4A Wildcats. Mid D1 schools can only hope and pray that the high D1s aren’t taking notice of this talented stretch-4!
ZEKE MAYO, LAWRENCE, 6’3” 2021
Committed to South Dakota State and boy oh boy did the Jackrabbits steal from the cookie jar here. Zeke scored 29 in the 4th quarter of his semi final game against BV North, 41 for the game, and showed mid to high major D1s across the Midwest what they missed out on.
MARK MITCHELL, BISHOP MIEGE, 6’8” 2022
UCLA, USC, North Carolina, and Duke are probably in the driver’s seat for this highly ranked power forward. When Mark wants to play hard and dominate, he is tough to stop and Miege is very hard to defeat. He can be sensational!
ANDREW ORR, BLUE VALLEY NORTH, 6’8” 2021
Committed to Washburn, and he may be a factor there sooner than later! Orr played consistently above the rim in Wichita, and his play and productivity made it nearly impossible for the Mustangs to be defeated in 2021.
ISAAC PATTERSON, BLUE VALLEY NORTH, 6’6” 2021
Committed to William Jewell, and in all honesty, if I was working on an MVP list and had to narrow it down to one player, this would be the player. IP was just sensational, averaging almost 20 ppg and hitting big jumper after big jumper while still being a great teammate and facilitator.
NIKKO TAYLOR, BLUE VALLEY NORTH, 6’6” 2021
For a big boy, I must say, his ball handling and passing skills sure make him look like a ‘point-4’ player to the next level. His game really got refined this season as the coaching staff did an outstanding job coaching him. He had a very very solid 6A state tourney in Wichita!