Here are the finalists for KC’s annual DiRenna Awards honoring top prep hoops players
The finalists for the 69th annual DiRenna Awards, honoring the top boys and girls high school basketball players in the Kansas City area, have been announced.
All 10 finalists will be recognized and the boys and girls overall winners announced as part of the annual DiRenna Awards show on Thursday, April 7. The event will be broadcast live, and more information on where to watch will be announced soon.
Here are the five female and five male finalists, listed in alphabetical order:
GIRLS
Beatrice Culliton, Sr., St. Thomas Aquinas
Beatrice is a two-time DiRenna finalist. She averaged 15.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.4 steals and a 23-2 record while leading the Saints to a Class 5A state championship, the sixth in a row and 10th overall. She has committed to playing at the University of Oklahoma next season.
Cierra Smith, Sr., Grandview
Smith led the Bulldogs to a 20-7 record while averaging 22.4 points, 6 rebounds, 4.4 steals and 2.2 assists. She has played a vital role in the transformation of their program. She has committed to play at Central Missouri next season.
S’Mya Nichols, Jr., Shawnee Mission West
Nichols averaged 16.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 3.2 assists while leading the Vikings to a 18-5 record and a Class 6A sub-state championship. Just a junior, she has received more than 20 Power Five offers and has narrowed her list to Kansas, Missouri, UCLA, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.
Grace Slaughter, Jr., Grain Valley
Led the Eagles to a 20-5 record and a Suburban White conference championship. Slaughter averaged 31.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 2.2 assists before an injury ended her season early. Just a junior, she has verbally committed to Missouri.
Kennedy Townsend, Sr., Park Hill
A two-time DiRenna finalist, Townsend averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.3 assists for the Lady Trojans this season. She has committed to Creighton.
BOYS
Kyan Evans, Jr., Staley
Evans has averaged 16.4 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 steals in leading the Falcons (26-4) to a conference championship, district title and berth in the Class 6 final four. Just a junior, he is being recruited by several Division I programs, including Mizzou, Iowa State and UMKC.
Ikenna Ezeogu, Sr., Blue Springs
Ezeogu led the Wildcats to a 24-6 record and Class 6 district championship. He averaged 23 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.2 steals this season. Also an outstanding football player, he has committed to play for Iowa State next season.
Aidan Shaw, Sr., Blue Valley
Shaw averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.4 assists this season for the Tigers. He has committed to play at MU next season. He also has been selected to participate in the High School Slam Dunk contest in New Orleans (host city of the 2022 Final Four), which will air on CBS on April 3.
Damare Smith, Sr., Shawnee Mission NW
Smith led the Cougars to an 18-5 record and a Class 6A sub-state championship. He averaged 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals this season. The three-time All-Sunflower League selection is being recruited by a list of schools that includes Northern Colorado, Mount Saint Mary and Washburn.
Bennett Stirtz, Sr., Liberty
Stirtz, a two-time DiRenna finalist, averaged 18.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.5 steals this season in leading the Blue Jays to a record of 25-3 and a Suburban Gold conference championship. In the 2020-21 season, he led Liberty to a second-place finish in the Class 6 state championship. He is being recruited by a list of schools that includes Air Force, Wichita State, UMKC and Northwest Missouri State.
This story was originally published March 14, 2022 at 4:25 PM.