Five things to watch at the Missouri vs. Kansas High School All-Star Challenge
Here are five things to watch at the Missouri vs. Kansas High School All-Star Challenge, which takes place Friday at Shawnee Mission South. The girls game starts at 6 p.m., followed by the boys game at 7:45 p.m. The games, which feature senior-only rosters, will be broadcast live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
The dunk contest
1 While the night centers around a pair of all-star games, the dunk contest is the sure bet for a highlight reel. Twin brothers Michael and Marcus Weathers (Shawnee Mission North), Olathe East forward Josiah Talbert, Barstow wing Shea Rush and Southwest senior Jalen Gant will showcase their top throwdowns during halftime of the boys game.
Park Hill’s Landry Shamet, who is now at Wichita State, won the event last year, and he used his celebration to land a date to his senior prom.
Missouri boys roster loads up on talent
2 All five of the DiRenna Award boys finalists will play in the all-star game, and four of the five appear on the Missouri roster. Those four have each secured Division I scholarships — Lee’s Summit’s Blake Spellman with Northern Kentucky, Blue Springs South’s KJ Robinson with Nebraska-Omaha, Barstow’s Jeriah Horne with Nebraska and Liberty North’s Michael Hughes with Arkon.
Spellman and Horne led their teams to the Missouri state semifinals this season.
A championship roster for the Kansas boys
3 When Shawnee Mission North won the Kansas Class 6A state championship last month, it was the school’s first title in 63 years.
When Mill Valley lifted the Kansas Class 5A trophy, it was the program’s first championship.
Both schools will send a pair of players to the all-star game to represent the Kansas side.
Mill Valley point guard Logan Koch, an Eastern Illinois signee, and forward Clayton Holmberg, a Washburn signee, will join Shawnee Mission North seniors Michael and Marcus Weathers, who have committed to play at Miami (Ohio).
Keeping the streak alive
4 It’s been a long time since Shelbe Piggie, Tristen McFeders and Lakesha Lamaster-Stephens have lost a basketball game. The Bishop Miege trio helped the Stags secure their third consecutive Kansas Class 4A Division I championship last month, completing their second consecutive undefeated season.
Bishop Miege has not lost a girls basketball game since Feb. 11, 2014.
The three Miege seniors highlight the Kansas girls roster.
Missouri’s sharp shooters
5 Expect some three-pointers from the Missouri girls roster, which is loaded with deadly deep-range shooters. Liberty senior Morgan Fleming shot 44 percent from behind the arc, while averaging 19 points per game. University Academy point guard Aliyah Hunter made 46 percent of her three-point attempts.
Add in three-point specialists Sydney Paialii (Truman) and Paige Weakley (Kearney), and the Missouri all-stars should be well-equipped to make shots on Friday.
Missouri vs. Kansas All-Star Challenge rosters
MISSOURI BOYS: Nick Janssen, Raymore-Peculiar; Oliver Edwards, Lee’s Summit; Jalen Gant, Southwest ECC; Robert Gillum, Center; Blake Spellman, Lee’s Summit; Reid Titus, Truman; Shea Rush, Barstow; Ryan Welty, Park Hill South; Makih Briggs, Ruskin; Michael Hughes, Liberty North; Isaac Smith, Lincoln Prep; KJ Robinson, Blue Springs South; Dezmond McDaniel, O’Hara; Nick Larkin, Lee’s Summit; Jeriah Horne, Barstow. Coaches: Billy Thomas, Barstow; Cody Buford, Raytown; Jonathan Raney, Barstow; Tyler Hames, Oak Grove
KANSAS BOYS: Lorenzo Cheatom, Harmon; Justin Criddle, Paola; Zack Fields, Olathe South; Wykeen Gill, Atchison; CJ Hill, SM South; Marcus Weathers, SM North; Michael Weathers, SM North; Matt Wilkinson, Blue Valley Southwest; Clayton Holmberg, Mill Valley; Logan Koch, Mill Valley; Alonzo Williams, Olathe North; Devante McGee, Bonner Springs; Josiah Talbert, Olathe East; Cedric Roland, Olathe East; Jahron McPherson, Basehor-Linwood; RJ Smith, Olathe North (unable to play due to injury). Coaches: Dwight Williams, Blue Valley; Dan Streit, Bonner Springs, Brian Mowry, Blue Valley; Adam Loecker, Bonner Springs
MISSOURI GIRLS: Daejah Bernard, St. Joseph Benton; Kylee Williams, St. Joseph Benton; Jacy Bolton, Drexel; Paige Weakley, Kearney; Maya Brewer, North Kansas City; Sydney Paialii, Truman; Liz Bulver, Belton; Morgan Fleming, Liberty; Sydney Offield, Liberty; Kylin Grubb, Odessa; Meghan Maher, Raymore-Peculiar; Aliyah Hunter, University Academy; Maggie Lawrence, St. Joseph Central; Taylor Koper, Raymore-Peculiar; Kianna Lane, North Kansas City. Coaches: Brett Goodwin, St. Joseph Benton; Brad Batchelder, Belton; Jeff Lacy, North Kansas City; Jared Boone, St. Joseph Central
KANSAS GIRLS: Micaela Delagarza, Blue Valley North; Morgan Laudan, Paola; Brenni Rose, SM Northwest; Kala Holder, Olathe South; Kacey Kennett, Olathe South; Alicia Brown, Leavenworth; Mya Mertz, Blue Valley Northwest; Rilynne Like, Blue Valley Southwest; Cooper Courtney, Blue Valley Southwest; Jessica Wayne, Piper; Shelbe Piggie, Bishop Miege; Tristen McFeders, Bishop Miege; Lakesha Lamaster-Stephens, Bishop Miege; Allison Koster, St. Thomas Aquinas; Catie Kaifes, Mill Valley; Destinee Robinson, Leavenworth (unable to play due to injury). Coaches: Jordan Mellott, Leavenworth; Tyler Stewart, SM Northwest; Jason Floetke, Leavenworth; Tony Budetti, SM Northwest
Sam McDowell: 816-234-4869, @SamMcDowell11
This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Five things to watch at the Missouri vs. Kansas High School All-Star Challenge."