BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST
Coach: Dustin Leochner
Record: 15-7
Sub-state results: beat KC Washington, 61-46; beat Pittsburg, 70-42.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. De Soto (18-4), 8 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Jinwoo Kim, 6-3, sr., G; Cooper Schwieger, 6-9, sr.; Sebastian Hamm, 6-1, sr.; Carson Schwieger, 6-8, sr.; Quillan Rank, 6-1, jr.
Worth noting: Southwest making just second state trip in program history, the other coming in 2020. … Timberwolves lost by one point to undefeated and No. 1 seed Andover that year in the quarterfinals. … Southwest won both regular-season tournaments, topping fellow 5A qualifier De Soto in finals of Huhtamaki Harwood Classic to start the season and beating ranked Missouri team St. Joseph Lafayette as well. … Southwest also won Spring Hill Invitational, winning title game by 18 points. … Timberwolves also own wins over 5A qualifier St. James Academy and 6A qualifier Blue Valley Northwest. … The 15 wins are a school record against a schedule with 11 of 20 games against 6A schools. … Kim leads four starters in double-figure scoring at 14 points per game. … Hamm averages 13 per game and the Schwieger twins average 11 and 10. … Both Schwiegers also average 7.5 rebounds per game. … Kim adds 4 assists per game.
DE SOTO
Coach: Matt Rice
Record: 18-4
Sub-state results: beat Leavenworth, 55-38; beat Shawnee Heights, 50-37.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Blue Valley Southwest (15-7), 8 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: David Cobin, 5-9, so., G; Tyler Schultze, 6-1, sr., G; Trent Johnson, 5-11, jr., G; Ethan Schultze, 6-1, sr., G.
Worth noting: Wildcats are making third straight trip to state tournament and finished third last year after a 61-57 loss to Topeka West in semifinals. … Recent run came after 25-year drought from state tournament for program and this year marks eighth state trip overall. … Wildcats were Tonganoxie Invitational Tournament champions and finished runner-up in the United Kansas Conference to Basehor-Linwood, which swept them. … Wildcats have wins over 4A state qualifiers Eudora and Paola. … Only other two losses came to fellow 5A qualifier Blue Valley Southwest and 6A qualifier Shawnee Mission Northwest. … All four losses were by 13 points or less and two by six or less. … Cobin leads Wildcats in all major stat categories – 17.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.4 steals per game. … Johnson averages 10.4 points and 4.5 rebounds. … Tyler Schultze averages 10.3 points and 4 rebounds and has been a starter on all three state teams, while twin brother Ethan adds 7.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. … Wildcats graduated eight seniors off last year's third-place team with Tyler Schultze the lone returner. … Record is second-best win-loss record since 1994.
HIGHLAND PARK
Coach: Michael Williams
Record: 18-4
Sub-state results: beat St. Thomas Aquinas, 78-65; beat KC Piper, 89-52.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Maize (18-4), 4 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Juan'Tario Roberts, 6-0, sr., G; Ketraleus Aldridge, 6-4, jr., F; Tre Richardson, 5-10, jr., G; Jahmir Kingcannon, 6-1, jr., G; Quentin Adams, 5-9, jr., G.
Worth noting: Scots return to state for second time in three years, losing in the quarterfinals of the 2020 tournament. … State trip is 33
rd for Scots program overall and 15
th since 2000. … Scots have six state titles in program history, including three straight from 2007-09 and a fourth preceding those in 2004, all under Ken Darting for whom Williams spent four and a half years as an assistant coach under. … Half of this year's losses came to fellow 5A qualifier Topeka West and another came to 6A qualifier Manhattan, all by five points or less. … Fourth loss came to Wichita Northwest, which was upset in 6A sub-state play. … Scots have six wins over state-qualifying teams, including two over 5A qualifier Seaman and two over 4A qualifier Hayden. … Roberts went over 1,000 points this year and is averaging 21 points and 4 assists per game. … Aldridge is impact newcomer who averages 23 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists per game. … Richardson is four-sport athlete for Scots and adds 12 points, 5 rebound, 3 assists and 3 steals per game. … Kingcannon averages 12 points per game. … Roberts is lone senior that receives significant playing time.
KAPAUN MT. CARMEL
Coach: Steve Eck
Record: 21-1
Sub-state results: beat Goddard, 56-26; beat Valley Center, 61-42.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Seaman (15-7), 2 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Henry Thengvall, 6-6, sr., G; Will Anciaux, 6-6, jr., F; Will Thengvall, 6-3, so., PG; Luke Porter, 6-1, sr., G; Isaac Schmitz, 6-3, sr., F.
Worth noting: Crusaders making second trip to state in three years, winning in the quarterfinals of the 2020 tournament before the rest of the tourney was canceled. … Kapaun has made seven trips overall, four ending in state championships (1978, 1980, 1981 and 2012). … Crusaders were undefeated Greater Wichita Athletic League champions (16-0) for the first time in program history and also won the El Dorado Wildcat Classic. … Only loss came to fellow 5A qualifier Maize 48-43 in the season opener and Crusaders have won 21 straight games. … Henry Thengvall is averaging 20.2 points per game and shoots 46% from 3-point range. … Anciaux – a Division I football prospect -- averages 15.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. … Eck is in first year as coach at Kapaun, but won six Class 6A state championships at Wichita South from 1988-1996 and is 999-164 in his career.
MAIZE
Coach: Chris Grill
Record: 18-4
Sub-state results: beat Great Bend, 66-47; beat Andover Central, 59-50.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Highland Park (18-4), 4 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Kyle Grill, 6-6, sr.; Avery Johnson, 6-4, jr.; Sam Schmidt, 6-2, sr.; Mason Belcher, 6-7, sr.; Jaden Gustafson, 6-4, sr.; Tay Williams, 5-10, jr.; Nick Reyes, 6-1, sr.
Worth noting: Eagles are defending Class 5A state champions, taking first title in program history last year with 55-43 win over Topeka West in championship game, capping a 23-2 season. … Grill and Johnson were starters on title team. … Program previously had a best state finish of third in 2019 and this year's trip is sixth since 2010 and eighth overall. … Eagles tied Derby for Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division I title. … Eagles handed fellow 5A qualifier Kapaun its only loss of season in season-opener. … Three of four losses came in three straight games in late January, two at Dodge City Tournament of Champions to 6A state qualifiers Wichita Heights and Dodge City. … Other losses came to Salina South and Derby with Eagles also beating both. … Grill is averaging 14.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and has signed with Fort Hays State. … Johnson is one of state's top football prospects and averages 12.3 points and 3.3 assists per game. … Gustafson averages 11.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. … Belcher chips in 7.4 points and 5.5 rebounds a game. … Chris Grill is one win from 300 in his career. … Top seven players all will play college sports.
SEAMAN
Coach: Craig Cox
Record: 15-7
Sub-state results: beat Maize South, 73-65; beat Hays, 61-44.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (22-1), 2 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Ty Henry, 6-5, sr., G/F; Mateo Hyman, 6-1, sr., PG; Kaeden Bonner, 6-2, jr., G; Aron Davis, 6-4, jr., F; Dreighton Griess, 5-11, sr., G; Gavin Wilhelm, 6-5, sr., G;
Worth noting: Vikings upset two higher-seeded teams in sub-state play, including West No. 1 seed Hays in finals, to return to state for first time since 2018. … Trip will be ninth overall for program with best finish a fourth in 1941. … Vikings handed fellow 5A qualifier Topeka West its only loss with a 10-point win in early December. … Vikings average 67.9 points per game, tying West for highest scoring average in 5A. … Seaman has won eight straight since being 7-7 with five of seven losses coming to state qualifiers West, Highland Park (twice), St. James Academy, and 4A McPherson. … Five losses were by single digits. … Henry leads Vikings in scoring at 15.3 points per game with Hyman right behind at 14.7 per contest. … Bonner adds 13.1 points per game and Davis averages 10.1 … Davis missed eight games with foot injury but leads team in rebounding with 5.6 per game. … Hyman leads team with 84 assists, but three others have between 57-59. … Bonner and Wilhelm each shoot better than 44% from 3-point range and Henry and Griess both shoot 36% from the arc.
ST. JAMES ACADEMY
Coach: Stan Dohm
Record: 15-7
Sub-state results: beat Bonner Springs, 85-55; beat Basehor-Linwood, 52-35.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. Topeka West (21-1), 6 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Sam Somerhalder, 6-7, sr., G; Brian Hawthorne, 6-2, jr., PG; John Niesen, 6-3, jr., G; Garrett Lynch, 6-5, F.
Worth noting: Trip to state is just second in program history for the Thunder, the other coming in 2019 when they lost to Maize in the quarterfinals. … Thunder swept Class 4A qualifier Bishop Miege in two meetings this year and also swept St. Thomas Aquinas and beat 6A Blue Valley and Blue Valley West. … Two losses were to out-of-state teams and three came to state qualifiers – 6A Blue Valley Northwest and Free State and 5A Blue Valley Southwest. … Thunder upset Basehor-Linwood in sub-state finals. … Somerhalder averages 19.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists, shooting 61% form the field. … Hawthorne adds 13.3 points, 5 rebounds and 4.3 assists a game. … Lynch set school single-season rebounding record and averages 9.6 per game. … Niesen adds 8.8 points per game. … Quarterfinal opponent coach Rick Bloomquist of Topeka West coached Dohm during summer when he was young and also coached against Dohm's dad.
TOPEKA WEST
Coach: Rick Bloomquist
Record: 21-1
Sub-state results: beat Eisenhower, 78-46; beat Andover, 73-59.
State-tournament quarterfinal: vs. St. James Academy (15-7), 6 p.m. Wednesday
Key players: Elijah Brooks, 6-4, sr., G; Xavier Alexander, 6-1, jr., G; Sincere Austin, 6-1, jr., G; Zander Putthoff, 6-4, sr., G; Malachi Berg, 6-3, jr., F.
Worth noting: Chargers return to 5A state tournament for second straight year and finished runner-up to Maize last year, falling 55-43 in the championship game. … Chargers have won 20 straight games since suffering lone loss 69-59 to fellow 5A state qualifier Seaman in the second game of the season. … Chargers captured second straight Centennial League title in final year in league before moving to United Kansas Conference next year. … West has three runner-up state finishes in program history with other two coming in 2010 and 2005 and trip is 11
th overall. … Chargers swept fellow 5A qualifier Highland Park. … Brooks leads the state in scoring at 25.7 points per game and became Chargers' all-time leading scorer this season. He also averages 7.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game and set single-game scoring record with 43 points during stretch where he had five straight games of 30 or more. … Austin and Putthoff also were starters on last year's runner-up team and average 10.6 points and 7.5 points per game, respectively. … Alexander averages 10.9 points and 3.8 assists per game. … Berg had career-high 23 points in sub-state championship win and averages 9.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. … Chargers won Topeka Invitational Tournament for first time since 2004 and posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for first time.