CLASS 1A DIVISION II BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2025-26

 

 
TANNER BRUNA, HANOVER
 
A three-year starter for the Wildcats, Bruna provided some inside brawn with his 6-foot-3 frame allowing him to battle in the paint with opposing posts. Bruna averaged 10 points and 6 rebounds per game and also recorded 2 blocks a contest. He earned second-team All-Twin Valley League honors for the second straight season and was an honorable mention All-Class 1A Division II selection for the second straight season as well. Bruna was a key performer as Hanover captured the Eight-Player Division II state championship this fall, going undefeated.
 
 

 
FRANCISCO DUENAS, ROLLA

The Pirates return their top player in Duenas, who averaged 13.3 points in his junior season. He’s one of six players who entered this season with varsity experience for Rolla, which is looking to improve on last year’s 3-14 record. Duenas earned first-team All-Santa Fe Trail League honors last season and was honorable mention All-1A Division II.
 

NOAH EVANS, MOSCOW

Evans is the top returner on a Moscow team that will look to find the win column after going winless last season. Evans averaged nine points last season as a sophomore, earning first-team All-Santa Fe Trail League honors. Cory Bixler takes over as coach for the Wildcats, who return four starters.

 

 
ED HORINEK, BELOIT-ST. JOHN’S

Horinek is a prolific scorer for the Blujays, putting up 21.9 points per game in his junior season. Beloit-St. John’s went 15-7 a year ago, falling to eventual state champion Axtell in the sub-state final. Highlights for Horinek included a 41-point game against Phillipsburg and a 32-point outing against Lakeside. His big season earned him second-team All-1A Division II and first-team All-Northern Plains League recognition.  

 
LEVI LANG, MINNEOLA

Lang will look to help the Wildcats improve on last year’s 9-win season. He put up a team-high 17 points per game as a junior, adding 4.5 rebounds and 3 steals per contest. Lang was exceptional down the stretch last season, scoring 20 points or more points in six straight games including 37 against La Crosse. Lang earned second-team All-SPIAA honors and was honorable mention All-1A Division II.

 
DANIEL MASON, WHEATLAND-GRINNELL

Mason is one of five returning starters for the Thunderhawks. He averaged 9.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks last season as a junior. Mason scored a season-high 21 points against Golden Plains. He was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League selection and received honorable mention All-1A Division II. The Thunderhawks went 10-11 last season.
 

 
BRAYLON MEYN, HANOVER
 
Meyn has been an offensive threat for the Wildcats ever since his freshman season when he moved into a starting role. The 6-foot-1 wing can play guard or forward depending on the matchup and last year led the Wildcats in scoring at 16 points per game. He also grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 3.5 assists per game as Hanover finished as Twin Valley League Tournament runner-up to state champion Axtell and returned to the Division II state tournament, falling in the first round to Elyria Christian. Meyn helped the Wildcat football team to the Eight-Player Division II state championship in the fall as its leading receiver.
 
 

JAMESON MILES, PEABODY
 
The Warriors struggled to a 5-16 record last season, but with five returning starters, experience could be a plus. Miles was Peabody’s top offensive threat, averaging 18.3 points and 9 rebounds to earn All-Wheat State and All-1A Division II honorable mention. Peabody returns another double-figure scorer in Miles’ fellow junior Aiden Hurst. The 6-foot-2 Miles made five 3-pointers and scored 24 points in an opening-week loss to Wichita Central Christian Academy.
 

 
COLTEN MUSIL, DEERFIELD

Deerfield returned its top scorer from a season ago in Musil, who averaged 13.2 points as a sophomore. Musil scored 20 or more points in three different games including a season-high 25 points against Elkhart. Musil earned first-team All-Santa Fe League Trail honors and was honorable mention All-1A Division II. Deerfield went 8-13 last season.
 

 
LOGAN SANDMANN, AXTELL
 
On a team led by four-year starting seniors Brandon Schmelzle and Eli Broxterman, Sandmann became a bit of an X-factor as Axtell made the climb to the top of Class 1A Division II, capturing the state title with a win over undefeated and defending champion Cunningham in the finals. Emerging as a true post presence for the Eagles, Sandmann averaged 12.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, as well as 2.3 blocks per game. He’s added two more inches to his frame, now 6-foot-6, and has bulked up in the weight room, becoming a dominant blocker for the football team. He’s one of four returning Eagles with starting experience as they look to defend their state championship.
 
 

 
COLLIN SHAUGHNESSY, AXTELL
 
Shaughnessy was instant offense off the bench a year ago for Axtell and a big key to the Eagles completing their quest for a state title. A 6-foot-1 wing, Shaughnessy could score anywhere on the floor and actually led the team in scoring a year ago with 14 points per game. The only game the Eagles lost in a 25-1 season was one Shaughnessy missed. He’ll move into a full-time starting role this year and team with returning post Logan Sandmann and returning starters Landon Schmitz and Wyatt Detweiler to give Axtell enough pieces to make a run at a second straight championship.
 

 
EVAN SLAVIK, THUNDER RIDGE

Slavik is back to lead the Longhorns after a stellar junior season that saw him average 16.9 points and 11.9 rebounds. Slavik had eight games with 20 or more points including 30 against Stockton. He was a first-team All-Northern Plains League choice and received honorable mention All-1A Division II honors. Thunder Ridge will look to make strides after going 7-11 last season.

 

AUSTIN SWONGER, SOUTH BARBER
 
After leading South Barber to the Six-Player state semifinals in football, Swonger has turned his attention to basketball, where he earned All-Heart of the Plains first-team honors last season with teammate Oakley Duvall. Duvall has graduated, but Swonger and fellow junior Garen Cantrell provide the Chieftains with valuable experience as they try to improve on a 10-13 record. Each of South Barber’s last two seasons have ended with sub-state final losses to Cunningham.
 

 
GAVIN THALHEIM, NORTHERN VALLEY

Thalheim, a senior, leads a group of five returning starters for Northern Valley, which will look to improve on last season’s 5-16 campaign. Thalheim led the team in scoring with 15.7 points per game, adding 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4 steals a contest. He scored 34 points in an early-season win over Triplains/Brewster last year. Thalheim was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League pick and was honorable mention All-1A Division II.  

 
DYLAN WARK, GOLDEN PLAINS

Wark, a senior, is the lone returning starter for the Bulldogs, who went 7-14 last season. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2 steals per game. Wark had six games with more than 20 points last season including a season-high 29 against Wallace County. He was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League pick and was honorable mention All-1A Division II.

 

 
COY WILKINSON, HARTFORD
 
Hartford posted its first winning season in several years, going 15-8 last year, and Wilkinson’s emergence was a big reason. A second-team All-Lyon County League pick for the second straight year, Wilkinson raised his scoring average to a robust 19.2 points per game. He added 4.2 rebounds and 2 steals per game as well, earning third-team All-Class 1A Division II honors. Wilkinson is 315 points from hitting the 1,000-point mark in his junior campaign this year and is 33 rebounds away from 200. The 6-foot-2 guard is one of four returning starters for the Jaguars as they look to take another step this season after falling one win short of reaching the state tournament last year.