CLASS 3A BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2025-26
 

KAMDEN BARNETT, FREDONIA
 
Barnett, a junior, served notice of his scoring potential in the Yellowjackets’ season opener, pouring in 49 points in a 93-85 loss to Neodesha. The 6-foot-1 guard added 10 rebounds, 9 assists and 4 steals in the shootout. A second-team All-Tri-Valley League selection last season, Barnett averaged 12.7 points and 6.3 rebounds as Fredonia went 15-7, falling to Girard in triple overtime in the sub-state semifinals. Barnett helped the Yellowjackets win 14 games as a freshman, averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 assists. With two-thirds of Fredonia’s scoring gone from last year’s team, Barnett’s offensive consistency will be important. 
 

AJ BATISTE, WICHITA COLLEGIATE
 
Amid a rash of injuries and ailments that hindered Collegiate’s quest to reach the state tournament in its final season under longtime coach Mitch Fiegel, Batiste averaged 15.7 points and 4.7 rebounds to lead the Spartans to a 16-6 record. With his senior classmate Sebastian Hines-Turner back from an Achilles injury that derailed his 2024-25 campaign, the duo provides new coach Nate Schmitt with a strong nucleus moving forward. Batiste, a versatile guard, landed All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail IV first-team honors for the second straight season and received All-Class 3A honorable mention.
 

TREY CHAMBERS, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

Heritage Christian enters the new season with one of the Kaw Valley League’s most dynamic floor generals in sophomore point guard Trey Chambers. The 5-foot-7 playmaker is back for his second year as a starter after a standout freshman campaign that saw him earn first-team all-league honors and was an all-state honorable mention selection. Chambers averaged 11.4 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game last season to lead the Chargers. 
 

   
MADDUX CHEEVER, BURLINGTON
 
While Cheever has ranked second on the Wildcats in every statistical category except one, it’s that one that head coach Justin Logan deems his importance to the team as Cheever has led the Wildcats in minutes played the past two seasons. The 6-foot-2 forward averaged 10.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last year as a complement to All-Class 3A pick Sage Fefjar. With Fefjar having graduated, Cheever, a second-team All-Pioneer League selection and three-year captain, will become Burlington’s go-to guy this season as the lone returning starter from last year’s Class 3A state tournament team.
 

 BRODY DENISTON, HOLCOMB

A state champion in track and cross country, Deniston leads an experienced group of Longhorns looking to build off last season’s 17-5 campaign. The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 13.5 points and 3.5 assists as a junior. The Longhorns captured the Great West Activities Conference title with a 10-2 record in league play. They fell to Beloit in the sub-state semifinals. Deniston was a first-team All-GWAC selection and earned honorable mention All-3A honors last season.
 

 
BECKAM GRIFFIN, RIVERSIDE
 
Griffin knows nothing but starting games for Riverside, be it as a four-year starter at quarterback for the football team or a four-year starter for the basketball team at a forward spot. The 6-foot-2 senior earned first-team All-Northeast Kansas League honors last year after averaging 9 points and 9 rebounds per game. He’s a 53% field goal shooter for his career and goes into his senior season 74 points shy of 500 in his career and 37 rebounds shy of 400.
 

 
DERRICK HARVEY, OSKALOOSA
 
The 6-foot-5 Harvey took over as Oskaloosa’s starting center position last year and flourished. Harvey nearly averaged a double-double, scoring 13.1 points per game while also grabbing 9.1 rebounds per game. That garnered him first-team All-Northeast Kansas League and honorable mention All-Class 2A honors. He will benefit from the return of junior point guard Richie Rockhold, who averaged 13.5 points per game last year, but missed 10 games due to injury. They’ll look to lead Oskaloosa to an improved mark over last year’s 7-14 record as the Bears move up to class 3A this season.
 

 
TY HEITSCHMIDT, SMOKY VALLEY
 
Heitschmidt heads a large group of veteran Vikings looking to change their fortunes after back-to-back, 4-win seasons. The 6-foot-5 senior averaged 14.7 points and 7.3 rebounds last winter to lead Smoky Valley, which frequently struggled to generate offense amid tough challenges inside and outside the Central Kansas League. Heitschmidt earned second-team All-CKL honors and All-3A honorable mention. While he was the lone Viking to earn postseason accolades, Smoky Valley also returns senior point guard Braylon Olson, a two-year starter who averaged 9.1 points last season.
 

 
DAYNE JOHNSON, SILVER LAKE
 
At a Class 3A state tournament loaded with standout players, the argument could be made that Johnson was the best player in Hutchinson. He led the 3A state tournament in scoring with 71 points, averaging 23.7 per game in leading the Eagles to a third-place finish. That was just a tick over his season average of 21 points per game. Johnson, a 6-foot-3 forward, also added 8 rebounds and 3 assists per game and earned first-team All-Big East League and All-Class 3A honors. The four-year starter, who averaged 17 point per game as a sophomore, is the lone returning starter for the Eagles this season, so his numbers could grow even more this season.
 

KORBIN JOHNSON, HOLCOMB

Johnson is part of a strong returning cast that helped the Longhorns go 17-5 last season. He averaged 9.3 points and 3.4 assists as a junior. Johnson was a second-team All-Great West Activities Conference selection a year ago. He also earned honorable mention All-2A honors. Johnson was a key contributor on the Longhorn football team that went 9-1 this past fall.
 

JORDAN JONES, COLBY

The Eagles were hit hard by graduation but returned a proven scorer in Jones. The 6-foot guard averaged 19 points and 3.1 assists as a junior. The Eagles went 12-10 last season in their final year under Tom Stephens, who retired with more than 500 career victories. His son, Reed Stephens, takes over as head coach. Jones was a first-team All-Great West Activities Conference selection last season. He also earned honorable mention All-3A honors.
 

 
OWEN JUST, MINNEAPOLIS
 
A four-year starter at guard for the Lions, Just saw his numbers jump in a big way last year. He went from being just an honorable mention All-North Central Activities Association pick as a sophomore to a first-team all-league selection last year as a junior. The 6-foot guard averaged 17 points and 7 rebounds per game and also dished out 2 assists a contest. He made all-tournament teams at the Tri-County Classic and Hoisington Winter Jam and was honorable mention All-Class 3A.
 

MASON MARTIN, HOISINGTON
 
One of two returning starters for the Cardinals, Martin led Hoisington in scoring (14.7 points per game) and rebounding (4.1) last season, earning first-team All-Central Kansas League honors. His play helped the Cardinals knock off Class 4A state qualifier Pratt and push eventual 3A champion Hesston midway through the season. Hoisington’s best bet for success after a 12-10 season is to find some complementary scoring for Martin, but coach Kyle Haxton believes the senior has the potential to increase his production.
 

COOPER MCGOWAN, ELLSWORTH

McGowan filled up the stat sheet for the Bearcats last year as a junior. He averaged 10 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 4.8 steals and 2.2 blocks. Ellsworth will look to improve upon last year’s 8-12 campaign. McGowan earned first team All-North Central Activities Association honors and was honorable mention All-3A last season. He is coming off a standout season for the Bearcat football team.

BRAYLON MULL, GOODLAND

The 6-foot senior has played key minutes on Goodland’s state runner-up teams in each of the last two seasons. He’ll step into a senior leadership role for a squad that suffered significant graduation losses. Mull averaged 8.2 points and 3.3 assists last season for the Cowboys, who went 22-4, falling to Hesston in the title game. Dawson Raymer takes over as Goodland head coach after Mike Doll accepted the Beloit job. Mull earned second-team All-Great West Activities Conference honors and was honorable mention All-3A last season.
 

 
JASPER SALLEE, OSAWATOMIE
 
Sallee enters his third year starting at guard for the Trojans and is coming off his best season. A second-team All-Pioneer League pick, Sallee posted numbers certainly worthy of first-team merit. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and also snagged 2.5 steals a game. He’s averaging 10.6 points per game for his career and has a shot at 1,000 career points this season, going into it with 647 career points. Sallee was honorable mention All-Class 3A last year. 

 

TY UNRUH, HESSTON
 
Swathers coach Garrett Roth is expecting a breakout season for Unruh, one of three returning starters for the reigning Class 3A champions. Unruh averaged just over 6 points per game last winter as Hesston finished a 24-2 season with a 51-46 victory over Goodland for the title. Unruh came up big in that game, scoring eight points early in the second half on the way to a 16-point effort that complemented standout senior Reed Friesen’s team-high 21. With junior Drew Bartell, an All-Central Kansas League second-team selection, and senior Daniel Lumbreras, who averaged in double figures last season, back in the fold, Hesston has a lot to go with Unruh in 2025-26.
 

 
BRAYDEN WHEAT, ANDERSON COUNTY
 
While teammate Noah Porter attracted plenty of attention a year ago on his way to averaging 23.4 points per game, Wheat served as a powerful complement on the perimeter. He finished his junior season averaging 16.6 points to finish second to Porter. The 5-foot-10 guard also averaged double figures as a sophomore at 10.9 points per game and he’s made more than 30 3-pointers each of the past two seasons. Wheat was a second-team All-Pioneer League pick last year.