CLASS 6A BOYS STATE QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW
SHAWNEE MISSION SOUTH RAIDERS (1: 24-1) VS. MANHATTAN INDIANS (8: 17-7)
6 p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Shawnee Mission South: 2 (1990, 2013); Manhattan: 0.
State tournament appearances – Shawnee Mission South: 16 (last appearance: 2025); Manhattan: 31 (last appearance: 2023).
TOP PLAYERS
Shawnee Mission South: Ben Allen, 6-4, sr., G (16.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.6 apg); Conor Kerrigan, 6-6, jr., C (16.1 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.5 apg); Drake Debaun, 6-6, sr., F (13 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg); Thomas Burns, 6-0, sr. G (9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.9 apg); Kaiden Davis, sr., F (4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.4 apg)
Manhattan: Vince Doering, 6-0, sr., G (12.6 ppg, 3.8 apg); Will Carpenter 6-0, sr., G (15.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg); Sawyer Newton, 6-2, sr., F (10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg) ; Tim Washington, 6-4, sr., F (5.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg); Henry Witt, 6-1, jr., G (6.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Shawnee Mission South: beat Wyandotte, 96-25; beat Blue Valley West, 69-51
Manhattan: beat Wichita-Northwest 58-56; beat Wichita-East 57-48
TEAM TIDBITS
Shawnee Mission South: Raiders return 3 starters from last season’s state tournament team that lost to eventual champion Shawnee Mission Northwest in the first round in Drake Debaun, Conor Kerrigan and Ben Allen. ...South has had four different players score 19 points in one quarter this year. ...Allen leads the team at 56 percent from 3-point range and hit the game-winner against another state tournament team in Olathe North. ...Debaun is the top 10 in school history in both points scored and rebounds. ...Kerrigan who is approaching 1,000 career points, is averaging nearly a double-double on the season.
Manhattan: Indians are back to the state tournament for the first time since 2023 and have rebounded from a 15-loss season a year ago. ...Won the Centennial League for the first time since 2017. ...Head coach Benji George broke program’s all-time wins record that was previously set by Terry Taylor who had 152 wins. ... Doering broke school record for steals in a season and career. ... Indians are 11-1 in games decided by less than 10 points and have three game-winning shots by Doering, including in the sub-state semifinals against Wichita Northwest.
MAIZE EAGLES (4: 20-5) VS. WICHITA HEIGHTS FALCONS (5: 19-5)
8 p.m. Wednesday, Koch Arena, Wichita
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Maize: 1 (2021); Wichita Heights: 7 (1977, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2022).
State tournament appearances – Maize: 11 (last appearance: 2025); Wichita Heights: 28 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Maize: Brayden Myovela, 6-4, sr. G (11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.4 spg); Karson Miles, 6-7, jr., F (12.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg); Ty Willits, 6-3, sr., G (8.6 ppg, 4 rpg); Kingston Lerma, 6-2, jr., G (6.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Wichita Heights: Jalihn Timmons, 6-1, sr., G (21.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.2 apg); Tyson Phillips, 6-7, jr., C (14 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 2.3 bpg); Jordan Timmons, 6-2, jr., G (10.4 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Maize: beat Wichita West, 88-37; beat Topeka High, 68-53
Wichita-Heights: beat Wichita South, 70-41; Garden City, 82-30.
TEAM TIDBITS
Maize: Myovela has had a big year for the Eagles as he leads the team in rebounds, assists and steals per game and is second on the team in scoring. ...Myovela hit his 1,000th career point earlier this season. ...Eagles finished second in the AVCTL-1 behind Maize South. ...Head coach Zach Bush is in his first year with the program replacing long-time coach Chris Grill.
Wichita Heights: Timmons passed 1,000 career points earlier this season and tied the school record for most points in a game with 43 against Andover Central. ...Falcons have good inside-outside punch with Timmons and center Tyson Phillips, who is currently averaging a double-double. ...Falcons trying for their first state title since 2022. ... State appearance is first for Gary Thomason as head coach after he replaced legendary coach Joe Auer.
MILL VALLEY JAGUARS (2: 22-3) VS. BLUE VALLEY NORTH MUSTANGS (7: 19-6)
8 p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Mill Valley: 1 (2016); Blue Valley North: 2 (1997, 2021).
State tournament appearances – Mill Valley: 9 (last appearance: 2025); Blue Valley North: 13 (last appearance: 2023).
TOP PLAYERS
Mill Valley: Reece Riedel, 6-5, sr., G/F (20.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5 apg, 2.8 spg); JaKhai Carter, 6-2, sr., G (11.6 ppg, 3.3 apg); Jack Carpenter, 6-2, sr. G (8 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.6 apg); Dylan Everhart, 6-6, sr., F (6.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
Blue Valley North: CJ Duson, 6-0, sr., G (11.8 ppg, 6 apg, 3.4 rpg); Will Davis, 6-8, jr., F (18.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.0 apg); Colton Nichols, 6-4, jr., G (18.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 3.1 apg): Jackson Reis, 6-3, sr., G (9.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg); Tyler Sand, 6-0, sr., G (2.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2 apg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Mill Valley: beat Lawrence, 92-50; beat Olathe East, 62-57
Blue Valley North: beat Shawnee Mission East, 55-39; beat Olathe West, 71-56
TEAM TIDBITS
Mill Valley: The Jaguars earned an undefeated Sunflower League title with victories over Shawnee Mission South and Olathe North at the end of the season and handed South its only loss of the year. ...Reece Riedel and JaKhai Carter both eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark this season. ...Riedel broke three program records — single game scoring with 41 points, points in a season with 504 and career points with 1,277. ...Head coach Kurt Bangle passed his 100th career win and the Jaguars eclipsed the most wins in a single season in program history with 22.
Blue Valley North: After starting the season 2-4, the Mustangs went on a tear as they won 17 of their final 19 games. ...Finished undefeated in Eastern Kansas League play and earned a league title. ...Head Coach Ryan Phifer earned win No. 300 in their sub-state championship win over Olathe West. ...North has three players that average in double figures, including 18 point per game performances from juniors Will Davis and Colton Nichols.
OLATHE NORTH EAGLES (3: 21-4) VS. DERBY PANTHERS (6: 19-6)
2 p.m. Wednesday, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City
STATE TOURNAMENT HISTORY
State championships -- Olathe North 0; Derby: 0.
State tournament appearances – Olathe North: 9 (last appearance: 2025); Derby: 10 (last appearance: 2025).
TOP PLAYERS
Olathe North: Sam Simmons, 5-11, sr., G (14.5 ppg, 5 apg, 2.6 spg); Cam Love, 6-5, sr., F (15.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.8 spg); Max Galindo, 5-11, sr., G (13.1 ppg)
Derby: Avant Riley, 5-10, jr. G (16 ppg, 4 apg); Greg Stiger, 6-1, soph., G (15 ppg, 4 rpg, 3 apg); Cale Clingan, 6-9, sr., F (13 ppg, 6 rpg)
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Olathe North: beat Shawnee Mission Northwest, 76-50; beat Blue Valley, 68-57
Derby: beat Free State, 67-59; beat Junction City, 73-61
TEAM TIDBITS
Olathe North: Eagles are headed to state for a fifth straight season as they look for their first ever state championship. ...Lone Kansas losses have been to the No. 1 and 2 seeds in the state tournament (Shawnee Mission South, Mill Valley), along with a pair of setbacks to two Missouri schools. ...Earlier this month senior Cam Love scored his 1,000th career point, while Sam Simmons set school records for single season and career steals, along with single season assists. ...Max Galindo set the single season school record for 3-pointers made in a year with 70.
Derby: Won the McPherson Invitational Tournament for the first time since 2010. ...Avant Riley made a school record nine 3-pointers in a game earlier this year, that was after he and teammate Greg Stiger held the previous record with eight. ...Panthers have made the state tournament three of the last four years, which included a third place finish in 2023.