Latest local news, weather and high school sports for Tri-State area

Welcome to the 2012 KHQA DO OR DIE BASKETBALL WRAP UP SHOW Internet Companion. If would like to purchase a hard copy DVD as a souvenir, you can do so by calling (217) 222-6200 during normal business hours and requesting a dub of the Do or Die Show.

We ask only that you enjoy these All Star offerings in the spirit they were intended. This is purely entertainment and purely based on nothing more than our opinions. We aren't experts in any sense of the word. We aren't college scouts. We are just a bunch of regular guys who see a whole lot of basketball every winter. And very little of what is said here will determine or shape anyone's future careers in the sport of basketball. This is simply a fun way for us to recognize some really outstanding young people. If you feel strongly about any of our opinions or would like to voice any of your own, I am always open to discussion. You can contact me at cduerr@khqa.com and all things said in confidence to me remain in confidence. I will warn you though that any discussion that starts with "how could you pick (insert player name here) over my son or daughter" will be roundly ignored and dismissed with prejudice. I fully invite you to assert the positives of your candidate of choice. You start tearing down other kids, you and I will have a serious beef.

In the sake of full disclosure, I remind you that no player who served a disciplinary suspension this season for non-basketball reasons is eligible for either our Player of the Year awards or First Team All Do or Die honors. If you want to make this particular All Star team, we demand citizenship and character as well as a sterling points per game average. Beyond that, I hope you enjoy. It has been, as always, our pleasure serving you.

Yours in Basketball,

Chris Duerr

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2012 KHQA Girls Basketball Player of the Year

JORDAN FRERICKS, Quincy Notre Dame

Rationale: With two state titles already to her credit and Division One Scholarship offers starting to flood in, the QND Junior is fast carving out a place for herself in the Ruth Kipping/Dewella Holliday/Teresa Jackson strata of All Time Tri State girls greats. To wit, I am not sure the Player of the Year conversation in our office ever once strayed beyond Miss Jordan as the obvious de facto choice: from preseason favorite to landslide winner. Bottom line, and I mean this in the most complimentary fashion possible, Jordan is a basketball anomaly and one of the most freakishly talented kids I have ever seen. Girls players at the high school level are not supposed to be this fast, this long, this reactive. I made analogy to a friend in Pittsfield this year that if you fused the best assets of Payson Point Guard Aaron Edwards and Pittsfield Center Dalton Hoover into a basketball "super entity" then you might have the best approximation of what Jordan brings to the table. That's just how big a difference maker she is on the floor for QND; particularly on defense where she gives you the vintage Stacy Augmon elasticity at the top of the press.

Runner-Up: ASHTON LUTTRULL, Highland

Past Winners:

2011-Tiffany King, West Central

2010-Karlee Gengenbacher, Quincy Notre Dame

2009-Tori Niemann, Canton

2008-Marley Hall, West Hancock

2007-McKensey Long, Carthage

2006-Mikal Bencomo, Clopton

2005-Sara Liesen, Quincy Notre Dame

2004-Lexanne Dickerson, Carthage

2003-Jennifer Goetz, Cardinal Stritch

2002-Sam Quigle, Southeastern

2001-Jennifer Goetz, Cardinal Stritch

2000-Dewella Holliday, Monroe City

1999-Dewella Holliday, Monroe City

1998-Ruth Kipping, Quincy High

1997-Ruth Kipping, Quincy High

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2012 KHQA Girls Basketball Coach of the Year:

ERIC ORNE, Quincy Notre Dame

Rationale: Winning one state championship is hard enough. Repeating that feat while wearing the state's biggest bull's eye? That is a different level kind of good. The kind of achievement that earns you the rare distinction of becoming our first ever repeat winner of this award in consecutive years. It's hard to argue with anything in Eric Orne's body of work. In fact, the prevailing basketball wisdom is that he's getting better at his craft as he goes along; learning the finesse of when to push the accelerator with these undeniably talented girls and learning when to loosen the reigns. Learning when to push the envelope with the schedule, and when to give his team time to rest. With two state titles already to his credit, Eric Orne has gone from a guy enduring "will he ever win the big one" whispers to now being sized up for a place on the Mount Rushmore of Gem City Basketball. And it doesn't appear that he is remotely done in the wins column with this still evolving dynasty. Maybe we should just save ourselves the trouble and name this award after the guy now.

Runner-Up: ZACH KEENE, Illini West

Past Winners:

2011-Eric Orne, Quincy Notre Dame

2010-Mike Johnson, Marion County

2009-Ken Schuster, West Hancock

2008-Eric Orne, Quincy Notre Dame

2007-Bruce Martin, Routt

2006-Zach Keene, Carthage

2005-Jerry Jerome, Keokuk

2004-Jay Baldwin, Holy Trinity

2003-Matt Long, Central

2002-Kent O'Laughlin, South Shelby

2001-Tony Sargent, Cardinal Stritch

2000-Bob Plourde, Monroe City

1999-Randy Spratt, Marion County

1998-Bill Lapp, Carthage

1997-Jerry Jerome, Warsaw

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2012 KHQA ALL DO OR DIE TEAM

POINT GUARD

First Team Picks

Starter: ASHTON LUTTRULL, Highland

Reserve: RANDI LEE PLUNKETT, Marion County

Reserve: TRACI KELLER, Central Lee

2012 was not a particularly deep vintage for point guards. What we lacked in quantity, however, we made up for in high end talent at the front of the curve thanks to the rise of three exceptional floor generals; two of whom will be back next season.

From our vantage point, Highland's Ashton Luttrull was the number two overall player, regardless of position, in Tri State girls basketball this season. And the reigning Clarence Cannon Conference Player of the Year was without peer among area guards: a stat sheet stuffer with every tool in the arsenal. Ashton was the most prolific scorer in the region at better than 20 points per night and bedeviled Cougar foes with a perfect mix of perimeter and interior scoring. And trying to defend her proved a fools errand as she would overpower fellow guards and use her mobility and excellent handle to lose bigger players in route to easy conversions. Factor in her exceptional floor vision and ability to create shots for her teammates, which she did to the tune of nearly five and half assists at game, and you have the most versatile and lethal offensive weapon in the Tri States. More to the point, Ashton was an intense defender and one of the more active rebounding guards this area has produced in the last decade. The Highland Junior's stellar stat line earned her First Team All State honors and have put her on mid-major Division One recruiting radar. And with another year to augment her resume, who knows how high's Miss Luttrull's ceiling might ultimately scale.

Like Ashton Luttull, Marion County Senior Randi Lee Plunkett returns to our Do or Die team for extend duty after forging one of the most impressive career resumes in the business. The driving force behind four consecutive Final Four appearances, Randi Lee goes down as one of the headiest, irreplacable leaders ever to matriculate through Tri State Basketball. She produced great nightly stats, clearly, at 16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals per outing. But the gestalt of RLP had little to do with her numbers. She put a fight and ferocity into the Lady Mustangs that took the talent pool to a higher level; not just the brains behind the operation but the heart and soul of all that success as well. A kid who just flat refused to lose, never shortchanged a game, and seemingly got better every time the degree of pressure or difficulty on herself or her teammates ratcheted up. That is the rarest of gifts and one Mike Johnson will be hard pressed to replace going forward.

The Tri State's next Randi Lee Plunkett, however, may have already arrived in Southeast Iowa. Central Lee junior Traci Keller comes from great basketball bloodlines, but somehow traded the scorers gene of her cousins for a true point guards pedigree. An All District selection and All Area pick by the Burlington Hawkeye, Traci served as the ideal table setter for Central Lee's talented roster, doling out 3 assists per game as well as setting an intense tempo on defense, where she was good for two and half steals per game. She also averaged 13 points per game within the Lady Hawks ensemble cast and displayed great ability to contribute both from the perimeter and penetrating to the basket.

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Second Team Picks

CARLY SPALDING, Monroe City

Why She's Here: Top end potential. Lightning quick Junior proved one of the toughest defensive draws in Northeast Missouri and a very capable scorer when he confidence was high. She has All State potential next season.

EMILY BYSTRY, Jacksonville Routt

Why She's Here: Stifling defense. Arguably best lockdown defender at her position, finished with 93 steals and generated easy transition scoring off that disruption to the tune of 10 points per game.

KASEY GATSON, Van-Far

Why She's Here: Best kept secret in Tri State basketball due to her team's struggles. One of just three area players to average 20 points per game while leading the Indians in Assists, Free Throw Percentage and steals to boot.

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Third Team Picks

SHANNON FOLEY, Quincy Notre Dame

AIMEE KERLEY, Brown County

ALEXIS VAN NOSTRAND, Palmyra

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OFF GUARD

First Team Picks

Starter: KASSIDY GENGENBACHER, QND

Reserve: CARLY BEEBE, South Fulton

Reserve: SHEA O'BRIEN, Pittsfield

In contrast to the one spot, this proved to be a buyers market for two guards. The quality and depth of talent here was such that we considered nearly a dozen different prospects for first team honors.

Even within that spirited discussion, Quincy Notre Dame All Stater Kassidy Gengenbacher emerged early on as our most coveted building block in the backcourt. Clearly, when you seek to stock this position, you are looking for kids who can score the basketball and Kassidy did that to the tune of 16 and half points per game on what just might be the best ensemble starting five ever assembled in Tri State Basketball. For a team that so transparently loved to run and transition; Kassidy was the ultimate counterbalance: arguably the most important half court weapon Eric Orne had at his disposal. Not simply because of her range, but because of her proficiency and shot selection. The fact that Kassidy converted on 56% of her field goal attempts as two guard might be the single most impressive stat in Tri State Basketball this season; because it's not supposed to happen that way for a high volume backcourt scorer. Making better than 40% of your three point attempts isn't too shabby a number either. While the QND All Stater will probably go down as one of the best pure shooters in Tri State history, there's a lot more to love in her game as well. She handles the ball better then most point guards; is incredibly unselfish moving the basketball (almost to a fault) and really impressed me this year with the strides she made locking down opponents or pestering everyone with her press defense. She is a First Team All State pick as a Junior and a two-time state champion, and yet it still might be entirely possible that Kassidy is the most underrated player in Tri State Basketball; given the company she keeps. By the same token, she plays that Dwayne Wade role at 10th and Jackson perhaps as well as the original himself.

Future Quincy University Lady Hawk Carli Beebe left an indelible mark on South Fulton Basketball as the programs all time scoring leader with 1917 total points; averaging 19.8 points per game in this, her senior season. But it is her ability to completely fill out a stat sheet that turned our heads and demands her inclusion here. Carli was the Lady Rebels Rebounding and Assists leader for four straight years; averaging 7 rebounds and 4 dimes per game this winter as well as generating 135 total steals, a clip of 4 per game. Truth be told, there really isn't anything Miss Beebe doesn't do to help a team; which is directly reflective of the stellar 27 and 5 record the Lady Rebs fashioned this season and the Class 1A 2nd Team All State honor recognizing those contributions.

With an eye on bolstering our perimeter firepower, we draft Pittsfield's Shea O'Brien to the cause as well. An Offensive Dynamo, the Saukee star averaged just a shade under 20 points per night despite being one of the most defensively targeted weapons in the region. Shea did as much long range damage as any player in the Tri States, converting 64 three point shots on the season. And when she got on a roll, no area player was harder to slow down. The Saukee junior has a tremendously high ceiling go forward and looks to have a future Tri State Scoring title in her future.

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Second Team Picks

YANNI SADLER, Macomb

Why She's Here: Poise beyond her years. Yanni obviously is a gifted, precocious athlete but for a freshman to score so much (11 ppg) so effeciently (46% from the field) belies that she is really good from the neck up as well.

JACEY HARTWEG, West Hancock

Why She's Here: Versatility. Super strong scorer who can play in the paint or stretch a team to the perimeter with her three point marksmanship. Sneaky good defender who garnered better than three and half steals per game.

ERICA BROWN, Clopton

Why She's Here: Efficency. The future John Wood Trailblazer averaged 11 points per game on 52% shooting from the field; which is stellar given the number of threes she took. Very good floor vision and passing skills don't hurt either.

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Third Team Picks

JESSICA BEAM, Central Lee

ARAIYA DADE, Quincy High

RACHEL MOTLEY, Western

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SMALL FORWARD

First Team

Starter: JORDAN FRERICKS, QND

Reserve: BREANNE BEGEMANN, Unity

Reserve: ALEXIS LOZANO-DOBBS, Keokuk

Our last order of business is to welcome a pair of front court reserves at the Small Forward. Two players who will ply their respective trades at the three in support of our designated starter and your 2012 KHQA Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Unity junior Breanne Begeman earns her DO or DIE stripes on the strength of her tenacious rebounding. For whatever size the Mustang Wing gives away in the paint at 5'9", she more than makes up for with moxie, outstanding anticipation, and quickness. Breanne bedeviled more traditional post players to the tune of nine boards nightly, which makes her inch for inch, the most active rebounder in the Tri States. But while that may be Miss Begeman's Signature Skill, good luck finding any real flaw in her game. She has a fully developed offensive game, at any range, which she showed off to tune of nearly 14 points a contest and often times found herself playing the role of Point Forward while distributing within the offense. There is clearly a lot of upside to her game and we suspect that Breanne will find herself in line for Ashton Luttrull/Carly Beebe type stat-line and All State accord in her senior season.

Keokuk's Alexis Lozano Dobbs offers us a very different dynamic on the Wing, where her most prized attribution may well be her energy. In NBA parlance, the Keokuk Senior is a Paul George/Chandler Parsons type cog who gives you all the little things in every phase of the game that less savvy "show me the numbers" basketball fans never notice. Make no mistake, Alexis put up decent scoring totals with 10 points a game within the Chiefs ensemble attack. But those points are just the icing on the cake with Alexis. The clinchers on her resume are her relentless intensity on defense; her non-stop motor at both ends of the floor, her tone-setting selflessness and toughness. She is a glue player, in the best sense of the word...and maybe one of the finest glue players the Tri States has seen in a long time because all Alexis does is everything it takes to beat you. Other players may have dwarfed her stat-line. But I defy you to find me a kid who dwarfs Alexis' will to win, which makes her the perfect accessory here. .

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Second Team

MEGAN BRENNAN, Clark County

Why She's Here: Bad luck. In new format, we cut one 1st Team roster spot. Megan was the odd woman odd; which is a crime. She posted back-to-back Triple Doubles this season & went for 15 and 7 nightly. A+ kid. Saddens me .

ANDREA LIETZ, West Central

Why She's Here: The lone holdover from a 2011 Title team, Andrea showed she could shoulder the load in a huge way averaging 16 points per game. No young lady in our area better at drawing contact, getting to the charity stripe.

ALIVIA NELSON, Central-Southeastern

Why She's Here: Pure athleticism. One of the smoothest, most accomplished do-it-all talents in our area. Few players were more fun to watch in transition, or better finishers around the basket. Accepting Frericks, she might have the best long range potential on this list.

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Third Team

JOHANNA GROSS, Routt

KATHLEEN HINKLE, Knox County

MEGAN CREEK, Scotland County

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POWER FORWARD

First Team Picks

Starter: TORI KUHN, QND

Reserve: LAUREN GRONEWOLD, Illini West

Reserve: KELSEY SCHERDER, Bowling Green

On stats alone, it would be really easy to justify starting Power Forward status on our Dream Team for Quincy Notre Dame's Tori Kuhn. She led the two time State Champions in rebounding this season at with 309 cleanups this season (better than nine per game,) was among the area's most proficient and reliable interior scorers converting at nearly 70% for the season, and earned Illinois Basketball Coaching Association All State plaudits along the way for her work. That's all fine and well but the truth of the matter here is that as impressive as her number may have been, pure stats alone do Tori a disservice in measuring her relative value to the Lady Raider cause. You simply won't find a better leader, tone setter, or more unselfish kid in Tri State Basketball and in so many ways it was Tori's willingness to sublimate her own stats, make the extra pass, or give her self up on defense that truly facilitated this unbelievable run of success at 10th and Jackson. And for reasons tangible and intangible, Lindenwood is darned lucky to have her join the ranks going forward.

In another less star studded season: you could have made a very compelling Player of the Year argument for Illini West senior Lauren Gronewold. Back in November, when the Chargers were a team battling youth, injuries, and maddening night to night inconsistency, the notion of this team reaching a Sectional seemed outright laughable. But Lauren Gronewold never quit working and lifted the entire culture up around her. Her relentless work ethic and across the board contributions set a high standard for he teammates to emulate; so much so that by season's end Illini West pocketed a Regional Title and was one of the last teams standing in Western Illinois. Subtract Lauren from this equation...and no area team takes a bigger hit in the win column. She was worth a bankable 18 points, 11 rebounds and six steals nightly; production that netted her a first team All State nod from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Associaton.

Multi-faceted Bowling Green Junior Kelsey Scherder rounds out our rotation at Power Forward and helps us create ample matchup issues with her ability to generate offense from both the paint and the perimeter. Kelsey averaged 12 and a half points per game this season within a very balanced Bobcat attack, fueling her team to 22 wins and a District Title; knocking back a team high 36 triples on the year. With her back to the basket, Kelsey provided tradition low post presence as well, scoring at a 50% clip on her 2 point attempts, while two shots a game. Though she wasn't an overwhelmingly rebounder, Kelsey more than made it for it in other phases of the game with outstanding passing ability and some of the quickest/surest defensive reflexes of any front court player in our area, netting nearly three steals nightly.

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Second Team

BROOKLYN MOORE, Unity

Why She's Here: Moxie. One of my very favorite players in that she is incredibly tough on the boards, one of the best passing/most unselfish frontcourt players around. Love that she converts every hustle play. Heart and soul of the Lady Mustangs and one of the better "sleeper" prospects for much bigger awards next season.

KATIE SERBIN, Palmyra

Why She's Here: Length. Better known for her stellar softball exploits, Katie is a terrific low post presence. Her numbers suffer in P-town's ensemble cast, but she's really clever around the basket, gets to a lot of rebounds, and is fearless in tracking down the basketball. This might not be her "best sport" but she is pretty darned good at it.

MACKENZIE GROSSMAN, Mark Twain

Why She's Here: Can't help myself. I am a sucker for a shot blocker. And Miss Grossman might be the most unique I've ever seen. She's 5'9" and a sophomore...and she's the area's answer to Anthony Davis (minus the uni-brow) Say it with me slowly: 8.2 blocks per game? Eight games of double digit blocks. 20 swats alone against Centralia? Stellar timing/great hops are the secret. She's far from a finished product and she needs to get a little stronger in the paint holding her ground for rebounds, but what a fun kid to watch going forward.

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Third Team

JADA MATHESON, Central Lee

ELIZABETH LINBERGER, North Shelby

CASSIDY JOHNSTON, South Shelby

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CENTER

First Team Picks

Starter: JESSICA REDD, Marion County

Reserve: VANESSA MARKERT, Brown County

Reserve: LAUREN JAEGER, Clopton

Back for her fourth tour of Do or Die team duty, Marion County's Jessica Redd joins former Cardinal Stritch star Jennifer Goetz as the only area players ever to merit career long inclusion on our basketball honors squad. The Mustang Senior also matched another Goetz-ian benchmark by joining the ultra rare 2000 point/1000 rebound club for her career; which gives you some window into just how ceaselessly productive Jess has been in her Marion County tenure. Rarer still, Miss Redd presided over one of the most impressive dynasties in Missouri Small School history, finishing her career with four state trophies and fashioning a one-time 60 game win streak along the way. And she did it by providing the kind of text book low post dominance every program covets. She hit the boards with fury. She blocked shots at a prodigious clip. And she overpowered opponents in the paint in route to high volume/highly proficient scoring. Jessica finished her senior season averaging 21 points and nine and a half rebounds per game; numbers hard earned against the constant double and triple teaming she received every time she touched the basketball. Bottom line, Jessica Redd set an impossibly high standard for pivot play in Northeast Missouri that will stand as the benchmark for center production for years to come. And that is a legacy of which she can be incredibly proud.

At the other end of the age spectrum, Brown County's Vanessa Markert successfully embarked this winter on a varsity career that suggested her own brand of future greatness. Though far from a finished product, the 6'2" fab freshman debuted against varsity competition by averaging a double/double this winter at nearly 12 points and better than 10 rebounds per game. Granted, there were growing pains along the way, but Vanessa has already demonstrated rare defensive presence; holding her ground on the boards and superb shotblocking ability in swatting away nearly 4 shots a game. All of which suggests with continued work, Vanessa can be the program's biggest difference maker since Leah Kassing.

Eventual State Champion Harrisburg snuffed out her stellar high school career in the State Quarterfinals, but there is no disputing that Lauren Jaeger carved out a place of honor within the rich tradition of Clopton Lady Hawk Basketball. A two time All State selection, Miss Lauren set a high bar for low post versatility in Northeast Missouri; delivering both traditional post production and the added luxury of what amounted to an extra guard's floor vision and defensive reflexes. To wit, Lauren averaged better than three assists per game on kick outs to her sharp shooting teammates and defended the passing lanes with great zeal, netting nearly three thieveries per night in the offing. While you can consider that bonus production, Jaegar more than fulfilled her given job requirements in the paint as well; averaging a double/double for the season at 15 points and 10 and half rebounds per game. She also shot at a better than 62% clip from the field and augmented her reputation as a shot changer with 67 blocks on the year. Just a terrific all around basketball player who had a penchant for raising her play (and that of her teammates) on those biggest of stages.

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Second Team

JACLYN KEENE, Jacksonville

Why She's Here: She's the next "it" girl in Tri State Athletics given the Division One attention she is already generating in both basketball and volleyball. The Crimson Super Sophomore averaged a double/double this season (18 points, 10 rebounds) is only just beginning to scratch the surface of her talents. She may be the best pure athlete of her size to grace the Eastern side of our viewing area since Lori Crisman.

MARLEE JO BRADSHAW, Griggsville-Perry

Why She's Here: Grace under fire. The Tornados certainly struggled, but Marlee Jo was a nightly source of optimism even against the best of opponents. She is a powerful young lady, bullying her way to 16.8 points per game and nearly nine rebounds. She set a high standard personally, even if her individual visibility may have been eclipsed by her team's win/loss record.

TAYLOR BURDETTE, Central Lee

Why She's Here: The ability to impose her will. She's still evolving as a talent, but the Central Lee junior is a force of nature on the boards (219 on the year) and blocks (28) and alters a ton of shots with her unmatched size. Taylor has become a very efficient scorer at nearly 50% from the field, averaging 10 points per game. Expecting her to make the leap this season.

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Third Team

MORGAN MARTIN, Quincy Notre Dame

JILL HARRIS, Beardstown

RACHEL RUSH, Unity

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ALL UNSUNG TEAM

Players who don't get nearly the credit they deserve

Point Guard-TABITHA CROW, Rushville/Industry

Off Guard-KAEYLN SPRATT, Marion County

Third Guard: SADIE PAFFORD, Bowling Green

Small Forward- MEGAN CREEK, Scotland County

Power Forward-KRYSTAL FERGUSON, Hannibal

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ALL WARRIOR TEAM

Players who leave it all on the court, get maximum out of every minute, and who you don't want to play against

Point Guard- GRACI BASTERT, Illini West

Off Guard-KRISTEN GENGENBACHER, QND

Third Guard-JORDAN EISENBERG, Quincy High

Small Forward-JADA MATHISON, Central Lee

Power Forward-ZOE KAYVAN, Keokuk

Center-RACHEL DUNLAP, Keokuk

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ALL DEFENSIVE TEAM

Guard: EMILY BYSTRY, Routt

Guard: DEVAN JOHNSON, Marion County

Forward: JORDAN FRERICKS, QND

Forward: MACKENZIE GROSSMAN, Mark Twain

Center: JESSICA REDD, Marion County

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ALL FUTURES TEAM

Guard: YANNI SADLER, Macomb

Guard: KATEE HINKLE, Palmyra

Guard: KRISTEN GENGENBACHER, QND

Forward: MORGAN MARTIN, QND

Center: JAELYN KEENE, Jacksonville

Sixth Man: LOREN MELTON, Western

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SEVEN TEAMS TO WATCH IN 2013

(But not necessarily the seven best teams going forward)

1) QUINCY NOTRE DAME

Shocking observation, right? Kassidy Gengenbacher and Jordan Frericks might be the top two returning players in all of Tri State Basketball and they are on the same team. Morgan Martin can be as good as she wants to be. Expect expanded roles (and big time production spikes) from Cassidy Foley and Kristen Gengenbacher. Everything is primed here for a three peat, provided Eric Orne can maintain this amazing talent for fostering chemistry; especially tricky after losing his team's conscience with the graduation of Tori Kuhn.

2) BOWLING GREEN

Losing Sadie Pafford hurts, but Bobby Spoonster has everything else back from a team that won a District Title with Kelsey Scherder fouled out on the bench. Courtney Kadlec has star quality, giving the Lady Bobcats a really nice dynamic along side the multi talented Scherder. Love what I saw of Kylie Conrow in terms of guard growth at the end of the season. And there is really good young talent about to hit the varsity stage. I fully expect the Bobcats to be the class of Northeast Missouri next season, and perhaps a team that finds its way into the Top 5 in the state ranks as well.

3) CENTRAL LEE

How do you not love a team that returns four starters, three of them potentially elite at the all important Point Guard (Traci Keller) Center (Taylor Burdett) and Power Forward (Jada Mathison) positions? And I think both Alex Krehbiel and Jordan Greenfield are incredibly undervalued. Central Lee figures to be more polished, which is essentially, because the Lady Hawks had a penchant this year for falling into stretches of playing un-pretty basketball. But the potential, if all the moving parts are moving in the same direction, is enormous.

4) KEOKUK

A tough team to read going forward, but I think Freshman Guards Laykn Boltz and Bella Lozano Dobbs showed real promise coming off the bench late in the year; which is the key for a team that is rebuilding its entire backcourt and looking for more consistency there. The frontcourt, led by Rachel Dunlap, has promise and Mike Davis has never failed to get max production from his team. I am fascinated by the ceiling here. Keokuk could be boom or bust; but the potential is beguiling.

5) MONROE CITY

Cody Leonard inherits a team that has been maddeningly inconsistent, but on paper is deeper, more athletic, and more veteran than any West of this Mississippi. At Max-Q, you would be hard pressed to find a better three guard punch than Kiette Mundy, Olivia Crager, and Carly Spalding. Too rarely, however, were all the moving parts there moving together at the same time. If Leonard can get that fixed and get some growth from that promising but still unproven front court (keep an eye on Kelly Winking) this teams prospects could soar.

6) MARION COUNTY

No Jessica Redd and no RLP makes it easy to want to write these girls off. I am not sure that is entirely wise. Granted there isn't much size here but I tend to think that Devan Johnson and Kaelyn Spratt are going to be very formidable one-two punch in Missouri Class 1 Basketball and Mike Johnson has some good young players (including key reserve Destiny Johnson) primed to step up. I am not predicting a fifth straight trip to Columbia. But I think it's more than a little pessimistic to think this thing is going to fall through the floor with a couple of really active, really athletic starters getting expanded roles.

7) QUINCY HIGH

It's been a slow re-tooling here for Greg Altmix but this is a team deep and rich in backcourt options. It boasts a potential cornerstone scorer emerging in the electric Araiya Dade. And Quincy High has a legit big in Jordan Fletcher to cause defensive havoc at the back end. Recent history would scare off all but the most intrepid from espousing radical forward growth for this often vexing program. By the same token, all it takes is a little talent and a spark. Look hard enough her, and without previous bias, and you can see more than the hint of both.