Meet Kansas high school basketball’s best: Wichita Eagle reveals Top 15 teams
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Wichita Eagle compiles statewide Top 15 lists for boys and girls basketball teams.
- Selection process uses coach nominations, stats, team success and local feedback.
- Rankings highlight players’ production, winning impact and season-long influence.
The Wichita Eagle is once again recognizing the best of Kansas high school basketball with its annual Top 15 teams for boys and girls, honoring the standout players in the state from the 2025-26 season regardless of class.
Chosen through a statewide process that includes coach nominations, all-league honors, individual production, team success and direct feedback from around Kansas, the selections aim to capture more than just raw talent. Together, it aims to create a statewide snapshot of the players who left the biggest mark on the season, balancing talent, production, winning and overall influence.
Top 5 Kansas boys basketball players
Boston Ekart, Sterling senior
A towering force on arguably the state’s most dominant teams, he led Sterling to a perfect 28-0 season and a second straight state championship. The Eagle’s Class 2A Player of the Year, the 6-foot-6 senior averaged 22.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.4 blocks while finishing as Sterling’s all-time leading scorer with 1,644 points. Ekart cemented himself as one of the most accomplished players in program history and is committed to Northwestern College.
Kelan Gruver, Bonner Springs senior
The Eagle’s Class 5A Player of the Year delivered a championship senior season, leading Bonner Springs to its first state title since 1984 and ending Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s 44-game winning streak in the process. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 18 points, 5 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting better than 45% from 3, then capped his career with nearly 1,500 points and a title-clinching run that included a go-ahead 3 in the championship game against the two-time defending champs.
Sebastian Hines-Turner, Wichita Collegiate senior
After missing the previous season with a torn Achilles, Hines-Turner came back in a big way to power Wichita Collegiate to a 27-1 season and its first state championship in 10 years. The 6-foot-5 senior averaged better than 19 points, nearly 8 rebounds and 5 assists, establishing himself as one of the most complete players in Kansas regardless of class. He saved one of his best performances for the biggest stage, pouring in 33 points in Collegiate’s Class 3A title-game win over Burlington. He was also tabbed The Eagle’s Class 3A Player of the Year.
Reece Riedel, Mill Valley senior
After leading Mill Valley to its first-ever Sunflower League title, Riedel capped his senior season by guiding the Jaguars to a third-place finish at state. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 20.2 points, 5.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 steals, earning Sunflower League Player of the Year honors in one of the toughest leagues in Kansas. He leaves as Mill Valley’s all-time leading scorer with 1,308 points and also owns school records for most points in a season, most points in a game and career wins. Riedel is committed to Washburn after choosing the Division II power over multiple Division I opportunities.
Sam Simmons Jr., Olathe North senior
Simmons helped lead Olathe North to the program’s first Class 6A state championship, capping a decorated senior season as one of the top guards in Kansas. The 5-foot-11 point guard averaged 14.4 points, 5 assists and 2.7 steals, earning both The Eagle’s Class 6A Player of the Year honor and Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year. Signed with Richmond, Simmons finished his career as Olathe North’s single-season record holder for assists and steals, while also setting the program’s career steals mark.
Drew Gruver, Bonner Springs coach
Gruver guided Bonner Springs to a breakthrough 27-1 season that ended with the program’s first boys basketball state championship since 1984. The Braves rallied for a dramatic 53-50 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the Class 5A title game, snapping the Crusaders’ 44-game winning streak and denying the two-time defending champions a third straight crown. The moment became even more memorable when his son, Kelan, a Top 5 selection, buried the go-ahead 3 late to help finish the comeback.
Second 5 boys
KaeVon Bonner, sr., 6-5, Topeka Seaman
Blaise Dalian, jr., 6-4, Kapaun Mt. Carmel
Cooper Carr, sr., 6-3, Baldwin
Cam Love, sr., 6-5, Olathe North
Cy Stucky, sr., 6-7, Maize South
Third 5
Ben Allen, sr., 6-4, Shawnee Mission South
Edward Horinek, sr., 6-1, Beloit St. John’s-Tipton
Arley Morrell, sr., 6-6, Pratt
Leo Schoenbeger, sr., 6-5, Baldwin
Jalihn Timmons, sr., 6-1, Wichita Heights
Top 5 Kansas girls basketball players
Jakayla Davis, St. Mary’s Colgan senior
Davis, a 5-foot-6 guard, put the finishing touches on one of the most dominant careers in Kansas history. The Eagle’s Class 2A Player of the Year averaged 30.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 4.5 steals while leading Colgan to a 23-3 record and another state tournament appearance. Davis finished with 2,157 career points, ranking among the top scorers in state history and delivered a 53-point performance in the sub-state championship to tie a Kansas state record. She leaves as Colgan’s all-time leading scorer and set school records for single-game points (53), single-season points (757) and most 3s in a game (10). She finished with a 95-9 career record and will play next season at Johnson County.
Arika Feldman, Little River senior
After settling for runner-up in back-to-back title-game appearances, the 6-foot-2 senior helped Little River break through for its first girls basketball state championship since 1998. The Eagle’s Class 1A Division I Player of the Year averaged 19 points, 6.4 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game, giving Little River a steady force on both ends during a standout 27-2 season. Feldman wrapped up her career with more than 1,400 points and 500 rebounds, cementing her place among the most accomplished athletes in school history. She was also part of four straight state championship volleyball teams and is committed to Fort Hays State.
Kailyn Hanni, Silver Lake senior
The Eagle’s Class 3A Player of the Year put the finishing touches on a remarkable career by leading Silver Lake to another state championship and establishing herself as one of the state’s most complete players. The 5-foot-7 senior averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 3.5 steals, stuffing the stat sheet while helping Silver Lake go 100-7 with two state titles during her career. Hanni also set the school’s single-game scoring record with 39 points this season and owns the single-game assists record with 12. She is committed to Fort Hays State.
Asia Lee, Olathe North senior
A dynamic scorer with high-major talent, the Florida State pledge turned in another standout season while leading Olathe North to a 17-7 record. The 5-foot-10 senior, a four-star recruit in the 2026 class, averaged 21.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists and earned first-team all-state honors in Class 6A from The Eagle. Lee was also recognized as one of The Eagle’s Top 5 players for the second straight year.
Eve Long, jr., Olathe South junior
One of the very best players in the country, not just Kansas, Long turned in a sensational junior season for Olathe South. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 32.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.5 blocks while leading the Falcons to a 20-6 record, an undefeated Sunflower League title and a third straight trip to the Class 6A state tournament. Long became the fastest player in school history to reach 1,000 career points and broke Olathe South’s career scoring record, a mark that had stood since 1991. Her dominant season also earned her Sunflower League MVP honors and The Eagle’s Class 6A Player of the Year award. Ranked the No. 8 prospect nationally in the 2027 class by ESPNW, as she has whittled down her final five to Connecticut, UCLA, Notre Dame, Duke and Kansas.
Cy Rolfs, Little River coach
After back-to-back runner-up finishes, Rolfs guided Little River to a breakthrough season that ended with the program’s first girls basketball state championship since 1998. Little River finished 27-2 and capped its title run with a 59-24 rout of Wabaunsee in the Class 1A Division I championship game, part of a dominant state tournament showing that saw the team outscore three opponents by 77 points. Led by standout senior Arika Feldman, a Top 5 selection, and a talented core featuring Havana Olander, Avery Lafferty, Evie Look, Adelynne Strecker and Saelyn Raleigh, Little River also proved its quality beyond its classification with competitive games against Wichita East (third in 6A) and Halstead (third in 3A). Rolfs, now 125-82 in her career, oversaw one of the most impressive all-around seasons in the state.
Second 5
Macayla Askew, sr., 6-2, Derby
Bella Bouddhara, jr., 5-8, Andover
Zoey Buckner-Franklin, jr., 5-7, Kapaun Mt. Carmel
Mary Grant, sr., 5-9, Bishop Miege
Jenna Schmeidler, so., 5-7, Hays
Third 5
Alex Crouse, sr., 5-8, St. Thomas Aquinas
Faith McCallop, sr., 5-5, Kansas City Piper
Landri Schaffer, sr., 5-11, Gardner-Edgerton
Hailey Schmidtlein, so., 6-0, Topeka Hayden
Harper Whetstine, sr., 5-9, Troy
This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 7:03 AM.
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