By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Basketball season is underway in Missouri. Below are the area’s Class 3 Boys Basketball Players to Watch this year.
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Bryden Baxter & Spensar Seiger, Fair Grove Juniors
For as good as they are on the gridiron, the duo is as equally dynamic on the hardwood. They’re one of the biggest backcourts you’ll see in Class 3 and complement each other well. Baxter led Fair Grove in scoring as a sophomore, averaging 13 points and 5.6 rebounds. Seiger plays like a coach’s kid, averaging 8.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists last year. Fair Grove will have one of the best offenses in the Ozarks and these two run the show.
Aidan Burns, Thayer Senior
Missouri S&T got a steal in Burns, who has won more games over the last three seasons than any male player in the area. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 21.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He just makes plays and big ones at that. His ability to see the next play before it happens is rare at the high school level.
Collin Clark, Greenwood Junior
Basketball continues to move to a positionless model thanks to guys like Clark. The 6-foot-6 unicorn is rare in his ability to shoot it, create off the bounce and make plays for others at his size. Most people will see him at the high school level and think he should be in the paint, but that’s not who he is. Clark is a big guard, which is why he averaged 19 points and 3.2 assists as a sophomore. Yet another D1 prospect in the Ozarks.
Keyton Cook, Licking Senior
Cook is the first of the two Licking “Splash Brothers” that are back in the mix for the Cats. He’s the reigning Frisco League Player of the Year after averaging 16 points and 8.3 rebounds last year. He also knocked down 61 triples, finishing the year with nearly 500 points. He’s quickly approaching the 1,000-point mark.
Terrell Gaines, Liberty Senior
His ability to score is about as elite as you’ll see around the Ozarks. As a junior, the Austin Peay signee averaged 27.4 points and he gets his buckets in a variety of ways; he’s a crafty finisher, big-time shooter and his cook game in isos is top tier. He should leave Liberty as the school’s all-time leading scorer.
Devin Harrington, Thayer Junior
Harrington is one of the most underrated players in the Ozarks. At 6-foot-6 with his athleticism, he has the ability to change games in any class. But in Class 3, he’s an animal. As a sophomore, he averaged 13.3 points and 11.5 rebounds, even grabbing 22 rebounds in a Final Four game. D1 coaches will start finding Thayer on the map over the next 15 months.
Austin James, Licking Senior
If it wasn’t for Cook, James would’ve been the Frisco League POY and picking between them is really like splitting hairs. James led Licking in scoring at 16.9 points and had one of the most ridiculous shooting splits you’ll see, shooting 50 percent from the field, 51 percent from 3 and 82 percent from the free throw line. He’ll also score his 1,000th point this season.
Jacob Lafferty, Sparta Senior
If we were playing fantasy basketball in the Ozarks, Lafferty would be the No. 1 pick. The 6-foot-5 senior is a double-double machine, coming off of an All-Everything junior campaign where he averaged 23.3 points and 11. 6 rebounds. He’ll finish his career with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and has D2 programs across the country lining up for his services.
Landon Murry & Joe Gordon, El Dorado Springs
El Dorado Springs has increased its win total each of the last two years despite having two different head coaches in that time, with Murry and Gordon being a major reason why. Murray is the super shifty point guard that also has a burner as a left hand. Gordon is just a junior, but one of the best athletes on this list. They have their third different head coach this season but that shouldn’t slow their production.
Ian Ngugi, Lamar Senior
Ngugi is a basketball analytics dream as everything he shoots is either at the rim or a 3. The 5-foot-9 guard is a SHOOTER shooter and uses that ability to attack closeouts and get to the rim. He’s one of the favorites to win Big 8 POY after averaging 20 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a junior.
OTHERS TO WATCH
Tyler Barnett & Blake Winterberg, Fair Grove Seniors
Brady Brookshire, Houston Senior
Ryder LaBee, Pleasant Hope Senior
Brendyn Paulson & Kasen Holder, Southwest
Easton Pitts & Rowan Spencer, Thayer Guards
Garrett Smith & Matt Swayne, Sarcoxie Seniors
Roston Stockard, Licking Senior
Tyler Vaughan, Conway Senior
Garrett Winslow, Greenwood Senior
