KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Some college-bound Kansas City-area high school basketball players are being rewarded for their senior seasons.
Staley point guard Kyan Evans and Grain Valley wing Grace Slaughter won the prestigious DiRenna Award on Thursday night.
Both are the first winners from their programs, both won Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year for boys and girls, and both were DiRenna finalists last season with Slaughter also being a finalist her sophomore year.
Evans helped lead the Falcons to a 30-2 record and the school’s first state championship in Missouri Class 6. The Colorado State commit will leave the program with four-straight district titles, along with the state championship and career records in points and assists.
Evans won over other finalists teammate Kayden Fish, Blue Valley Northwest’s Grant Stubblefield, Plattsburg’s Isaia Howard and Lawrence’s Zaxton King.
Slaughter averaged 28 points and six rebounds per game this season while leading the Eagles to the Missouri Class 6 District 7 title. She scored over 2,500 points in her career for the Eagles.
The Mizzou commit won over finalists Jaliya Davis of Blue Valley North, S’Mya Nichols of Shawnee Mission West, Mariyah Noel of Bonner Springs and Jadyn Wooten of Blue Valley.
Coaches awards
Staley’s Chris Neff and Blue Valley Northwest’s Aaron Ihm won the Eddie Ryan Coach of the Year Awards for boys’ teams in Missouri and Kansas. Ihm’s Blue Valley NW beat Wichita Heights to win the Kansas Class 6 state championship.
Raytown’s Elyseia Dunn and Lawrence’s Jeff Dickson won Coach of the Year for girls’ basketball. Raytown finished in third place in Missouri Class 6 while Lawrence made it to the first round of the Class 6 state tournament before they fell to second-place finisher Washburn Rural.
Hickman Mills’ Kimberly Scoggin-Bush, Paseo’s Quinton Day and O’Hara’s Marcus Walker were also selected to the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.
Lewis Smith won the Walt Tylicki Award, which goes to the top assistant coach in KC high school hoops.
Longtime Lee’s Summit coach, teacher, athletic director, administrator and official Darwin Rold won the Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award.
