By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Despite facing double and triple teams continuously throughout the 2008-09 season, Wichita Height’s Perry Ellis played his way onto Dean Backes’ season ending all-state basketball team.
It’s not often that a freshman has his/her name flashed along side the state’s other great players, but Ellis was the best player on arguably the top basketball team in Kansas this season.
The 6-foot-8 freshman averaged 19.2 points and 11.7 rebounds per game while leading the Falcons to the 6A state title at White Auditorium in Emporia.
It has been reported that Kansas and Memphis have offered Ellis college scholarships already, while many others are expected to follow suit.
“He handled the jump from middle school to high school and the physicality of 6A, (Wichita) City League basketball, maybe better than any kid I’ve ever seen,” Falcon coach Joe Auer told the Topeka Capital Journal. “His ability to keep his composure and not be frustrated was, I think, key to his success this year.
“He’s a pretty special talent. The thing that is most impressive, other than his composure, is he works hard every day. He’s a very hard-working kid who is hungry, has a passion for getting better and has a lot of goals. He’s very goal-oriented athletically and academically, and I think that keeps him pretty grounded.”
Joining Ellis on the boys team are 5A champion Topeka Highland Park junior Rico Richardson (6-0, 19.4 ppg), 5A runner-up Bishop Miege junior Trevor Releford, (6-0, 19.0ppg), Topeka Hayden senior Jeff Reid (6-5, 19.9ppg), Wichita Southeast senior Joe Mitchell (5-11, 22.5ppg) and Blue Valley West senior Brandon Ubel (6-9, 17.3).
Oklahoma State recruit LaSharra Riley (Sr.) led Topeka Washburn Rural to the girls 6A title and now heads up the Kansas all-state girls basketball team after averaging 17.2 points per game last season.
She is joined on the first team by fellow Cowgirl recruits Lindsey Keller (Goddard, sr.) and Tiffany Bias (Andover Central, jr.), and second team selection Heather Howard of Shawnee Mission West.
Keller, who averaged 22.4 points a game, led the Lions back to the state tournament after Goddard lost four starters from last season’s 6A runner-up team. Bias, on the other hand, did not make the 5A state tourney field, but she did average 21.1 points per game for the Winfield sub-state runner-ups.
Derby senior Joanna McFarland also made the first team after averaging state highs in scoring (28.0) and rebounding (19.2). She will be playing her college ball for the University of Oklahoma.
Rounding out the girls team are Bishop Carroll senior Julia Marshall (17.0 ppg) and junior Karly Buer (20.2 ppg), who led Concordia to the 4A state title.
Below is a look at the 2008-09 Kansas boys and girls state basketball teams.
Kansas All-State Boys
Perry Ellis, Wichita Heights, 6-8 Fr.
Rico Richardson, Topeka Highland Park, 6-0 Jr.
Trevor Releford, Bishop Miege, 6-0 Jr.
Jeff Reid, Topeka Hayden, 6-5 Sr.
Joe Mitchell, Wichita Southeast, 5-11 Sr.
Brandon Ubel, Blue Valley West, 6-9 Sr.
Second Team
Dorian Green, Lawrence, 6-2 Sr.
Chase Dippel, Smoky Valley, 6-1 Sr.
Tanner Poppe, Girard, 6-5 Sr.
Bryce Mayes, Oxford, 6-2 Sr.
Luke Meisch, Andover, 6-6 Sr.
Bobby Chipman, Washburn Rural, 6-8 Sr.
Class 6A Boys
Marcus Adams, Wichita East, 6-4 Sr.
Perry Ellis, Wichita Heights, 6-8 Fr.
Dorian Green, Lawrence, 6-2 Sr.
Joe Mitchell, Wichita Southeast, 5-11 Sr.
Brandon Ubel, Blue Valley West, 6-9 Sr.
Second Team
Bobby Chipman, Washburn Rural, 6-8 Sr.
Grant Langhofer, Goddard, 6-4 Sr.
Danny Mundweiler, Olathe East, 5-11 Sr.
Dorrian Roberts, Wichita Heights, 5-10 Sr.
Will Spradling, Shawnee Mission South, 6-2 Jr.
Class 5A Boys
Rico Richardson, Topeka Highland Park, 6-0 Jr.
Trevor Releford, Bishop Miege, 6-0 Jr.
Christian Ulsaker, McPherson, 6-4 So.
Taylor Euler, Emporia, 5-11 Sr.
Jack Shoup, Salina Central, 6-1 Sr.
Second Team
Bubba Starling, Gardner-Edgerton, 6-4 So.
Rodney Givens, Bishop Miege, 6-1 Jr.
Canon Fields, Topeka Highland Park, 6-0 Sr.
Blake Bell, Bishop Carroll, 6-6 Sr.
Marshall Miller, Andover Central, 6-5 Jr.
Class 4A Boys
Chase Dippel, Smoky Valley, 6-1 Sr.
Luke Meisch, Andover, 6-6 Sr.
Tanner Poppe, Girard, 6-5 Sr.
Jeff Reid, Topeka Hayden, 6-5 Sr.
Chandler Schaake, Basehor-Linwood, 5-11 Sr.
Second Team
Neil Watson, Sumner Academy, 5-11 Sr.
Darian Kelly, Girard, 6-1 Sr.
Scott Henderson, Wichita Trinity, 6-4 Sr.
Sean Osler, Cheney, 6-4 So.
Alex Roth, Hesston, 6-4 Sr.
Class 3A Boys
Mitch Allen, Sabetha, 5-8 Sr.
Matt Buhler, Rossville, 6-4 Jr.
Blake Jablonski, Wichita Collegiate, 6-2 Jr.
Coner Reilly, Hutchinson Trinity, 5-11 Sr.
Jordan Wilcox, Holcomb, 6-0 Sr.
Second Team
Jack Gougler, Galena, 6-4 Sr.
Caleb Kesler, Sabetha, 6-5 Sr.
Lawson Kingsley, Sedgwick, 5-10 Sr.
Joey Musgrove, Medicine Lodge, 6-2 Sr.
Andrew Hourani, Wichita Collegiate, 5-10 Sr.
Class 2A Boys
Spencer Hemmert, WaKeeney-Trego, 5-11 Sr.
Stu Jeck, Pittsburg Colgan, 6-1 Sr.
Cole Krueger, Olpe, 6-2 Sr.
Bryce Mayes, Oxford, 6-2 Sr.
Luke Olsen, St. Marys, 6-1 Jr.
Second Team
Lucas Plunkett, Syracuse, 6-1 Sr.
Trey Unrau, Moundridge, 5-11 Fr.
Nick Hampton, Oxford, 6-2 Sr.
Luke Eakes, St. Marys, 6-2 Jr.
Sonny Lee, West Elk, 6-3 Sr.
Class 1A Boys
Trae Beck, South Central, 6-2 Sr.
Alex Bruna, Hanover, 6-0 Sr.
Brandon Newton, Colony-Crest, 6-4 Sr.
Ben Steinlage, Centralia, 6-5 Sr.
Taner Hayes, Attica, 6-2 Sr.
Second Team
Chase Clancy, South Gray, 6-0 Jr.
Todd Johnston, Colony-Crest, 6-0 Sr.
Edward Machen, Quinter, 5-11 Sr.
Alex Santiago, Burrton, 6-0 Jr.
Darren Siemsen, Quivira Heights, 6-2 Sr.
Kansas All-State Girls
Lindsey Keller, Goddard, 6-3 Sr.
Joanna McFarland, Derby, 6-2 Sr.
LaSharra Riley, Washburn Rural, 6-2 Sr.
Tiffany Bias, Andover Central, 5-6 Jr.
Julia Marshall, Bishop Carroll, 5-9 Sr.
Karly Buer, Concordia, 5-7 Jr.
Second Team
Janna Graf, Shawnee Mission East, 5-11 Jr.
Ashia Woods, Wichita Collegiate, 5-11 So.
Kathryn Flott, Olpe, 6-0 So.
Natalie Knight, Olathe South, 5-6 So.
Heather Howard, Shawnee Mission West, 6-3 Sr.
Laura Kinderknecht, St. Marys, 5-7 Sr.
Class 6A Girls
Janna Graf, Shawnee Mission East, 5-11 Jr.
Lindsey Keller, Goddard, 6-3 Sr.
Natalie Knight, Olathe South, 5-6 So.
Joanna McFarland, Derby, 6-2 Sr.
LaSharra Riley, Washburn Rural, 6-2 Sr.
Second Team
Taylor Bird, Lawrence, 5-8 Sr.
Alexa Bordewick, Washburn Rural, 5-6 Jr.
Jhasmin Bowen, Wichita Heights, 6-1 So.
Heather Howard, Shawnee Mission West, 6-3 Sr.
Kamisha Richard, Wichita Heights, 6-0 Jr.
Class 5A Girls
Tiffany Bias, Andover Central, 5-6 Jr.
Julia Marshall, Bishop Carroll, 5-9 Sr.
Ashley Thayer, Bishop Miege, 5-7 Sr.
Alex Hartig, Great Bend, 6-0 Jr.
Brittany Lang, Lansing, 6-0 Sr.
Second Team
Abby Fawcett, Bishop Carroll, 5-6 Sr.
DaShawn Harden, St. Thomas Aquinas, 5-9 So.
Shandelyn Stewart, Bishop Miege, 5-9 So.
Amanda Dreiling, Great Bend, 5-6 Sr.
Kristina Willis, Pittsburg, 5-11 Jr.
Class 4A Girls
Karly Buer, Concordia, 5-7 Jr.
Rachel Hanf, Paola, 5-9 Sr.
Alex Muff, Concordia, 6-1 Sr.
Jolee Sharp, Fort Scott, 5-9 Jr.
Kristy Herman, Rose Hill, 5-5 Sr.
Second Team
Haley Epperson, Eudora, 5-10 Sr.
Merissa Quick, Cheney, 6-3 So.
Taelor Karr, Paola, 5-7 Sr.
Aubree Luebbe, Topeka Hayden, 5-5 Sr.
Leah Day, Holton, 5-9 Sr.
Class 3A Girls
Ashia Woods, Wichita Collegiate, 5-11 So.
Nicole Rockhold, Oskaloosa, 5-10 Sr.
Vivian Olvera, Southwestern Heights, 5-6 Sr.
Hannah Ketterman, Frontenac, 5-7 Sr.
Dana Elliott, Rock Creek, 5-11 Sr.
Second Team
Kaylee Hoffman, Thomas More Prep-Marian, 5-8 Jr.
Hayli Bozarth, Norton, 5-10 sr.
Deni Jacobs, Southwestern Heights, 5-9 So.
Missy Rome, McLouth, 5-7 Jr.
Kelsey Overacker, Cherryvale, 5-5 Sr.
Class 2A Girls
Kathryn Flott, Olpe, 6-0 So.
Laura Kinderknecht, St. Marys, 5-7 Sr.
Alecia Smith, Elkhart, 5-10 Sr.
Whitney Taylor, Ellis, 5-8 Sr.
Lexi Hardiek, Hill City, 5-5 So.
Second Team
Katie Vogts, Moundridge, 5-11 Sr.
Allie Bloomfield, Clifton-Clyde, 5-10 Sr.
Kayla Eilert, Berean Academy, 5-6 Sr.
Lisa Elmer, Pittsburg Colgan, 5-9 Sr.
Mishaun Pfannenstiel, Inman, 5-7 Jr.
Class 1A Girls
Beth Cornwell, St. John-Hudson, 6-0 Sr.
Kaitlyn Morris, South Barber, 5-8 Sr.
Kendra Spresser, Hoxie, 5-7 Sr.
Mollie Winkler, Centralia, 5-11 Sr.
Brigit Hesser, South Gray, 5-8 Jr.
Second Team
Alisha Fanshier, St. John-Hudson, 5-8 Sr.
Shelby Birk, Southern Coffey County, 5-5 Jr.
Kelsey Hubin, Dighton, 5-5 Sr.
Chelsea Keating, Frankfort, 5-11 Jr.
Kayla Thomas, South Gray, 5-10 Jr.
