By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Although he had plenty of assistance, Maplewood-Richmond Heights guard Bryant Allen led his team to one of the most dramatic comebacks in Missouri state basketball history a year ago.
Allen helped rally the Blue Devils to a 56-55 last-second triumph over Lutheran North in the Class 3 title game after his team fell behind by 19 points in the first half and trailed 32-16 at intermission.
Allen scored 15 of his 25 points after the break, but none were more important than the lay-up he made with 4 seconds remaining in the game to give Maplewood-Richmond Heights its first lead of the game, and the 1-point win.
After ending his junior season on such a high note, Allen is naturally one of the headliners on the Super Six All-State preseason basketball team.
The 6-foot senior guard averaged 25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists a year ago and he loves to push the ball up the floor. He is very quick and gets plenty of deflections on defense.
Allen spends almost as much time on the floor going after loose balls as he does handling the ball and running the offense. He is a terrific athlete that is being sought by many Division I football programs as well.
Joining Allen on the Super Six team are Columbia-Rock Bridge’s Jordan Dressler, Lee’s Summit West’s Michael Dixon, Lafayette's Tyler Griffey, Glasgow’s Jay Lee and Parkway South’s Ben Hoener.
Dressler, who Bruin head coach Jim Scanlon argues is the best player in Missouri, excels at shooting the ball. Scanlon, however, would prefer that his senior not stray from under the basket for too long.
“If he was 6-10, everyone in the country would have wanted him,” Scanlon told the Columbia Tribune. “He’s about two inches from missing the boat, as far as everybody wanting a 6-10 guy. He’s a true post player, but he can shoot. He could be one of our better shooters, but you don’t want him out there too long.”
Dressler averaged 17.8 points and 12.6 rebounds a year ago in leading the Bruins to a 24-3 record.
Dixon returns for his final season after chalking up 20 points and a single-season school record of 6.6 assists per game. He was also credited with 63 steals on the year.
His numbers validate his intangible talents. Dixon is a fierce defender on the ball with quick hands and the desire to drive into the lane and create offense for others. His unselfish play led the Titans to a 19-7 record a year go.
Griffey has an uncanny ability of reading a penetrating guard and getting to a spot where he can knock down the open jumper.
That intuition, paired with a shooting range that reaches the 3-point line, allowed the 6-8 forward to score 17 points, pull down 9 rebounds and block 3 shots per game a year ago.
Lee may have played in the state’s smallest classification, but he can light it up.
The 5-11 guard scored averaged 30 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per outing in leading Glasgow to the Class 1 finals last season. He knocked down 87 3-pointers as a junior.
Hoener can scorch the nets as well. The Parkway South senior averaged 19 points and 5.8 assists per game last season to pull within 250 points of the school’s career scoring record.
Below is a class-by-class look at the top players in Missouri for the 2008-2009 season.
Missouri Boys Super Six
Jordan Dressler, Columbia Rock Bridge, Sr.
Michael Dixon, Lee’s Summit West, Sr.
Tyler Griffey, Lafayette (Wildwood), Sr.
Bryant Allen, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, Sr.
Jay Lee, Glasgow, Sr.
Ben Hoener, Parkway South, Sr.
Class 5
1st Team
Mike Wiebe, Branson, Sr.
Jordan Dressler, Columbia Rock Bridge, Sr.
Ben Hoener, Parkway South, Sr.
Michael Dixon, Lee’s Summit West, Sr.
Tyler Griffey, Lafayette (Wildwood), Sr.
2nd Team
Ivo Baltic, Park Hills South, Sr.
Justin Clark, William Chrisman, Sr.
Kevin Starr, Liberty, Sr.
Bradley Beal, Chaminade, So.
Alec Burks, Grandview (KC), Sr.
Class 4
1st Team
Michael Porter, Sikeston, Sr.
Nathan Scheer, St. Francis Borgia, Jr.
Brennan Hughes, Moberly, Jr.
Austin Greer, Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau), Sr.
Jerome Jones, Miller Career Academy, Sr.
2nd Team
Doug Wallace, McCluer South-Berkeley, Sr.
Trey Laveroni, Webb City, Sr.
Devonte Bell, Clayton, Jr.
Jacob Marty, Reeds Spring, Sr.
Brier West, Soldan, Jr.
Class 3
1st Team
Bryant Allen, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, Sr.
Brandon McCann, Bowling Green, Sr.
Julian Johnson, Whitfield, Jr.
Matt Webb, Lee’s Summit Central Christian, Sr.
Kony Ealy, New Madrid County Central, Sr.
2nd Team
Jayme Donnelly, Linn, Sr.
Adam Chesser, California, Sr.
Jonathan Nutt, Palmyra, Sr.
Matt Patterson, South Shelby, Sr.
Logan Decker, Blue Eye, Sr.
Class 2
1st Team
Jon Gilliam, Paris, Jr.
Dennis Dent, Knox County, Sr.
Roscoe Robinson, Westran, Jr.
Cory Via, Harrisburg, Sr.
Blake Kimrey, Plato, Sr.
2nd Team
T. J. Brown, Crossroads, Jr.
Micah Mayle, Laquey, Sr.
Andrew Lowe, Crocker, Jr.
Billy Cross, Summersville, Sr.
Mason Roller, Purdy, Sr.
Class 1
1st Team
K. J. Cool, Newtown-Harris, Sr.
Craig Mattson, Jefferson, Sr.
Drew Thomas, Scott County Central, Sr.
Jay Lee, Glasgow, Sr.
Rusty Thomas, Rich Hill, Sr.
2nd Team
Dustin Ferguson, Clarkton, Sr.
Jordan Sukovaty, Fair Play, Sr.
Canaan Fairley, Newtown-Harris, Sr.
Kyle Schieber, Jefferson, Sr.
Travis Thomas, Naylor, Sr.
