Kansas: Bias gets nod as state's best

Oklahoma State women's basketball coach Kurt Budke’s Kansas pipeline landed Sunflower State ‘bigs’ Lindsey Keller (Goddard), LaSharra Riley (Topeka Washburn Rural) and Heather Howard (Shawnee Mission West) a year ago.

Now he’s going smaller. Andover Central (Andover, Kan.) point guard Tiffany Bias, the Player of the Year on this season’s Kansas Super Six basketball team, is set to join Budke in Stillwater next fall following a phenomenal prep career with the Jaguars.

A four-year starter, Bias led Andover Central to a Class 5A state basketball title and a 25-0 record in 2009-10, as well as the Class 4A girls state title in 2008. The two-time all-stater averaged nearly 22 points as a senior and dished out about seven assists for Kansas girls Coach of the Year Stana Jefferson and the Jaguars.

Bias’ desire to compete and her ability to disrupt opposing offenses is what set the 5-foot-6 point guard apart from the rest of the Kansas Super Six. Her quickness on defense led to more than five steals a game, which she often turned into points.

“She is one of the all-time best competitors,” Jefferson said of Bias. “She never takes a second off. That makes everybody around her better. They learn to not take time off as well.

“Her defense is special. She is really hard on the other team. If they relax for just a second, she makes them pay.”

Bias led the Jaguars with 24 points in the state championship contest, giving her a Class 5A state tournament record 89 points in three games. The four-time All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League pick finished her career at Andover Central with 1,780 points and a 91-8 record. Bias was named this season’s Gatorade Kansas Player of the Year.

Joining Bias on the 2009-10 Super Six are Natalie Knight (Olathe South), Jhasmin Bowen (Wichita Heights), Dashawn Harden (St. Thomas Aquinas), Karly Buer (Concordia) and Janna Graf (Shawnee Mission East).

Knight, a junior, is fresh off of leading the Falcons to a 54-49 Class 6A state championship win over Bowen and Wichita Heights a couple of weeks ago. The 5-6 Kansas recruit averaged 17 points for Olathe South this season, and has 904 career points.

Bowen, who is considering playing college ball at Louisville, averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds for Heights this season. She had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Class 6A state title game.

The three-time All-Greater City League selection will enter her senior season having scored 909 points. Bowen was a second-team Class 6A selection in 2009.

Harden averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 steals, 3.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 2009-10 and led the Saints to the Class 5A championship game in Topeka before falling to Bias and the Jaguars 44-36.

The 5-9 junior, who averaged 18 points in three state tournament games this season, has orally committed to playing basketball at Kansas.

Buer led Concordia to the Class 4A state title in 2009 and back to the championship game this season. The 5-7 senior was a big reason the Panthers were able to string together a 51-game winning streak that ended in the 52-49 championship game loss to Cheney earlier this month.

The four-time All-North Central Kansas League performer scored 1,557 points in her career and averaged 19.7 points, 6.3 assists and 3.6 steals per game in 2009-10.

Shawnee Mission East’s Graf led the Lancers to back-to-back state tournament appearances during her junior and senior seasons.

The two-time Sunflower League MVP led the conference in scoring her final two seasons. She produced averages of 20.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.6 steals per game this season. For her career, Graf scored 1,255 points and pulled down 610 rebounds.

Below is a look at the second-team Super Six and the Kansas all-class girls basketball teams.

Kansas Girls Super Six
Tiffany Bias, Central (Andover, Kan.) 5-6 Sr. 21.6
Averaged 21.6 points, 6.9 assists and 5.2 steals
Natalie Knight, South (Olathe, Kan.) 5-6 Jr. 17.0
Averaged 17 points, 4.3 assists, 3.6 steals and 5.2 rebounds
Jhasmin Bowen, Heights (Wichita, Kan.) 6-1 Jr. 16.2
Averaged 16.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.9 assists
Dashawn Harden, St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.) 5-9 Jr. 13.0
Averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 steals, 3.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds
Karly Buer, Concordia (Concordia, Kan.) 5-7 Sr. 19.2
Averaged 19.7 points, 6.0 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 3.5 steals
Janna Graf, East (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 5-11 Sr. 20.7
Averaged 20.7 points, 10 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 2.5 assists
Player of the Year: Tiffany Bias – Andover Central
Coach of the Year: Stana Jefferson - Andover Central

Second Team
Alexa Bordewick, Topeka Washburn Rural 5-6 Sr. 18.9
Ashia Woods, Wichita Collegiate 5-11 Jr. 22.7
Kathryn Flott, Olpe 6-1 Jr. 20.2
Kelsey Balcom, Olathe South 5-11 Sr. 15.3
Kaylee Hoffman, Thomas More Prep Marian 5-8 Sr. 15.3
Jolee Sharp, Fort Scott 5-9 Sr. 20.4

Class 6A
Alexa Bordewick, Topeka Washburn Rural 5-6 Sr. 18.9
Jhasmin Bowen, Wichita Heights 6-1 Jr. 16.2
Janna Graf, Shawnee Mission East 5-10 Sr. 20.7
Natalie Knight, Olathe South 5-7 Sr. 17.0
Kelsey Balcom, Olathe South 5-11 Sr. 15.3
Valerie Ortiz, Dodge City 5-6 Sr. 14.8
Player of the Year: Natalie Knight

Second Team
Maggie Holmberg, Topeka Washburn Rural 6-1 Sr.
Lizzy Jeronimus, Shawnee Mission West 5-11 Jr.
Kamisha Richard, Wichita Heights 6-0 Sr.
Jamillah Bonner, Wichita Southeast 5-7 Jr.
Chantay Caron, Lawrence Free State 5-11 Sr.
Daria Sprew, Topeka High 5-10 Jr.

Class 5A
Tiffany Bias, Andover Central 5-7 Sr. 21.6
Dashawn Harden, St. Thomas Aquinas 5-9 Jr. 13.0
Shandelyn Stewart, Bishop Miege 5-10 Jr. 14.0
Casyn Buchman, McPherson 5-7 Jr. 13.0
Justice Norah, Liberal 5-5 So. 20.2
Nicole Walden, Wichita Bishop Carroll 5-8 Sr. 11.7
Player of the Year: Tiffany Bias

Second Team
Amy Briggs, Lansing 5-6 Sr.
Cierra Ceazar, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights 5-10 Jr.
Kate Lehman, Newton 6-4 Jr.
Taylor Goodness, Salina South 6-0 Sr.
Katelyn Loecker, McPherson 6-0 Fr.
Lindy Arndt, Emporia 5-10 Sr.

Class 4A
Karly Buer, Concordia 5-7 Sr. 19.2
Merissa Quick, Cheney 6-3 Jr. 14.7
Jolee Sharp, Fort Scott 5-9 Sr. 20.4
Carly Twarog, Girard 5-8 Sr. 15.0
Kylie Burns, Bishop Ward 5-9 Sr. 19.8
Kyrstie Ehm, Towanda-Circle 5-11 Jr. 16.7
Player of the Year: Merissa Quick

Second Team
Jordan Baldwin, Ottawa 5-9 So.
Megan Bergstrom, Basehor-Linwood
Ally Nikkel, Cheney 5-8 Jr.
Morgan Boore, Girard 5-7 Sr.
Kelsey Webber, Rose Hill 5-6 Jr.
Tera Ingalsbe, Wamego 6-0 Sr.

Class 3A
Ashia Woods, Wichita Collegiate 5-11 Jr. 22.7
Julia Zeiner, Marion 5-11 Sr. 16.2
Jordan Kramer, Jefferson North 5-8 So. 18.3
Kaylee Hoffman, Thomas More Prep Marian 5-8 Sr. 15.3
Ann Pauly, Garden Plain 5-7 Sr. 15.6
Emily Barto, Frontenac 5-10 Sr. 19.7
Player of the Year: Ashia Woods

Second Team
Dakota Kaufman, Hillsboro 6-1 Sr.
Rachel Jacobs, Thomas More Prep Marian 5-9 Sr.
Missy Rome, McLouth 5-7 Sr.
Deni Jacobs, Southwestern Heights 5-10 Jr.
Dana Channel, Rossville 5-9 Sr.
Jessica Downard, Marysville 5-5 Jr.

Class 2A
Kathryn Flott, Olpe 6-1 Jr. 20.2
Lexi Hardiek, Hill City 5-5 Jr. 20.8
Kendyl McDougald, Olpe 5-7 So. 18.4
Mishaun Pfannenstiel, Inman 5-8 Sr. 22.5
Janelle Rust, Berean Academy 5-11 Jr. 18.1
Macy Parker, Valley Heights 5-6 Sr. 16.3
Player of the Year: Kathryn Flott

Second Team
Emily Girard, Osborne 5-9 Sr.
Dayna Kuhlman, Oakley 5-8 Jr.
Morgan Laflin, Lebo 5-11 Sr.
Ashley Werner, Pittsburg-Colgan 5-5 Sr.
Jacy Ermel, Uniontown 5-11 So.
Kylee Hedburg, Syracuse 5-10 Sr.

Class 1A
Brigit Hesser, South Gray 5-7 Sr. 17.4
Ashton Stansbury, Argonia 5-8 Jr. 14.1
Laura Patrick, Hutchinson Central Christian 5-9 Sr. 20.0
Morgan Westhoff, St. Paul 5-8 Jr. 19.6
Mikayla Skidmore, South Gray 5-5 Jr. 15.0
Jenna Farris, Lincoln 5-6 Fr. 23.6
Player of the Year: Brigit Hesser

Second Team
Brooke Burgan, St. John 5-4 Sr.
Breanna Bryant, South Haven 5-6 Sr.
Vanessa Kresin, St. John 5-8
Sara Molz, South Barber 5-7 Sr.
Kayla Thomas, South Gray 5-9 Sr.
Chelsea Keating, Frankfort 5-1 Sr.