Where's the top area basketball talent?
By Joanna Chadwick
There’s no doubt that the Wichita area has churned out amazingly skilled and talented basketball players over the years.
In recent seasons we have been fortunate to watch such players as Heights’ Perry Ellis, Evan Wessel, Terrence Moore. And Southeast/Heights’ Gavin Thurman. And East’s Garrius Holloman, Jawanza Poland, Ja’ln Williams, Jalen Love. And Northwest’s Craig Nicholson and Spenser Gales.
But there’s also been a ton of outstanding girls basketball players — Heights has had its share in Savannah Ellis, Shekeira Copeland, Jhasmin Bowen, Tahlia Pope, Mary Sims, Jennifer Lane; Southeast’s Jamillah Bonner; East/South’s Christine Elliott; South’s Megan Lassley; Carroll’s Julia Marshall; East’s Tarita Gordon.
The area has been just as amazing — Derby’s Joanna McFarland (following her sisters, Jessica and Jackie); Goddard’s Lindsey Keller; Andover Central’s Tiffany Bias, Bailey Gee, Kari Kincaid; McPherson’s Ashley Sweat, Marlies Gipson.
I’m not trying to name every single basketball player, because I’m sure I’ve missed someone — feel free to add your favorites.
But you get the point — we have had some awesome basketball players go through here.
So I got to thinking, where’s the talent now? I think it is squarely on the girls side. If you look at my blog posts from Tuesday, there were four area girls who have received Division I scholarship offers — Maize’s Keiryn Swenson (Creighton), Andover’s Jaylyn Agnew (Wichita State), South’s Kirea Rogers and Kendrian Elliott (WSU).
And the first three are sophomores, while Elliott is an incoming freshman.
That’s exciting to see.