Grain Valley’s Slaughter, Staley’s Evans win DiRenna Awards as top prep hoops players

Grain Valley’s Grace Slaughter and Staley’s Kyan Evans won the 2023 DiRenna Awards on Thursday night as the top boys and girls high school basketball players in the Kansas City metro.

The awards ceremony was held at Truman High in Independence.

A three-time DiRenna Award finalist who led her Grain Valley team to a 23-5 record and Suburban White co-championship, Slaughter set a school record for career points with 2,575 and this season averaged 27.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

Slaughter, a 6-foot-2 guard, is the first Grain Valley player to win the DiRenna Award. The Gatorade Girls Player of the Year for the state of Missouri, she will suit up for Mizzou next season.

Evans, a 6-1 guard, is a two-time DiRenna finalist who helped lead his Falcons team to a 30-2 record and the Missouri Class 6 state championship. The Missouri Gatorade Boys Player of the Year averaged 13.2 points, 4 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.2 steals during the 2022-23 season.

Evans holds career school records for points and assists and will play for Colorado State next season. He is the first Staley player to win the DiRenna Award.

The DiRenna Award for boys players has been around since 1954. It was created by Kansas City physician James DiRenna Sr., and continues to be administered by his son, Dr. James DiRenna Jr., and the Greater Kansas City Basketball Coaches Association, or GKCBCA. The girls DiRenna Award was added in 1997.

Last year’s boys winner, Aidan Shaw from Blue Valley, now plays basketball for the Missouri Tigers. The 2022 girls winner, Beatrice Culliton from St. Thomas Aquinas, now plays at Oklahoma. (Continue reading below for the full list of past winners.)

How to catch the taped show

KSHB-41 will rebroadcast the DiRenna Awards show three times: Saturday, April 8 at 8 p.m. on KMCI-38 The Spot; Sunday, April 9 at noon on KSHB-41; and Sunday, April 23 at 11 a.m. on KSHB-41.

Other boys finalists

Kayden Fish, Staley: Fish played a key role during the Falcons’ state-title season. He averaged 13.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and eclipsed 1,000 points for his career. He’ll be heading to Iowa State to continue his playing career.

Isaia Howard, Plattsburg: Led his team to a 31-1 record and owns the school record for career points, with 1,969. Just a junior, he returns to Plattsburg next season.

Zaxton King, Lawrence: Averaged 24.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals while leading his team to a second-place finish in the Sunflower League. Was the league’s player of the year this past season as a junior.

Grant Stubblefield, Blue Valley Northwest: A two-time DiRenna finalist who led his team to a 21-4 record and the Kansas 6A state title. Averaged 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, including 27 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals in three state-tournament games. Will play for the University of Omaha next season.

Other girls finalists

Jaliya Davis, Blue Valley North: Led her team to a 21-4 record and the Kansas Class 6A state championship, averaging 20 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. Only a sophomore, Davis returns to BV North next season.

Mariyah Noel, Bonner Springs: Led her team to 17 wins this season while averaging 28 points per night and racking up several regular-season and career school records (including most field goals in a game, 17, most free throws in a game, 14, and career points: 1,350). She will continue her career at the University of Mississippi.

S’Mya Nichols, Shawnee Mission West: This two-time DiRenna Award finalist averaged 19.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.1 steals per game this season. She scored a total of 1,208 points during her prep career and was a member of the US 18 National Team in 2022. She’ll play for KU next season.

Jadyn Wooten, Blue Valley: Led her team to a 16-9 mark and averaged 20 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2 steals per game. Her school records include most points in a season (501), most points in a career (1,259), career assists (306) and career steals (166). Just a junior, she has made a verbal commitment to Oklahoma State.

DiRenna All-Stars play Friday

The annual DiRenna All-Star Games will be played Friday evening at Avila University. The girls game tips at about 6 p.m., with the boys game following around 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door: $5 for students and senior citizens (60+) and $10 for adults. There will be a dunk contest at halftime of the boys game.

The All-Star Games will be broadcast live on 810varsity.com.

A few more awards...

In other awards handed out Thursday evening, Darwin Rold won the Tom Colwell Lifetime Achievement Award and Lewis Smith took home the Walt Tylicki Memoriał Award.

The 2023 GKCBCA Hall of Fame inductions included Kimberly Scoggin-Bush, Quinton Day and Marcus Walker.

Aaron Ihm of Blue Valley Northwest and Chris Neff of Staley won the Eddie Ryan boys coaching awards; Elyseia Dunn of Raytown and Jeff Dickson of Lawrence won the Eddie Ryan girls coaching awards.

Past DiRenna winners

GIRLS

2023: Grace Slaughter, Grain Valley

2022: Beatrice Culliton, St. Thomas Aquinas

2021: Payton Verhulst, Bishop Miege

2020: Payton Verhulst, Bishop Miege

2019: Chandler Prater, North Kansas City

2018: Chandler Prater, North Kansas City

2017: Abby Hipp, St. Pius X

2016: Morgan Fleming, Liberty

2015: Tyler Johnson, Leavenworth

2014: Becca Jonas, Truman

2013: Lizzy Wendell, Blue Springs

2012: Emiah Bingley, Lee’s Summit West

2011: Natalie Knight, Olathe South

2010: Natalie Knight, Olathe South

2009: Morgan Johnson, Platte County

2008: Taber Spani, Metro Academy

2007: Danielle Adams, Lee’s Summit

2006: Morgan Henderson, Notre Dame de Sion

2005: Keisha Walker, Hickman Mills

2004: Erneisa Bailey, Pembroke Hill

2003: Erneisa Bailey, Pembroke Hill

2002: Claire Coggins, Lee’s Summit North

2001: Christie Brown, Lee’s Summit North

2000: Tracy Lozier, Blue Valley North

1999: Tracy Lozier, Blue Valley North

1998: Shahidrah Roberts, Blue Valley North

1997: Cheryl Rowles, Park Hill

BOYS

2023: Kyan Evans, Staley

2022: Aidan Shaw, Blue Valley

2021: Zeke Mayo, Lawrence, and Mark Mitchell Jr., Bishop Miege

2020: Tamar Bates, Piper

2019: Christian Braun, Blue Valley Northwest

2018: Ochai Agbaji, Oak Park

2017: Jacob Gilyard, Barstow

2016: Jeriah Horne, Barstow, and Blake Spellman, Lee’s Summit

2015: Kevin Puryear, Blue Springs South

2014: Clayton Custer, Blue Valley Northwest

2013: Semi Ojeleye, Ottawa

2012: Benny Parker, Sumner Academy

2011: Tyler Kalinoski, Olathe East

2010: Daylen Robinson, Northeast

2009: Alec Burks, Grandview

2008: Marcus Denmon, Hogan Prep

2007: Conner Teahan, Rockhurst

2006: Isaac Miles, Bishop Miege

2005: Marcus Walker, O’Hara

2004: Marcus Walker, O’Hara

2003: Quinton Day, Paseo

2002: Quinton Day, Paseo

2001: Wayne Simien, Leavenworth

2000: Matt Frieje, Shawnee Mission West

1999: Kareem Rush, Pembroke Hill

1998: JaRon Rush, Pembroke Hill, and Victor Williams, Wyandotte

1997: JaRon Rush, Pembroke Hill

1996: JaRon Rush, Pembroke Hill

1995: Derek Hood, Central

1994: Eric Bowie, Raytown South

1993: Vinson Smith, Schlagle

1992: Chad Elston, Shawnee Mission West

1991: Greg Gurley, Shawnee Mission South

1990: Jevon Crudup, Raytown South

1989: Chris Heller, Rockhurst

1988: Anthony Peeler, Paseo

1987: John Cooper, Rockhurst

1986: Harold Mitchem, Rockhurst

1985: Tim Honeycutt, Raytown South

1984: Barry Bailey, Central

1983: Shawn Case, Van Horn

1982: Calvin Thompson, Wyandotte

1981: Steve Harris, Blue Springs

1980: Russ Morman, William Chrisman

1979: Jon Sundvold, Blue Springs

1978: Michael Coleman, Central

1977: John Crawford, Northeast

1976: Mick and Rick Allison, Center

1975: Steve Schall, Raytown South

1974: Clay Johnson, Manual

1973: Mike Goodpaster, William Chrisman

1972: Walter Johnson, Lincoln

1971: Felix Jerman, Manual

1970: Kevin Wall, Rockhurst

1969: Martinez Denmon, Lincoln

1968: Kent Scott, Raytown South

1967: John Stacy, Bishop Hogan

1966: John Stacy, Bishop Hogan

1965: Bruce Sloan, Center

1964: Warren Armstrong, Central

1963: Bob Bauers, Rockhurst

1962: Larry Norris, Southeast

1961: Don Dee, Lillis

1960: John Cunneen, Redemptorist

1959: Jim Whipple, Van Horn

1958: Jackie Gilbert, Lincoln

1957: John Hickman, Central

1956: Jim Hoffman, Northeast

1955: Roger Wendell, East

1954: Kent Bryan, Southeast