Meet the News-Leader's 2022-23 All-Ozarks high school boys' basketball teams
For the first time since the 2015-16 season, the Springfield News-Leader is bringing back its All-Ozarks basketball teams as we honor the best high school athletes from across southwest Missouri.
In addition to our Dominant Dozen, in which we name the 12 most impactful players of the season, we're giving you our choices for who the top players in the region were in a team format regardless of class and conference. We're choosing this team based on who in the area we would most want on the floor with the game on the line.
The News-Leader is announcing a first and a second team and honorable mention selections. Athletes were chosen by News-Leader observations, conversations with coaches and others, observing highlight films and weekly statistics, the player's team's strength of schedule and seeing each player's impact on their teams throughout the season.
Here are the News-Leader All-Ozarks boys' basketball selections for the 2022-23 season.
First Team All-Ozarks
Ahlante Askew, Republic
Askew's development from his freshman season to his senior was quite the journey to watch. He was tabbed as the next great player to come out of Republic and lived up to it during his last few seasons.
Askew stepped into area superstardom these last two years, especially this year, as a player who could put on a show anytime he took the floor. He could put up big points when needed but he was so committed to getting teammates involved and helping them develop while taking a 15-12 team from a year ago to one that finished 24-4 this season and was one of the best teams in the area all season long.
His numbers this season were what you'd want to see from an unselfish guard who ended up on the all-state team. He averaged 15.5 points, 5.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. He's been one of the area's best for several seasons now and we're excited to see whatever's next for him.
Kael Combs, Nixa
The recipient of the News-Leader's 2022-23 high school boys' basketball player of the year honor was unstoppable all season and was the most entertaining player to watch on a nightly basis.
His supreme athleticism separated him from the rest as a star both on the court and on the football field. Combs made those around him better while playing his first season as a point guard under first-year head coach Brock Blansit.
There were only a handful of players in the state who could slow him down as he put up the second-most points in a single season in Nixa's history. He averaged 23.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. Someone needs to sign him soon.
Jacob Lafferty, Sparta
There wasn't a player in the Ozarks who burst onto the scene quite like Lafferty did this season as he emerged as one of its elite players.
Lafferty elevated Sparta to being one of the best teams in the area. The 6-foot-5 junior had a knack for knowing when he was capable of taking over games by just being a better athlete than everyone on the floor or when he was feeling with his jump shot — and he'd do it all with a smile on his face.
Heading into 2023-24, Lafferty will be in conversations when considering who the best player in the area is.
Kyle Pock, Bolivar
A magnificent career for Pock ended with a Class 5 Player of the Year honor when he averaged 20.6 points, 8.7 boards, 1.2 blocks and three assists per game. He might be the best player to ever come through Bolivar.
The Northern Iowa commit made it through a tough year that included a stretch of games he played through illness and a few games late in the year with a hand injury. He still had a young Liberators team be competitive against some of the best in the Ozarks on a nightly basis.
Pure prospect-wise, Pock was the best in the Ozarks this season. He's got the Division I body and the ability to shoot from anywhere. He played every position on the court in each of his four seasons and he was one of the best passers and rebounders the area has had over the last several seasons. Pock was a pleasure to watch play in the Ozarks and he is going to be ultra-successful in whatever he decides to do.
Brayden Shorter, Kickapoo
The heart of the Chiefs' state runner-up team, Shorter made an impact at Kickapoo in his two all-state seasons in the starting lineup and as one of the best overall players in southwest Missouri.
The 6-foot-5 wing was one of the more fun players to watch when he got going. One of the highlights from a great season was when he started to feel it from deep and just started throwing up 3's and knocking them down in a district championship win over Nixa.
Shorter finished the year averaging 17.8 points and was a 42.7% shooter from deep. He waited for his opportunity during his freshman and sophomore years and then made the most of his chances during his junior and senior seasons. He was the top player on what turned out to be the best team in the Ozarks.
Second Team All-Ozarks
Tom Emrick, Mansfield
Cole Griesemer, Hillcrest
Trae Oetting, Kickapoo
Curry Sutherland, Logan-Rogersville
All Wright, Joplin
Honorable Mention
Jay Baxter, Stockton
Ryder Blevins, Forsyth
Nick Burri, Greenwood
Luke Bushey, Dadeville
Wil Carlton, Marionville
Amarre Clark, Hillcrest
Collin Clark, Greenwood
Jalon Cryer, Hartville
Clayton Garrison, Chadwick
Elias Govan, Parkview
Isaiah Green, Neosho
Cooper Long, Seneca
Brady Nicholson, Ash Grove
Aaron Poage, Camdenton
Jaxon Rowden, Fair Grove
Josh Shockley, Cabool
Garrett Snyder, Hollister
JD Tate, Spokane
Max Templeman, Carthage
Aiden Vaught, Crane
Cody Voysey, Strafford
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or Twitter at @WyattWheeler_NL.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: News-Leader 2022-23 All-Ozarks Boys Basketball Team revealed
