Sweet Springs/Malta Bend senior Ryan Johnson (44) will play in the Lions District 26-M5 Senior Girls’ All-Star basketball game Saturday. Johnson, of Malta Bend, had 16 double-doubles this season, en route to averaging 14.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for Brent Niemeyer’s Lady Greyhounds. Johnson also finished her career with more than 1,000 points and 950 rebounds, the latter bing a school record. She wound up fifth on the school’s all-time scoring chart. Johnson will be competing on the girls’ North team, which also includes Marissa Heins and Jaesi Hentges of the I-70 Conference’s Saint Paul Lady Saints. Also from the I-70 Conference, Karley Swope of Crest Ridge is playing for the South squad.
Santa Fe’s Emmett Finkeldei will compete for the boys’ North squad, which also includes Elijah Owens of the I-70’s Wellington Tigers and Zander Stevinson of Orrick. In the 2022-23 season, Finkeldei averaged 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game for Andrew Smith’s Chiefs.
The girls’ game tips at 6 p.m. and the boys’ game at 8 p.m. at Lafayette County High School in Higginsville. (File Photo — Hobby King/Democrat-News)
