High School

Missouri High School Basketball’s Most Unstoppable Players This Season

From record-breaking nights to consistent double-doubles, these players have made themselves impossible to ignore on the court. Here’s a closer look at the players who are shaping the 2025–26 season

Levi Payton

Logan-Rogersville four-star 2027 prospect Chase Branham, an Indiana Hoosiers commit, is one of the top junior guards in the country and has become the backbone to the Wildcats' success.
Logan-Rogersville four-star 2027 prospect Chase Branham, an Indiana Hoosiers commit, is one of the top junior guards in the country and has become the backbone to the Wildcats' success. / Ricky Slaughter

Some players are unavoidable. Some are inevitable.

It doesn't always look the same, but when the lights come on and the ball goes up, they’re the ones who keep showing up, making plays, shaping the outcome of games and seasons and defining careers.

This season, Missouri has seen a number of those players emerge. Seniors have carried their teams with scoring and leadership, while underclassmen have stepped into roles usually reserved for veterans, putting up big numbers and changing games.

The players below have become unavoidable in their own ways. They’ve delivered high-level production consistently, made their presence felt in critical moments, and, in most cases, serve as the backbone to their squad's success. From five-star recruits to emerging underclassmen, this list highlights a few players from across the state who have become inevitable on a night-in, night-out basis during the 2025–26 season.

Boys

Grady Payton, sr., Capital City

Payton has put together a season that has redefined what is possible in Capital City’s short program history. The senior guard set a new school scoring record twice in January, first dropping 44 points in an overtime win against Hallsville to surpass Nehemiah Hamilton’s previous mark of 38, then breaking his own record with 45 points in a 73–66 win against Lutheran St. Charles on Jan. 19. He opened the season strong with 25 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks against Boonville, giving him 69 points across his first two games. Payton was named Gary Filbert MVP at the Norm Stewart Classic after leading the Cavaliers to a 3–0 start, highlighted by a 28-point, 13-rebound performance. Through six games, he averaged 26.6 points, 10 rebounds and 4.5 assists, reached the 1,000-point milestone on Jan. 9 against Columbia Hickman and committed to Bryant four days later.

Chase Branham, jr., Logan-Rogersville

One of the best junior guards in the country, the four-star Indiana commit is the man in Rogersville. Unquestionably one of the best boys basketball players in the state entering the year, the 6-foot-4 small forward has continued to flourish. Sporting a smooth release and lethal accuracy from beyond the arc, he showed off at the renowned Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions in Springfield last weekend by winning the 3-point Shootout and dominating on the floor against some of the top high school teams in the country. Including 21 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals against Paul VI (Chantilly, Virginia) and 32 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in a win against Wheeler (Georgia). He also had 31 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in a close loss against Chaminade College Prep on Jan. 10. He's a big reason why the Wildcats are Class 4 title contenders this season.

Emery Woehrmann, jr., St. Francis Borgia

Woehrmann has been one of Missouri’s most explosive scorers, delivering high-volume production with remarkable consistency. The 6-foot-1 junior opened the season with a 48-point outburst against Pacific, shooting 15 of 22 from the field and knocking down 10 of 16 3-pointers, then followed with 31 points on 10-of-13 shooting against Confluence Prep two days later. He recorded his lone double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds in his fourth game, also against Pacific. Since then, Woehrmann has continued piling up big nights, including 41 points against Bayless, 37 against Washington and 36 against both Hillsboro and St. Mary’s. Through 15 games, he is averaging 27.5 points and has reached double figures in 14 contests, 20 points in 11 games, 30 points six times and 40-plus twice.

Mamadou Barry, soph., Vianney

Barry’s physical presence has made him one of the most impactful defensive players in the state as a sophomore. The 7-foot-1 center recorded his first career triple-double on Jan. 14 with 10 points, 14 rebounds and a school-record 12 blocks against Parkway North, one game after earning his first double-double against Gateway Legacy Christian. While the 12-block performance stood out, Barry has been a consistent rim protector all season, recording six blocks in three games and at least one block in 14 of 16 contests. His rebounding has surged as well, with four double-figure rebounding games in his last six after reaching that mark only once in his first 10 games. Barry is shooting 62.2 percent from the field through 16 games and plays club basketball with Gateway Knights, a New Balance partner in the P32 League.

Mike Thomas III, jr., Summit Christian Academy

Thomas has been the driving force behind Summit Christian’s 9–6 start, producing nightly as a versatile 6-foot-7 combo guard. He opened the season with 25 and 27 points in back-to-back wins at the Eagle Invitational, including an 11-of-15 shooting performance in the opener against Paseo Academy. Outside of one difficult matchup early in the year, Thomas has been consistent, scoring at least 18 points in 11 of 12 games and reaching 24 or more eight times. He followed that lone off night with 31 points and 13 rebounds against Springfield Catholic, then added scoring efforts of 30, 34 and 30 in subsequent games. Thomas has recorded consecutive double-doubles in January and is averaging 24 points and seven rebounds per game.

James Aydelott, jr., Timberland

Aydelott has been one of the state’s most unstoppable scorers, carrying Timberland’s offense night after night. The junior guard is averaging 33.1 points through 14 games and has topped the 30-point mark in 12 of them. His season has featured four games of 40 or more points, including a season-high 42 against John Burroughs on Jan. 10 and 41-point outings against Fort Zumwalt North and Parkway North. After two comparatively quiet games early in the season, Aydelott has not dipped below 30 points, producing a sustained stretch of double-digit scoring while shooting 55.6 percent from the field. His lone double-double came with 35 points and 14 rebounds against North Point on Dec. 30.

Girls

Ryann Arnold, jr., Lee’s Summit

Arnold has taken a major step forward as a junior, emerging as one of the most productive wings in the state. After steady growth as a freshman and sophomore, the 5-foot-11 forward is averaging 23.4 points and 9.3 rebounds through 11 games while filling the stat sheet with blocks and steals. She opened the season with 30 points against Fort Osage and followed with a 33-point performance against Grain Valley in the fourth game. Arnold also posted 29 points against Blue Valley North and 27 against Winnetonka and has yet to score fewer than 16 points in any game this season. She plays club basketball with KC Storm Elite.

Addison Bjorn, sr., Park Hill South

Bjorn has been one of the most dominant players in the country this season, anchoring Park Hill South with elite production on both ends of the floor. A five-star Texas Longhorns commit and the No. 10 overall player in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 100, Bjorn, a three-time gold medalist with USA Women's Basketball, entered the week averaging 26 points and 14.5 rebounds through 14 games. She opened the season with a career-high 48 points against Liberty North and has added scoring efforts of 31, 35 and 36 points against Grandview, Park Hill and Blue Valley North. Bjorn has recorded a double-double in every game this season, giving her 14 straight and extending a streak that dates back to last year. She also owns multiple games with 16 or more rebounds, including a season-high 19 against St. Teresa's Academy. She recorded her 2,000th career point on Jan. 19 and is fast approaching 1,000 career rebounds.

Jordyn Haywood, soph., MICDS

One of the best sophomore girls basketball players walking the globe, Haywood has skills well beyond her years. A four-star talent and USA Women’s Basketball product who is ranked No. 5 overall in the country on the 2028 SportsCenter NEXT - Terrific 25, she is averaging 24.8 points and 9.4 rebounds while helping MICDS to a 10–5 start. Haywood has recorded eight double-doubles and has scored at least 17 points in every game. She reached the 30-point mark four times, including a season-high 35 against Ladue, followed by a 33-point, 18-rebound outing against Marquette. Her ability to impact the game on both ends has been evident throughout the season.

Mollie Bailey, soph., Seckman

Bailey has been a cornerstone of Seckman’s resurgence after an 0–2 start, helping the Lady Jaguars win nine of their last 10 games. The 6-foot-3 sophomore has posted nine double-doubles in 12 games after recording 20 as a freshman. Her most dominant performances included 34 points and 23 rebounds against Pattonville and 32 points with 18 boards against Fox. Bailey tied her career-high with 23 rebounds again against Notre Dame and has recorded 18 rebounds in three separate games this season, continuing to establish herself as one of the state’s top interior forces.

Jamiah Herring-Green, soph., Hazelwood West

Herring-Green’s consistency has been remarkable since the start of her varsity career, and it has continued this season. The 5-foot-10 guard is averaging 29.2 points while scoring at least 20 in all 13 games this year. She set a new career high with 49 points in a win against St. Pius X, surpassing a mark of 47 points she first reached as a freshman. In addition to her scoring, Herring-Green has expanded her rebounding and playmaking, recording five double-doubles this season and the first triple-double of her career on New Year’s Eve. Despite team struggles, she has delivered production every night.

Karissa "KD" Davis, soph., Oak Park

Davis has elevated her game in her second varsity season, becoming a dominant interior presence for Oak Park. The 6-foot forward is averaging 22.9 points and 13.4 rebounds while recording nine double-doubles through 11 games. She set a career high with 40 points in December and later posted 38 points and 19 rebounds during the Oak Park Tournament, finishing with 81 points across three games to help the Lady Oakies claim the title. Davis is shooting an even 50 percent from the field and 84.1 percent from the free throw line, underscoring her efficiency around the basket.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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