2023-24 boys, girls postseason teams revealed

The Springfield News-Leader is proud to announce its 2023-24 Dominant Dozen — honoring the 12 most impactful players of the high school basketball season.

The players were picked based on inseason production, News-Leader observations and consultations with high school basketball coaches from across the area. Statistics and other data were provided by coaches.

Springfield-area members of the Dominant Dozen are all finalists for the News-Leader’s boys high school basketball player of the year. The News-Leader will announce its All-Ozarks teams this week, which includes large- and smallschool coach of the year honors.

As expected, there was quite a bit of movement from our preseason team to the one that counts at the end of the year. Seven players from our preseason team made the final 12 with two coming from our annual “players who will make us regret not putting them in the Dominant Dozen” list. Three others broke out and made names for themselves without any preseason recognition.

Here are the 2023-24 Dominant Dozen, the Next Dozen and honorable mention selections in alphabetical order by last name.

Chase Branham, Logan-Rogersville

Since launching the Dominant Dozen after the 2020-21 season, no freshman has been named to our postseason team... until now.

Branham’s freshman season was special after leading Logan-Rogersville to a Class 4 third-place finish. He lived up to the high expectations he entered high school with and showed why he’s a Division I prospect and will be one of the best players in the state for years to come.

The Springfield News-Leader is proud to announce its 2023-24 Dominant Dozen — honoring the 12 most impactful players of the high school basketball season.

The players were picked based on in-season production, News-Leader observations and consultations with high school basketball coaches from across the area. Statistics and other data were provided by coaches.

Springfield-area members of the Dominant Dozen are all finalists for the News-Leader’s girls high school basketball player of the year honor. The News-Leader will also announce its All-Ozarks girls teams including large- and small-school coach of the year honors.

Five of the players in the Dominant Dozen were preseason selections. Two came from our annual “players who will make us regret not putting them in the Dominant Dozen” list. Five players made names for themselves without any preseason recognition.

Here are the 2023-24 Dominant Dozen, the Next Dozen and honorable mention selections in alphabetical order.

Logan-Rogersville freshman Chase Branham finished the year averaging 17.9 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Ashton Bell, Fair Grove

For the second straight year, Bell helped deliver Fair Grove a state championship and she will have a good chance at doing it for a third time.

Bell makes her Dominant Dozen debut as a junior after leading the Lady Eagles in scoring with 11.1 points per game. On a team known for its defense, Bell helped lock down El Dorado Springs and hold it to 27 points in the Class 3 state championship. In the semifinals, she scored 18 points when Fair Grove’s opponent was held to 19 total.

COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

LEFT: The Springfield News-Leader announced its 2023-24 Dominant Dozen boys basketball team that includes, from left, Central’s Tyrique Brooks, Glendale’s Amare Witham, Greenwood’s Collin Clark and Sparta’s Jacob Lafferty. RIGHT: The girls team includes, from left, Fair Grove’s Ashton Bell, Kickapoo’s Kya Johnson, Marshfield’s Lauren Luebbert and Strafford’s Elsie Larsen.

NATHAN PAPES/SPRINGFIELD NEWS-LEADER FILE West Plains’ Allyssa Joyner averaged 19.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, leading the Lady Zizzers to their fifth consecutive 20-win season. Her career ended with three appearances in the state semifinals and a championship in 2022.