SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Zaxton King’s 18 points helped Missouri State defeat UT Arlington 78-68 on Tuesday night.

King shot 5 of 14 from the field, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the line for the Bears (3-1). Vincent Brady II scored 14 points, shooting 4 for 9 (2 for 3 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. Jalen Hampton and Dez White both added 12 points and Hampton had 12 rebounds.

The Mavericks (2-3) were led by Jaxon Ellingsworth, who posted 19 points and six rebounds. Darius Burford added 14 points and nine rebounds for UT Arlington. Raysean Seamster also had 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

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The 2024-25 Missouri boys high school basketball season is about to tip-off and it is a great time to take a look at the Top 25 teams in the state. Follow our rankings each of the season as we track who moves up, or down, based on the results.

The Red Devils feature a roster full of college prospects. They appeared in the Class 6 championship game last season and returned most of their production. Jahadi White Jr, Jamison White, Jonny Jordan, and Ben Winker all hold Division 1 offers. 

Jimmy McKinney leads Vashon as their new head coach. His first year roster is led by Missouri State signee Trey Williams and Dehrio McCaskill. His son Jimmy McKinney Jr. is a highly touted 2027 prospect. The Wolverines have championship DNA.

De Smet return as Class 5 champions with a potential move up to the Class 6 in the coming weeks. They return all key starters & role players. North Dakota State signee Riley Massey and 2026 prospect Ian Thomas lead a talented backcourt. 

Oak Park is coming off a 27-5 season that led them to Mizzou Arena in March. They’re loaded with upperclassmen that have experience. 6’5 guard Corbin Allen leads the way and fills up the box score. 

The Bulldogs have a tough task trying to replace the production of Dontrez Williams. With that being said their core of PJ Farmer, Trace Sadler, and Tristan Wiggins will make noise in Class 5. They’re deep at the guard position. Marquel Murray was a big transfer statewide.

Burroughs will be a tough out for most programs in the state. They have a frontline that’s tough to match up with. 6’9 Tristan Reed and 6’10 Sheek Pearson are both high-major prospects. The Bombers won 27 games last season.

The Trailblazers feature a dominant backcourt duo in Mizzou signee Aaron Rowe and Exavier Wilson. The two have years of chemistry built. Blake Pingeton completes the roster as a 6’7 swingman. Could this be the year for Tolton in Class 4?

Staley have established themselves as a top overall program in the state. Chris Neff is an excellent coach. 6’7 senior Xavier Wislon is their go-to guy. Scoring at a high clip will be senior guard Avian Webb. This group went 23-6 last season. 

Principia will be a squad to watch early. They’ve compiled a ton of talent in the 2026 and 2027 classes and are led by legendary coach Jay Blossom. No doubt they are a factor in Class 4. Keep an eye out for 2026 guard Quentin Coleman. 

The Statesmen are young but talented. Justin Mathes is a tremendous coach that has talent at his disposal. One thing is a given, they’re going to compete. 2027 Scottie Adkinson has built a reputation as one of the best nationwide. 2028 Miles Simpson will play early and often. 

Vianney lost Eddie Smajic and Symon Ghai but still have a well-rounded team around Southern Illinois signee Luke Wlash. They’re a strong three point shooting team coming off a 25 win season. 

A top program in SWMO, the Chiefs have much of their core still in place. Reese Kimrey and Jackson Shorter will form an excellent pick & roll duo. Mitch McHenry knows what it takes to make deep playoff runs as a coach.

Battle has some of the best guards in Missouri. Their up-tempo style will apply pressure on the defensive end. Last season they went 20-8 while playing a tough schedule. 2027 Brandon Rooks is a name to know. 

One of the best returning teams in Class 6. This is a group who clicked late in the season. They have chemistry and should continue to build in a winning direction after a 20 win season.

Helias is a sneaky good team following a handful of transfers this off-season. They have a host of 2026 prospects who will make major contributions. A contender in Class 5.

Springfield Central retains Keion Epps and Bryce Walker from a team who went far last season. Replacing Tyrique Brooks and his production as a committee will be key to keeping continuity. 

The Bruins are an older squad with a host of players who produced last season. Reese Minnix and Brady Davidson are a formidable frontcourt tandem. Last season they went 22-6 with nearly all of their scoring coming back. 

The Dragons are a wild card. They could end up being much higher when it’s all said and done. The star is Zyree Collins who some consider the offensive best player in Missouri. He’s surrounded by a strong supporting cast.

A team with tons of potential. The Broncos are a group that could make noise in 2024-25’. Junior wing Tre Paulding is someone that can be special for this team. They play a tough early slate in conference. 

Howell were a few possessions away from making state last season. Their 24-6 team from last year returns senior Will Paulson who’s a 6’7 forward leading them in scoring. Their backcourt is explosive as well. 

Rogersville is built around two important pieces. One is their coach, Jon Schaefer, who’s a top coach in Missouri. The other is 2027 point guard Chase Branham. He’s one of the best prospects in the state regardless of class holding a Mizzou offer.

Westminster have won and won often under Dale Ribble. He has developed a strong culture around the program and they’re a safe bet to stay on this list. JD Robertson is a key senior while sophomore guard Will Powers is a name who could emerge. 

The Jays will look a lot different in 2024-25’. They’ll be led by new coach Ethan Williams. The first year coach will be in good hands at the forward spot. 2025 Arkansas Baseball commit Jordan Martin is a machine on the court. 

The Lions are a team going through a rebuild but make no mistake about it, they’ll compete and win their fair share of games. That’s the culture on North Spring Avenue. A tough out for anybody in the state due to their defensive ability. 

Rolla will look to win their district following a 22-6 season last year. They’ve proven to compete well vs. tough competition and have a dynamic talent in 2026 Ethan Brown. The junior guard has a chance to lead this team in all major categories.

President-elect Donald Trump tapped two Missouri members of the legal team for jobs in the new administration, naming D. John Sauer solicitor general and Will Scharf assistant to the president and White House staff secretary.

Sauer, who lives in the St. Louis suburb of Town and Country, was Missouri solicitor general from 2017 through 2022 under Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt. In that job, he led Missouri’s unsuccessful effort alongside other GOP attorneys general to keep Trump in power by challenging the 2020 election results. 

More recently, Sauer successfully represented Trump at the U.S. Supreme Court in his bid for immunity from being criminally charged for trying to overturn the 2020 election. The justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines in July to give Trump immunity from some official acts he took as president.

As solicitor general, Sauer will be responsible for litigating the federal government’s positions at the U.S. Supreme Court.

“He is a legit genius, an incredible lawyer and I’m thrilled for him and his family,” Schmitt posted on social media. 

Scharf, who ran unsuccessfully against Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in the GOP primary, briefly served in the administration of former Gov. Eric Greitens before moving to Washington, D.C., to work for the advocacy organization Judicial Crisis Network, focused on judicial confirmations and nominations, most notably Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

In 2020, he returned to Missouri to work as an assistant U.S. attorney in St. Louis. Alongside Sauer, Scharf was part of the team advising and defending Trump in his myriad criminal trials over the last year. 

More: Missouri attorney general candidates share their goals if elected this year

In his new job, Scharf will decide which memos, briefings and reports will go to the president and who should weigh in on issues and speeches.

“Will is a highly skilled attorney who will be a crucial part of my White House team,” Trump said in announcing Scharf’s appointment, later adding: “Will is going to make us proud as we Make America Great Again.”

This story was first published at missouriindependent.com.