IowaPreps.com All Time Greats Archives
Kirk Hinrich - Sioux City East
Tim Dwight - Iowa City High
Tavian Banks - Bettendorf
Adam Haluska - Carroll
Jason Scales - West Des Moines Valley
Jeff Horner - Mason City
Dean Oliver - Mason City
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Kirk Hinrich[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Hinrich: I only had a chance to see Hinrich play
two times during high school, and both of those were when he was playing at the
State tournament. When he was a sophomore, he was starting at guard for
West against the Mason City dynasty led by Dean Oliver. Hinrich was
playing with former Hawkeye Kyle Galloway, but they were no match for the loaded
Mason City squad.
During the summer, Hinrich was offered by Tim Floyd and he accepted. Many assumed he was off the recruiting market and would be the
next great Cyclone guard. Hinrich had another good year as a junior but
his team didn't have the firepower to make another serious run at the title.
Things changed greatly that summer as Floyd left Iowa State to become head
coach of the Chicago Bulls. With that move, Hinrich re-opened recruiting
and it was at a perfect time. He was spending the summer wowing coaches
across the country while playing for the Martin Bros. and schools were all over
him when he changed his mind on Iowa State. After the summer, Hinrich
narrowed recruiting down to a final three of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa State before picking the JayHawks. He joined AAU teammate Nick Collison in signing with Kansas that
fall.
With recruiting out of the way, Hinrich and West were expected to fight for
the title. They started off the season 0-3 and even fell out of the Class
4A rankings. The team pulled it together late and eventually took the
Class 4A State title. What a fitting end for his high school career.
Later that month, Hinrich also added a share of the 1999 Mr. Basketball.
Hinrich then went on to become a four year starter at Kansas before being
picked number seven by the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 12.0 points, 6.8
assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game as a rookie. Hinrich is already
considered among the elite guards in the game.
Enough with the story, time for the video. I was lucky enough to get my
hands on one game from his senior season (Against Sioux City East) and you can
see his skills as a high schooler. I made each clip between 30 and 40 seconds so that users with
slower connections can have an easier time checking out the highlights.
They are very well worth seeing. The quality of the video is not great, so
make sure to watch closely. Again, please
post your thoughts about the IowaPreps.com Legends article.
Hinrich Video:
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 1 (Passing)
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 2 (Passing)
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 3
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 4
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Tim Dwight[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Dwight: At the high school level, Tim Dwight was
flat out amazing. He made so many plays and the Little Hawks utilized him
in so many different ways. It is obvious how much respect the opponents,
Bettendorf, have for him because they are keying their defense around him.
This is a playoff game against the Bulldogs. Although City High jumps out
to a 14-0 lead at home, they cannot hold onto it as Bettendorf steps up their
defense and slow down Dwight and City High.
Enough with the story, time for the video. I was lucky enough
to get my hands on one the game mentioned above and
you can see his skills as a high schooler. These clips are very much worth
watching and show the skill that Dwight has displayed with Iowa and in the NFL.
Again, please post your thoughts about the IowaPreps.com All Time Greats!
Dwight Video:
Video:
Tim Dwight
Highlights 1
Video:
Tim Dwight
Highlights 2
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Tavian Banks[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Banks: While growing up in the Quad Cities, I knew
exactly who Bettendorf running back Tavian Banks was. He was a flat out
stud and I think anyone within a twenty mile radius knew how much talent he had.
And after completing an amazing high school career for the Bulldogs, he went on
the University of Iowa where he did damage in the Big Ten. This was after
he helped his team win two State titles and really cemented the legacy of
Bettendorf football.
While in Iowa City, he was among the top running
backs in the nation. Banks was named first team All Big Ten as well as
second team All American by Football News. In that season, he did set a
record by reaching 1,000 yards quicker than any other running back in history.
After his college eligibilty ended, he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars
in the fourth round as the 101st player picked overall. His NFL career was
limited by injuries but that should not take away from what he accomplished throughout his
football career. Banks is also one of the few athletes in Iowa who have
reached the status of being able to say 'Tavian' and Iowa fans will know exactly
who you are talking about.
Banks Video:
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 1
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 2
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 3
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 4
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Adam Haluska[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Haluska: At the high school level, Adam Haluska is
a freak. He dunks so much and can basically play every position. When I
first watched these tapes a few years back, I went crazy. Not only was it
because this player was this talented but also for the fact that Carroll never
made the State tournament when he played. He was simply an amazing prep
basketball player.
At at the start of his sophomore year, Haluska committed to Iowa State.
This was a few months after Jeff Horner of Mason City had committed to Iowa.
But even though he spent time in Ames, Haluska made a decision to transfer Iowa
and is one of the top Hawkeye players coming back next winter. With Horner
and Greg Brunner both graduating, Haluska will see a bigger role on both sides
of the court. He did help the team take home the Big Ten Tournament title
and has a chance for All Conference honors.
Haluska Video:
Video:
Adam
Haluska Video 1
Video:
Adam
Haluska Video 2
Video:
Adam
Haluska Video 3
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Jason Scales [/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Scales: During the Class of 2004, Iowa was just
loaded with major football players. From Adrian Arrington to Ted Bentler,
there were a number of players holding multiple scholarships at the time.
One player who blew up during the start of his junior was West Des Moines Valley
running back Jason Scales. He put absurd numbers throughout the first few
games of the year and that eventually led to both in-state powers, Iowa and Iowa
State, to offer him a scholarship. It was obvious that Scales was just a
player.
By his senior year, Scales eventually held offers from the Cyclones, the
Hawkeyes, Northwestern, and Kansas. If he had waited longer in the
recruiting process, that number could have increased but he decided to silently
commit to Iowa State near the end of the year. Scales ended his high
school career with two State titles and just dominated. In college, it has
been a different story because of injuries. If he can get back on track,
he will definitely contribute to the Cyclones in his final years in college.
If not, his legacy at the high school level will not be forgotten.
The one thing I remember that I think is important to note about Scales is
how humble and tough he is. Whenever I interviewed him, he was one of the
most humble athletes I have spoken to. Scales let his skills on the field
talk for themselves. As for his toughness, Scales went down with an injury
late in his senior season that eventually began the legend of Zac Sandvig.
Scales came back in the semifinal game against Ankeny and made an immediate
impact. When I interviewed him after the game, he had a huge ice pack on
his ankle and had a huge limp when he walked. That is a toughness most
players don't have, especially at the high level.
Scales Video:
Video:
Jason
Scales Highlights 1
Video:
Jason
Scales Highlights 2
Video:
Jason
Scales Highlights 3
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Jeff Horner[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Horner: Because I was only three years older than
Horner, I had a chance to see him play more often at AAU tournaments as well as
hear stories about him. I believe I heard stories about him while he was
in eighth grade and then I was told that he was basically a lock to Iowa.
He had attended the Iowa camp where a few of my friends went and they had a
chance to see him in-action. And for an eighth grader, they were saying
that he was very impressive. Later that summer, I eventually saw him
myself at an AAU tournament where he hit some absurd number of threes in a row.
It was funny because the other players in the crowd were yelling for him to
shoot the ball every time he touched it.
During his freshman year at Mason City, he showed those skills on the court
and eventually earned scholarship offers from Iowa and Iowa State. Both
in-state programs made him a priority but on April 1st, he committed to the
Hawkeyes. Horner had a storied prep career that included getting his team
to State twice and winning Mr. Basketball. He put up huge numbers and
although he didn't have the supporting cast as Dean Oliver (Who had attended
Mason City just years before), Horner still led his team to some great wins.
At Iowa, Horner was over analyzed by Iowa fans but he had an outstanding
career. He was the floor leader for quite sometime and did everything he
could to help his team win. Although the Hawkeyes lost in the first round
of the NCAA tournament, Horner helped them win the Big Ten Tournament
Championship. But before he sported the Iowa uniform, he stood out as a
prep at Mason City. Below are vidoe files from Horner's senior year where
he dropped 41 points on Cedar Falls.
Horner Video:
Video:
Jeff Horner
Highlights 1
Video:
Jeff Horner
Highlights 2
Video:
Jeff Horner
Highlights 3
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Dean Horner[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Oliver: Dean Oliver had one of the most impressive
prep careers of any in-state basketball player in recent memory. He helped
his team to back-to-back State titles and he played on two of the best
basketball teams in Iowa history. And before he was finished, he committed
very early in his career to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Oliver ended up having an
impressive career with Iowa and is currently playing overseas.
The first time I had a chance to see Oliver play was the last game of his
high school career. This was against Sioux City West in the State final
and both teams were loaded (Four future Division I players were on the court at
that time). I always grew up loving basketball and playing it but that
game it what really helped me fall in love with high school sports. The
atmosphere at Vets and the talented players on the court had me hooked on
varsity sports in Iowa. If anything fuels my motivation for this site, it
is how I felt that first time I walked into Vets and saw this game. I
remember how amazing that game was and it will probably be something I will
never forget. Oliver played a major role in that because his skills were
on full display.
Oliver Video:
Video:
Dean Oliver
Highlights 1
Video:
Dean Oliver
Highlights 2
This post was edited on 6/2 10:17 AM by LukeFeddersenif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
Kirk Hinrich - Sioux City East
Tim Dwight - Iowa City High
Tavian Banks - Bettendorf
Adam Haluska - Carroll
Jason Scales - West Des Moines Valley
Jeff Horner - Mason City
Dean Oliver - Mason City
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Kirk Hinrich[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Hinrich: I only had a chance to see Hinrich play
two times during high school, and both of those were when he was playing at the
State tournament. When he was a sophomore, he was starting at guard for
West against the Mason City dynasty led by Dean Oliver. Hinrich was
playing with former Hawkeye Kyle Galloway, but they were no match for the loaded
Mason City squad.
During the summer, Hinrich was offered by Tim Floyd and he accepted. Many assumed he was off the recruiting market and would be the
next great Cyclone guard. Hinrich had another good year as a junior but
his team didn't have the firepower to make another serious run at the title.
Things changed greatly that summer as Floyd left Iowa State to become head
coach of the Chicago Bulls. With that move, Hinrich re-opened recruiting
and it was at a perfect time. He was spending the summer wowing coaches
across the country while playing for the Martin Bros. and schools were all over
him when he changed his mind on Iowa State. After the summer, Hinrich
narrowed recruiting down to a final three of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa State before picking the JayHawks. He joined AAU teammate Nick Collison in signing with Kansas that
fall.
With recruiting out of the way, Hinrich and West were expected to fight for
the title. They started off the season 0-3 and even fell out of the Class
4A rankings. The team pulled it together late and eventually took the
Class 4A State title. What a fitting end for his high school career.
Later that month, Hinrich also added a share of the 1999 Mr. Basketball.
Hinrich then went on to become a four year starter at Kansas before being
picked number seven by the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 12.0 points, 6.8
assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game as a rookie. Hinrich is already
considered among the elite guards in the game.
Enough with the story, time for the video. I was lucky enough to get my
hands on one game from his senior season (Against Sioux City East) and you can
see his skills as a high schooler. I made each clip between 30 and 40 seconds so that users with
slower connections can have an easier time checking out the highlights.
They are very well worth seeing. The quality of the video is not great, so
make sure to watch closely. Again, please
post your thoughts about the IowaPreps.com Legends article.
Hinrich Video:
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 1 (Passing)
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 2 (Passing)
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 3
Video:
Kirk
Hinrich Highlights 4
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Tim Dwight[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Dwight: At the high school level, Tim Dwight was
flat out amazing. He made so many plays and the Little Hawks utilized him
in so many different ways. It is obvious how much respect the opponents,
Bettendorf, have for him because they are keying their defense around him.
This is a playoff game against the Bulldogs. Although City High jumps out
to a 14-0 lead at home, they cannot hold onto it as Bettendorf steps up their
defense and slow down Dwight and City High.
Enough with the story, time for the video. I was lucky enough
to get my hands on one the game mentioned above and
you can see his skills as a high schooler. These clips are very much worth
watching and show the skill that Dwight has displayed with Iowa and in the NFL.
Again, please post your thoughts about the IowaPreps.com All Time Greats!
Dwight Video:
Video:
Tim Dwight
Highlights 1
Video:
Tim Dwight
Highlights 2
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Tavian Banks[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Banks: While growing up in the Quad Cities, I knew
exactly who Bettendorf running back Tavian Banks was. He was a flat out
stud and I think anyone within a twenty mile radius knew how much talent he had.
And after completing an amazing high school career for the Bulldogs, he went on
the University of Iowa where he did damage in the Big Ten. This was after
he helped his team win two State titles and really cemented the legacy of
Bettendorf football.
While in Iowa City, he was among the top running
backs in the nation. Banks was named first team All Big Ten as well as
second team All American by Football News. In that season, he did set a
record by reaching 1,000 yards quicker than any other running back in history.
After his college eligibilty ended, he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars
in the fourth round as the 101st player picked overall. His NFL career was
limited by injuries but that should not take away from what he accomplished throughout his
football career. Banks is also one of the few athletes in Iowa who have
reached the status of being able to say 'Tavian' and Iowa fans will know exactly
who you are talking about.
Banks Video:
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 1
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 2
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 3
Video:
Tavian
Banks Highlights 4
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Adam Haluska[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Haluska: At the high school level, Adam Haluska is
a freak. He dunks so much and can basically play every position. When I
first watched these tapes a few years back, I went crazy. Not only was it
because this player was this talented but also for the fact that Carroll never
made the State tournament when he played. He was simply an amazing prep
basketball player.
At at the start of his sophomore year, Haluska committed to Iowa State.
This was a few months after Jeff Horner of Mason City had committed to Iowa.
But even though he spent time in Ames, Haluska made a decision to transfer Iowa
and is one of the top Hawkeye players coming back next winter. With Horner
and Greg Brunner both graduating, Haluska will see a bigger role on both sides
of the court. He did help the team take home the Big Ten Tournament title
and has a chance for All Conference honors.
Haluska Video:
Video:
Adam
Haluska Video 1
Video:
Adam
Haluska Video 2
Video:
Adam
Haluska Video 3
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Jason Scales [/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Scales: During the Class of 2004, Iowa was just
loaded with major football players. From Adrian Arrington to Ted Bentler,
there were a number of players holding multiple scholarships at the time.
One player who blew up during the start of his junior was West Des Moines Valley
running back Jason Scales. He put absurd numbers throughout the first few
games of the year and that eventually led to both in-state powers, Iowa and Iowa
State, to offer him a scholarship. It was obvious that Scales was just a
player.
By his senior year, Scales eventually held offers from the Cyclones, the
Hawkeyes, Northwestern, and Kansas. If he had waited longer in the
recruiting process, that number could have increased but he decided to silently
commit to Iowa State near the end of the year. Scales ended his high
school career with two State titles and just dominated. In college, it has
been a different story because of injuries. If he can get back on track,
he will definitely contribute to the Cyclones in his final years in college.
If not, his legacy at the high school level will not be forgotten.
The one thing I remember that I think is important to note about Scales is
how humble and tough he is. Whenever I interviewed him, he was one of the
most humble athletes I have spoken to. Scales let his skills on the field
talk for themselves. As for his toughness, Scales went down with an injury
late in his senior season that eventually began the legend of Zac Sandvig.
Scales came back in the semifinal game against Ankeny and made an immediate
impact. When I interviewed him after the game, he had a huge ice pack on
his ankle and had a huge limp when he walked. That is a toughness most
players don't have, especially at the high level.
Scales Video:
Video:
Jason
Scales Highlights 1
Video:
Jason
Scales Highlights 2
Video:
Jason
Scales Highlights 3
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Jeff Horner[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Horner: Because I was only three years older than
Horner, I had a chance to see him play more often at AAU tournaments as well as
hear stories about him. I believe I heard stories about him while he was
in eighth grade and then I was told that he was basically a lock to Iowa.
He had attended the Iowa camp where a few of my friends went and they had a
chance to see him in-action. And for an eighth grader, they were saying
that he was very impressive. Later that summer, I eventually saw him
myself at an AAU tournament where he hit some absurd number of threes in a row.
It was funny because the other players in the crowd were yelling for him to
shoot the ball every time he touched it.
During his freshman year at Mason City, he showed those skills on the court
and eventually earned scholarship offers from Iowa and Iowa State. Both
in-state programs made him a priority but on April 1st, he committed to the
Hawkeyes. Horner had a storied prep career that included getting his team
to State twice and winning Mr. Basketball. He put up huge numbers and
although he didn't have the supporting cast as Dean Oliver (Who had attended
Mason City just years before), Horner still led his team to some great wins.
At Iowa, Horner was over analyzed by Iowa fans but he had an outstanding
career. He was the floor leader for quite sometime and did everything he
could to help his team win. Although the Hawkeyes lost in the first round
of the NCAA tournament, Horner helped them win the Big Ten Tournament
Championship. But before he sported the Iowa uniform, he stood out as a
prep at Mason City. Below are vidoe files from Horner's senior year where
he dropped 41 points on Cedar Falls.
Horner Video:
Video:
Jeff Horner
Highlights 1
Video:
Jeff Horner
Highlights 2
Video:
Jeff Horner
Highlights 3
IowaPreps.com All Time Greats: Dean Horner[/URL]
Luke's Thoughts on Oliver: Dean Oliver had one of the most impressive
prep careers of any in-state basketball player in recent memory. He helped
his team to back-to-back State titles and he played on two of the best
basketball teams in Iowa history. And before he was finished, he committed
very early in his career to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Oliver ended up having an
impressive career with Iowa and is currently playing overseas.
The first time I had a chance to see Oliver play was the last game of his
high school career. This was against Sioux City West in the State final
and both teams were loaded (Four future Division I players were on the court at
that time). I always grew up loving basketball and playing it but that
game it what really helped me fall in love with high school sports. The
atmosphere at Vets and the talented players on the court had me hooked on
varsity sports in Iowa. If anything fuels my motivation for this site, it
is how I felt that first time I walked into Vets and saw this game. I
remember how amazing that game was and it will probably be something I will
never forget. Oliver played a major role in that because his skills were
on full display.
Oliver Video:
Video:
Dean Oliver
Highlights 1
Video:
Dean Oliver
Highlights 2
This post was edited on 6/2 10:17 AM by LukeFeddersenif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
