Basketball is just over a month away, let's get some chatter going!
I'll start with the Northwest corner of the state and outline the conferences (I struggle more with the bigger classes so feel free to chime in)
Lakes Conference:
Team to beat: Cherokee
With the return of everyone - led by 6'6 Ryan Hurd the Braves will be back on the map in the Lakes conference when it comes to mens basketball
Darkhorse: Spencer
Led by their standout sophomore, Spencer will be a tough out for anyone in this conference
Players to look out for:
Ryan Hurd (SR) - Cherokee Washington - 15.5ppg last year
Karter Petzenhauser (SO) Spencer - 14.8ppg last year
Will Larson (JR) Estherville Lincoln Central - 11.7ppg last year
Dawson Feenstra (SR) Western Christian - 10.8ppg last year
Creighton Moricsh (JR) Spirit Lake - 10.6ppg last year
Jamuo Gatwech (JR) Storm Lake - 6.2ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish
1. Cherokee
2. Spencer
3. Western Christian
4. Spirit Lake
5. Estherville Lincoln Central
6. Storm Lake
Missouri River Conference:
Team to beat: SB-L
Led by 6'8 Wright and 6'7 Layman SBL is going to be tough to match up with down low but don't think the big fellas can't shoot as both have over a 35% 3-point percentage
Darkhorse: SC-E
Led by Dunson coming off of a nice JR year, he and Armstrong will need a strong supporting cast to find themselves down at the well once again
Players to look out for:
Jaleque Dunson (SR) - SC East - 15.8ppg last year
Spencer Mackey (JR) - LeMars - 15.3ppg last year
Quran Owens (SR) - CBTJ - 15.3ppg last year
Nate Reed (SR) - SC North - 15.1ppg last year
Daniel Wright (SR) - SB-L - 15.1ppg last year
Jadin Johnson (JR) - CB AL - 11.9ppg last year
Brant Hogue (SR) - Heelan - 11.4ppg last year
Kyrel Hanks (SR) - SC West - 7.0ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. Seargent Bluff - Luton
2. Sioux City East
3. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
4. LeMars
5. Sioux City North
6. Bishop Heelan
7. Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson
8. Sioux City West
Siouxland Conference:
Team to beat: Boyden-Hull
The Comets always find ways to have success in their system and will continue to do so this season with a very solid returning corps
Darkhorse: Okoboji
The Pioneers will have their breakout season this year with the Lorenzen kid a year older to assist Helmers even more this season
Players to look out for:
Alex Van Kalsbeek (SR) - MOC-FV - 17.8ppg last year
Jamison Helmers (SR) - Boji - 16.9ppg last year
Jalyn Gramstad (SR) - West Lyon - 13.7ppg last year
Payton Mauldin (SR) - George LR - 13.0ppg last year
Keyton Moser (SR) - Boyden-Hull - 12.1ppg last year
Wilson Harshbarger (SR) - Sioux Center - 10.6ppg last year
Jaxon Rus (SR) - Rock Valley - 10.5ppg last year
Caleb Mayer (SR) - Sibley - 10.3ppg last year
Mitchel Wolf (SR) - Sheldon - 10.3ppg last year
Cole Hoogendoorn (SR) - Central Lyon - 9.9ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. Boyden-Hull
2. Okoboji
3. MOC-FV
4. Sioux Center
5. West Lyon
6. G-LR
7. Sibley-Ocheyden
8. Rock Valley
9. Sheldon
10. Central Lyon
War Eagle Conference:
Team to beat: West Sioux
This conference is a 3 headed beast with West Sioux, South O'Brien and Remsen St. Mary's all having a very strong case for being the top of the conference. West Sioux gets the edge due to adding a near 30ppg scorer Bryce Coppock to their already nasty arsenal.
Dark Horse: Gehlen Catholic
Losing their big in the paint may cause matchup problems but Nemmers and Kraft being a year older and more experienced will help fill that void.
Players to look out for:
Bryce Coppock/Hunter Dekkers (SR) - West Sioux - 28.2/22.5ppg last year
Jackson Louscher (SR) - South O'Brien - 20.5ppg last year
Isaac Ihnen (SR) - Harris Lake Park - 18.2ppg last year
Spencer Schorg (SR) - Remsen St. Mary's - 15.8ppg last year
Austin Van Donge (SR) - Unity Christian - 15.3ppg last year
Jacob Nemmers (SR) - Gehlen Catholic - 14.3ppg last year
Tate Kounkel (SR) - Hinton - 8.9ppg last year
Cade Pepper (JR) - MMCRU - 7.8ppg last year
Carter Drent (SO) - Akron-Westfield - 7.4ppg last year
Nick Smythe (SR) - HMS - 6.9ppg last year
Torrey Heynen (SR) - Trinity Christian - 5.9ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. West Sioux
2. South O'Brien
3. Remsen St. Mary's
4. Gehlen Catholic
5. Unity Christian
6. Harris Lake Park
7. Hinton
8. MMCRU
9. Trinity Christian
10. Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn
11. Akron-Westfield
Western Valley Conference:
Team to beat: Lawton Bronson
Of the top teams LB returns the most, running the offense through their 6'6 big Thelander will be a must for LB's success this year on the hardwood
Darkhorse: River Valley
River Valley lose their big to graduation but return a solid scorer in Trapp with a nice supporting cast of players who earned some experience last year
Players to look out for:
Cooper Dejean (JR) - OABCIG - 23.3ppg last year
Jonah Deroos (SR) - Siouxland Christian - 17.9ppg last year
Garret Trapp (JR) - River Valley - 15.8ppg last year
Ben Thelander (SR) - Lawton Bronson - 15.0ppgs last year
Mitchell Countryman (SR) - Woodbury Central - 13.1ppg last year
Sam Miller (SR) - Westwood - 10.7ppg last year
Chase Pester (JR) - MVAOCOU - 10.4ppg last year
Logan Fiege (SR) - West Monona - 8.5ppg last year
Caleb Kistenmacher (JR) - Ridgeview - 7.5ppg last year
Damon Bowman (SR) - Kingsley-Pierson - 5.7ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. Lawton Bronson
2. Siouxland Christian
3. OABCIG
4. River Valley
5. Woodbury Central
6. MVAOCOU
7. Kingsley-Pierson
8. Westwood
9. Ridgeview
10. West Monona
I'll start with the Northwest corner of the state and outline the conferences (I struggle more with the bigger classes so feel free to chime in)
Lakes Conference:
Team to beat: Cherokee
With the return of everyone - led by 6'6 Ryan Hurd the Braves will be back on the map in the Lakes conference when it comes to mens basketball
Darkhorse: Spencer
Led by their standout sophomore, Spencer will be a tough out for anyone in this conference
Players to look out for:
Ryan Hurd (SR) - Cherokee Washington - 15.5ppg last year
Karter Petzenhauser (SO) Spencer - 14.8ppg last year
Will Larson (JR) Estherville Lincoln Central - 11.7ppg last year
Dawson Feenstra (SR) Western Christian - 10.8ppg last year
Creighton Moricsh (JR) Spirit Lake - 10.6ppg last year
Jamuo Gatwech (JR) Storm Lake - 6.2ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish
1. Cherokee
2. Spencer
3. Western Christian
4. Spirit Lake
5. Estherville Lincoln Central
6. Storm Lake
Missouri River Conference:
Team to beat: SB-L
Led by 6'8 Wright and 6'7 Layman SBL is going to be tough to match up with down low but don't think the big fellas can't shoot as both have over a 35% 3-point percentage
Darkhorse: SC-E
Led by Dunson coming off of a nice JR year, he and Armstrong will need a strong supporting cast to find themselves down at the well once again
Players to look out for:
Jaleque Dunson (SR) - SC East - 15.8ppg last year
Spencer Mackey (JR) - LeMars - 15.3ppg last year
Quran Owens (SR) - CBTJ - 15.3ppg last year
Nate Reed (SR) - SC North - 15.1ppg last year
Daniel Wright (SR) - SB-L - 15.1ppg last year
Jadin Johnson (JR) - CB AL - 11.9ppg last year
Brant Hogue (SR) - Heelan - 11.4ppg last year
Kyrel Hanks (SR) - SC West - 7.0ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. Seargent Bluff - Luton
2. Sioux City East
3. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
4. LeMars
5. Sioux City North
6. Bishop Heelan
7. Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson
8. Sioux City West
Siouxland Conference:
Team to beat: Boyden-Hull
The Comets always find ways to have success in their system and will continue to do so this season with a very solid returning corps
Darkhorse: Okoboji
The Pioneers will have their breakout season this year with the Lorenzen kid a year older to assist Helmers even more this season
Players to look out for:
Alex Van Kalsbeek (SR) - MOC-FV - 17.8ppg last year
Jamison Helmers (SR) - Boji - 16.9ppg last year
Jalyn Gramstad (SR) - West Lyon - 13.7ppg last year
Payton Mauldin (SR) - George LR - 13.0ppg last year
Keyton Moser (SR) - Boyden-Hull - 12.1ppg last year
Wilson Harshbarger (SR) - Sioux Center - 10.6ppg last year
Jaxon Rus (SR) - Rock Valley - 10.5ppg last year
Caleb Mayer (SR) - Sibley - 10.3ppg last year
Mitchel Wolf (SR) - Sheldon - 10.3ppg last year
Cole Hoogendoorn (SR) - Central Lyon - 9.9ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. Boyden-Hull
2. Okoboji
3. MOC-FV
4. Sioux Center
5. West Lyon
6. G-LR
7. Sibley-Ocheyden
8. Rock Valley
9. Sheldon
10. Central Lyon
War Eagle Conference:
Team to beat: West Sioux
This conference is a 3 headed beast with West Sioux, South O'Brien and Remsen St. Mary's all having a very strong case for being the top of the conference. West Sioux gets the edge due to adding a near 30ppg scorer Bryce Coppock to their already nasty arsenal.
Dark Horse: Gehlen Catholic
Losing their big in the paint may cause matchup problems but Nemmers and Kraft being a year older and more experienced will help fill that void.
Players to look out for:
Bryce Coppock/Hunter Dekkers (SR) - West Sioux - 28.2/22.5ppg last year
Jackson Louscher (SR) - South O'Brien - 20.5ppg last year
Isaac Ihnen (SR) - Harris Lake Park - 18.2ppg last year
Spencer Schorg (SR) - Remsen St. Mary's - 15.8ppg last year
Austin Van Donge (SR) - Unity Christian - 15.3ppg last year
Jacob Nemmers (SR) - Gehlen Catholic - 14.3ppg last year
Tate Kounkel (SR) - Hinton - 8.9ppg last year
Cade Pepper (JR) - MMCRU - 7.8ppg last year
Carter Drent (SO) - Akron-Westfield - 7.4ppg last year
Nick Smythe (SR) - HMS - 6.9ppg last year
Torrey Heynen (SR) - Trinity Christian - 5.9ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. West Sioux
2. South O'Brien
3. Remsen St. Mary's
4. Gehlen Catholic
5. Unity Christian
6. Harris Lake Park
7. Hinton
8. MMCRU
9. Trinity Christian
10. Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn
11. Akron-Westfield
Western Valley Conference:
Team to beat: Lawton Bronson
Of the top teams LB returns the most, running the offense through their 6'6 big Thelander will be a must for LB's success this year on the hardwood
Darkhorse: River Valley
River Valley lose their big to graduation but return a solid scorer in Trapp with a nice supporting cast of players who earned some experience last year
Players to look out for:
Cooper Dejean (JR) - OABCIG - 23.3ppg last year
Jonah Deroos (SR) - Siouxland Christian - 17.9ppg last year
Garret Trapp (JR) - River Valley - 15.8ppg last year
Ben Thelander (SR) - Lawton Bronson - 15.0ppgs last year
Mitchell Countryman (SR) - Woodbury Central - 13.1ppg last year
Sam Miller (SR) - Westwood - 10.7ppg last year
Chase Pester (JR) - MVAOCOU - 10.4ppg last year
Logan Fiege (SR) - West Monona - 8.5ppg last year
Caleb Kistenmacher (JR) - Ridgeview - 7.5ppg last year
Damon Bowman (SR) - Kingsley-Pierson - 5.7ppg last year
Top to bottom conference finish:
1. Lawton Bronson
2. Siouxland Christian
3. OABCIG
4. River Valley
5. Woodbury Central
6. MVAOCOU
7. Kingsley-Pierson
8. Westwood
9. Ridgeview
10. West Monona
