September 25, 2015 Iowa’s reigning 3-point champion, Lake Mills 2016 Granger Kingland spent his summer away from the grassroots circuit and instead attended area camps — both on his own, and with his high school team. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard…
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Iowa’s reigning 3-point champion, Lake Mills 2016 Granger Kingland spent his summer away from the grassroots circuit and instead attended area camps — both on his own, and with his high school team.
The 6-foot-4 shooting guard — who poured in 83 3s at a 53 percent clip last season — says his recruitment began to pick up some steam this offseason, especially from one Minnesota Division III program.
“There’s a school up in the Twin Cities that I’ve been hearing from, Bethel University,” said Kingland. “Right now I’d probably say Bethel, and probably Wartburg, or Central, or Northwestern (IA) is who I’m hearing from most.”
The senior sharpshooter still is seemingly flying under the radar, and says he thinks about his recruitment, and is working to get noticed more.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to work for this offseason,” said Kingland. “But once I get into the game I’ll just be focused on winning, but it will still be in the back of my mind.”
Kingland hasn’t played grassroots ball since his freshman season, and although he thought about playing during what would have been his 17U season, he opted not to.
“I haven’t done it because they always made me strictly a 3-point shooter, and I knew that at the high school level if I wanted to go on and play farther I needed to be more of a 3-point shooter whether it be driving or posting up; I needed to be more of a dual threat,” said Kingland, who says he was able to become a more versatile player this offseason while competing at various camps.
“I though I got better taking people off the dribble and in one-on-one situations, just different moves and different combination stuff that helps me get to the basket and finish.”
As he heads into his senior season with the Bulldogs, Kingland says his leadership will increase, and he hopes to shoot the ball as well as he did last season.
“I see myself more as a leader. In the past I’ve had the mentality of being a leader, but this year I’m really going to have to make sure our guys are getting after it,” he said.
“I shot pretty well last season but I’d like to stay up there and shoot that well again, and I want to rebound more and be up in double-digits in rebounding. I think our team can go pretty far if we’re in the right mindset.”
February 24, 2015
Although his junior season is now finished after Lake Mills’ disappointing district loss to Forest City last Thursday, 6-foot-3 shooting guard Granger Kingland is in the books as one of the best shooters — if not the best — in the state.
Kingland made a state best 83 3s this season, and obliterated his competition at the top of the ranks, nailing a remarkable 53 percent of his attempts.
He credits B.E.S.T (Basketball’s Effective Shot Training) basketball camp with BJ Mulder as the key to his success.
“I’ve been working on it a lot over the years and BJ Mulder holds a camp in Orange City that has helped me a lot,” said Kingland. “And it’s really been paying off just working on game-like situations and just going through game-like drills.
His point guard at Lake Mills Josh Peters was one of the state’s best assist-men, averaging 6.4 per game this season. There’s no doubt the two benefited from each other’s talents.
“Obviously I’m a shooter but my point guard Josh Peters does a good job of looking for me and finding me,” said Kingland. “And in the past I’ve just been a catch and shoot player but this year I’ve kind of changed my role to driving and finishing at the rim and doing a little bit of everything, and it’s been working for me this year.”
He’s still got another season to progress after his fantastic junior campaign, but sees himself as a pure shooting guard when he plays at the next level, but a versatile one.
“I do see myself as shooting guard at the next level, but I just want to be a complete player overall,” said Kingland. “If someone is taking the 3 away from me I want to drive on them, if they’re sagging off I can hit the 3 on them. I just want to be a guy that wherever they need me I can play that position.”
Surprisingly, the 6-foot-3 sharpshooter has been unnoticed by college coaches, that is sure to change in the coming months.
“Not really, not that I can think off, I’ve been approached by AAU teams and stuff, but no college coaches,” said Kingland, who is still unsure of his offseason plans.
“I have been asked to play AAU, I’m not for sure right now — North Iowa Fire and Iowa Preps out of Decorah have asked me to play,” he said. “I’m really not for sure right now. It’s either that or I might just get around to different basketball camps, we’ll see”
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