Where Are They Now? (Part IV)
Baylee Steele (Norwalk): This is probably one of our biggest misfires, rankings-wise (we’re man enough to admit it), since 2014 when we started. Steele developed, and developed fast. The 6-foot-11 center finished ranked 59th in our 2015 rankings, and after one very successful season at DMACC, he went on to play Division I ball in the Mid-American Conference at Eastern Michigan. He made an immediate impact with his new team, playing in all 33 games and starting 22 of them as sophomore. He averaged 4.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and played his best game of the season against Central Michigan just after the New Year, nothing 18 points and snaring 10 rebounds. An added bonus: Steele is one of the best free-throw shooting big-men in the country; he shot 83 percent from the line this season. With that size and versatility, he could play himself into some overseas talk these next two seasons Steele
Mason Speer (Danville): One of our favorite players from the 2015 class, this 6-foot Danville point guard was as smooth as they come, with a silky stroke and some slick handles. He went on to play Division III across the Mississippi at Illinois College. His freshman season was was a learning experience, he played in 19 games and and averaged 3.2 points on just 31 percent shooting. But he was phenomenal defensively, swiping 1.4 steals in just 23 minutes per game. He also dished out 3.2 assists per game as a frosh. This past season as a sophomore he was markedly better from the floor, shooting 46 percent and upping his scoring average to 12.3 per game while keeping his assist and steals numbers high. Speer could emerge as a legit star with the Blueboys the next two seasons.
Craig Engle (Marion): This kid was flashy at Marion high school, some of the quickest and best handles in the the 2015 class; think mini-Jason Williams. Iowa’s 30th-ranked 2015, Engle went on to play Division III ball close to home at Cornell College. He was an essential piece to the team right away, starting all 23 games and netting 10.7 points per. He was awarded the team’s Newcomer of the Year award for his contributions. In his two year career Engle has started in all 47 games that he’s played in. And like Steele, he was notably good from the free-throw line this past winter, connecting on 93.4 percent of his attempts.
Javan White (Ames): A product of Ames High School, this extremely lengthy 6-foot-9 post finished ranked 10th in our 2015 prospect rankings after signing with Tulsa, OK D1 Oral Roberts University. Despite missing some time with a knee injury, he played in 23 games and started in five as a frosh, making contributions of 4.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Known as a shot-blocking extraordinaire at Ames, White also sent away a shot per game in his first season. He did not play his sophomore season because of a leg injury, according to this oruoracle.com season recap.
Levi Jansen (MOC-Floyd Valley): Our last memory of this 6-foot-2 sharpshooter was of him dropping 42 points on eventual 3A champs Dubuque, Wahlert in a narrow quarterfinal loss at the 2016 state tourney. It was very clear then why this marvelous shooting guard was a D1 prospect; he had offers from South Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha. Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, Jansen elected to take a D2 offer from South Dakota national power Augustana, where his older brother starred. According to Augustana’s official team page, Jansen played in 11 games — averaging 2.7 points and 1.6 rebounds per — before suffering a season-ending knee injury. His best scoring game was early in the season, on Nov. 21 against Wayne State, when he went for nine points. He scored eight points and dished out three assists the next month against that same Wayne State squad, which was his best overall game.