Conference Preview: Missouri River Conference

The Teams   Bishop Heelan (8-14, 3-9 MRAC) The Crusaders will be looking to bounce back after a difficult 2018-19 campaign, as they move into their new gymnasium after playing in "The Pit" for nearly 70 years. Head coach Andy Foster will be without his top scorer in Brant Hogue, who is rehabbing a back injury from football season. Brant's brother, Cole Hogue, returns though after leading Heelan with 138 total rebounds and averaging 9.1 points per game. While the Crusaders will look for more production from seniors Cade Block and Jared Sitzmann this season, it will be South Sioux City transfer Kevin Candia that will look to make an immediate impact. Candia averaged 7.9 PPG as a junior and will take over at the point for Foster's bunch.   Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln (14-9, 5-7 MRAC) The Lynx failed to advance to the Class 4A Substate Final for the first time since the 2013-14 season. It was an uncharacteristically down season for AL and there is hope around the program that it can be a contender in the MRAC once again. The Lynx must replace Jadin Johnson, who transferred to Millard North, along with its leading scorer Hunter Hendrix. With a few missing pieces gone, AL will lean on sophomore Josh Dix who averaged 10.2 PPG in his freshman year. Head coach Jason Isaacson will rely on the depth of his team to help improve the Lynx's win total this upcoming season.   Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson (2-20, 0-12 MRAC) It's been tough for the basketball program at TJ for over the past decade. Since the 2007-2008 season, the Yellow Jackets have averaged a disappointing 2.5 wins per year. They've been the punching bag of the MRAC and it's something that head coach Nate Kreifels is trying to change. Kreifels is expecting big things from senior Quran Owens, who stepped up last season and led the team in scoring (15.3 PPG) and in blocks (16). Also returning are seniors Wimach Gilo and Noah Weinfurtner. Kreifels will be looking for his team to be more consistent and cut down on turnovers as well.   Le Mars (12-11) Le Mars finally makes the leap from the Lakes Conference to the MRAC. Not only will it add more competition and depth to the conference, but the Bulldogs will be a heavy contender to compete for the conference title in Year 1. Dave Irwin, who enters his 18th year at the helm, knows how to get the most out of his team and he proved that last season. With a young and inexperienced group, his Bulldogs reeled off nine wins in their final 13 games and earned a share of the Lakes Conference title. There is a lot of hype surrounding junior Spencer Mackey, after he averaged 15.3 PPG last season. Senior Aisea Toki should be an even bigger force after leading the conference with 206 total rebounds last year, while Jaxon Baumgartner and Trevor Smith will step up in their roles.   Sergeant Bluff-Luton (20-4, 9-3 MRAC) The Warriors were a team to be reckoned with last season and have a good opportunity to make it back to the Class 3A State Tournament for a fourth consecutive year. Adam Vander Schaaf has the program on the rise and it will be in the mix to take home an MRAC league title. SB-L loses a lot of production from Conner Groves and Sam DeMoss but will return Class 3A all-state senior forward Daniel Wright. Wright averaged 15.1 PPG and shot 55.2 percent from the field, while also recording 230 total rebounds. Besides Wright, the Warriors will also return 6-foot-7 junior forward Jake Layman and senior point guard Deric Fitzgerald. Vander Schaaf will also lean on other playmakers to step up too.   Sioux City East (21-2, 11-1 MRAC) Ras Vanderloo's Black Raiders have been the team to beat in the conference, after claiming their third straight conference title last season. A program that has also advanced to the state tournament the last three years will now be without the program's all-time leading scorer Aidan Vanderloo. East will now turn to seniors Jaleque Dunson and Sayvion Armstrong, who were key contributors to last season's team. Workhorse Danny Callahan will also look to make a bigger impact in his senior season, while 6-foot-6 senior center Jacob Maxey will fill the big-man role left by Javonte Keck. Vanderloo's group will have the talent and depth to again be among the best teams in Northwest Iowa.   Sioux City North (6-16, 4-8 MRAC) Unlike last season, the Stars lose seven of their eight top scorers from the 2018-19 season. This will provide a major challenge for North, as it looks to improve after three difficult seasons. The main contributor returning this upcoming season will be senior Nate Reed, who finished second in scoring for the Stars last season with 15.1 PPG. Reed also accounted for 109 total rebounds and recorded a team-high nine blocks. Trevor Welp and Austin Craighead will step into the starting lineup, along with Cole Pierson and James Lillard. All four will be in their senior season.   Sioux City West (17-5, 10-2 MRAC) The Wolverines accomplished almost everything besides advancing to the state tournament last season. The program has continued to elevate under the leadership of Harvis Cofield in his six years at the helm. West will once again be a team to watch in Class 4A, but it loses Class 4A all-state guard Cliff McCray along with Micah McWell and Adien Belt. The trio helped the Wolverines average an impressive 73.8 PPG (3rd in Class 4A). The success of this team now turns to seniors Kyrel Hanks and Marcus McCray. Hanks is a good outside shooter who knocked down 36 three-pointers last season, while McCray came down with 81 total rebounds. Cofield will also lean on senior shooting guard Chase Smith.   Projected Order of Finish 1. Sioux City East 2. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 3. Le Mars 4. Sioux City West 5. Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 6. Bishop Heelan 7. Sioux City North 8. Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson   Analysis Le Mars joins the mix and could make this one of the most competitive conference races in recent memory. Sioux City East is still the favorite, but Sergeant Bluff-Luton and Le Mars will be challengers with the squads they have returning. Per usual, the darkhorse will be Sioux City West. It loses a lot of talent from last season and remains a bit of a mystery, but expect Coach Cofield to have his team ready to go and prove any of its doubters wrong.   Preseason Player of the Year Daniel Wright, Sergeant Bluff-Luton-2020 Wright is not only a player that can beat teams in so many different ways but someone who is invaluable to his team. The 6-foot-8 forward finished with 15.1 PPG and averaged 9.6 rebounds per game. His 230 total rebounds were the sixth-best in Class 3A last season. In close games last year, the all-conference standout was clutch on both ends of the floor.   Biggest Sleeper Marcus McCray, Sioux City West-2020 McCray, who we'll now get to see more of as a senior, hit double digits in five contests last season. He possesses the athleticism to be an impact player and could be one of the most exciting players to watch in the MRAC by seasons end.   Players to Watch 2020 Cole Hogue, Bishop Heelan 2020 Kevin Candia, Bishop Heelan 2022 Josh Dix, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 2020 Quran Owens, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson 2021 Spencer Mackey, Le Mars 2020 Aisea Toki, Le Mars 2020 Daniel Wright, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 2020 Deric Fitzgerald, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 2021 Jake Layman, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 2020 Jaleque Dunson, Sioux City East 2020 Sayvion Armstrong, Sioux City East 2020 Nate Reed, Sioux City North 2020 Kyrel Hanks, Sioux City West 2020 Marcus McCray, Sioux City West