North Central Conference: Top-5 Overall Players
Over the years, the North Central Conference has been home to some of the best basketball and elite players in the state of Iowa. Numerous all-staters and countless future Div. I players have graced the gyms of the NCC, a…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOver the years, the North Central Conference has been home to some of the best basketball and elite players in the state of Iowa.
Numerous all-staters and countless future Div. I players have graced the gyms of the NCC, a league that stretches from Clear Lake down through Fort Dodge with stops in Algona, Clarion, Hampton, Iowa Falls, Humboldt and Webster City along the way.
Now that the season is complete, here’s a look back at the Top-5 overall players from the NCC during the 2019-20 season:
Karson Sharar Karson Sharar 6'2" | SG Iowa Falls-Alden | 2021 State IA , Iowa Falls-Alden (2021)
Ever since he stepped on the court as a freshman, iowa Falls-Alden’s Karson Sharar Karson Sharar 6'2" | SG Iowa Falls-Alden | 2021 State IA has shined. The 6-foot-1 junior led the North Central Conference in scoring this past winter at 23.6 points per game.
Sharar made 72 three-pointers and was a 40 percent shooter from the field. He also knocked down 77 percent of his free throws, finishing tied for first in the NCC with 55 steals and fifth in rebounding at seven per game.
Analysis: Under head coach Michael Collison, a former Cadet and Briar Cliff University standout – and the brother of ex-NBAer and Kansas Jayhawk Nick Collison – Sharar has received great coaching. As he prepares for his senior season, the talented guard should be getting even more looks for the next level.
Wyatt Wegener Wyatt Wegener 6'2" | PG Algona | 2020 State IA , Algona (2020)
Proving he is far from just a one-sport athlete, Algona senior Wyatt Wegener Wyatt Wegener 6'2" | PG Algona | 2020 State IA had an all-league season in the North Central Conference. Wegener, who received a preferred walk-on to play football for the University of Iowa, was second in scoring at over 17 per night.
Wegener used his soft touch and quick feet to shoot 51 percent from the floor while knocking down 35 triples. He also was a 67 percent free throw shooter after receiving first team all-state honors on the football field.
Analysis: It’s possible Wegener could have continued playing basketball after this season, but the chance to compete for a spot with the Hawkeyes on the gridiron outweighed that option.
Carson Toebe Carson Toebe 6'3" | PG Clear Lake | 2022 State IA , Clear Lake (2022)
This past winter, Carson Toebe Carson Toebe 6'3" | PG Clear Lake | 2022 State IA did a little bit of everything for Clear Lake, joining forces with Andrew Formanek Andrew Formanek 6'6" | PF Clear Lake | 2021 State IA and Jaylen DeVries to form a talented trio. Toebe, a sophomore, averaged 14.5 points per game, making 55 three-pointers.
He was far from just a scorer, though, adding 119 rebounds, 97 assists and 55 steals. Toebe was at his best in some of the bigger games for the Lions, including a 22-point effort in a 53-51 win over Algona and with 11 points, six assists and three steals in a 67-64 victory vs. Mason City.
Analysis: At 6-foot-3, Toebe is growing into an interesting prospect for his class. He has the ability to shoot it from the outside, but also take his defender off the ball. His 160 attempts from the 3-point line were fourth-most in the NCC and led his team.
Sam Fischer, Humboldt (2021)
One of the biggest improvements from last year to this season came from the play of Humboldt junior Sam Fischer. As a 10th-grader, Fischer averaged just under five points per game for the Wildcats, but was second on the team with 84 rebounds.
His work over the summer was quite evident this year, boosting his scoring to 13 points per night with a team-leading 213 rebounds. Fischer made 54 percent of his shots from the field, was a 79 percent free throw shooter and also had 20 assists and 13 steals.
Analysis: If Fischer can show even more improvement over the coming season, he could be in line for a big senior year for Humboldt, which will be counting on him after the graduation of nine seniors.
Jaylen DeVries, Clear Lake (2020)
Like fellow NCC standout Wyatt Wegener Wyatt Wegener 6'2" | PG Algona | 2020 State IA , Jaylen DeVries will focus on football in college, signing with Southern Illinois. But the Clear Lake quarterback was just as much a field general on the basketball court.
DeVries, the son of former NFL standout Jared DeVries, helped the Lions reach a substate final and claim the conference title. He averaged just under 10 points per game, leading the team in rebounds (266) and assists (128).
Analysis: DeVries has the athletic ability to play college basketball, but he will follow his heart to Southern Illinois and compete for the Saluki quarterback job.