New 2021 Rankings: Class 2A’s Best

Prep Hoops Class of 2021 rankings have recently been updated and here’s a series of what they are looking like, players to watch, and some information on each player. Here is where Class 2A’s best ended up in the overall rankings:   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2017/09/CooperDejean.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-236925 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2017/09/CooperDejean-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="796105" first="Cooper" last="DeJean"] - OABCIG High School, Point Guard - #21 Player in Iowa Class 2A takes a few spots to get their #1 player, but DeJean could easily be a higher ranked player in the state. DeJean might be one of the most athletic players in the state that I’ve seen in person. With that DeJean is able to get to his spots, control his defender, and finishing well around the rim. DeJean causes all kinds of troubles on the defensive end of the floor the way he jumps into passing lanes reading the opponent’s offense well, blocks shots at the rim, and plays good on-ball defense. He’s an efficient outside shooter from 3 but he is able to get to the hoop at will that he doesn’t really have to. On the other hand, he’s also a point guard and is able to get the offense going. DeJean try to shoulder the load again this year and will his team to The Well. He has already committed to play football for the University of Iowa. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Justin-Recker.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1027394 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Justin-Recker-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="796120" first="Justin" last="Recker"] - Monticello High School, Wing/Forward - #39 Player in Iowa [player_tooltip player_id="796120" first="Justin" last="Recker"] is a good player at this level that many people may not know about yet. He has an opportunity to show what kind of player he is to fans and coaches around the state this upcoming season. Recker is player who lives inside the arch for the most part but can step out and shoot it a little bit as well. He has really nice touch inside around the rim, but uses quite a bit of craft to get to the basket. Recker was continuously highlighted in this summer’s games with the Iowa Mavs and was the leading scorer for his team a good portion of the time. Monticello lost to a talented Camanche team this past season at the state tournament in the quarterfinals. Another trip will take more of the same from Recker. As for recruiting, Recker has one offer from NAIA Clarke University and will be looking to expand that list this winter. [player_tooltip player_id="582225" first="Blake" last="Chance"] - Albia High School, Guard - #44 Player in Iowa Standing at 6’4 and mainly playing the point guard position for Albia, but potential to play off the ball as well, proves hard to defend for opposing teams. Chance is really quick with his first step and can leave defenders feet sticking in mud. He’s a good passer and if he has a teammate who has a better shot than he does he will find them. He has a nice crossover dribble that he uses effectively at the top of the key to get himself into the lane to make plays for his team. He can shoot it off screens from the perimeter and off the dribble, but he’s at his best when he’s in attack mode going towards the basket as he finds space between defenders and openings to exploit. Albia was one game away from going to Wells Fargo, Chance was the leader in many categories for his team including points, assists, and rebounds and if he can find another gear to his game he could lead his team to the state tournament. Chance has no known offers right now, but seems like a good NAIA level player right now. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Marcus-Kelderman.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1052564 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Marcus-Kelderman-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="964821" first="Marcus" last="Kelderman"] - Boyden-Hull High School, Guard - #46 Player in Iowa Being a defending state champ seemed to have motivated Kelderman going into the summer season. Kelderman is a smooth lefty who just seems to make things happen. He’s a good shooter from the 3 point line shooting it at a 37% clip this past winter for the Comets. He’s a player you want on your team as a coach and because he’s able to play all-around the floor and will compete on both ends of the floor. He’s good at surveying the defense on the face-up to see how to attack the defense. I’ll be looking for a jump in Kelderman’s game this upcoming winter season in all categories because I think he can. As far as recruitment goes for Kelderman there are no known offers currently, but Kelderman could be a late bloomer type that a coach in the JuCo or NAIA ranks could find and take a chance on. [player_tooltip player_id="796175" first="Camden" last="Schroeder"] - East Sac County High School, Wing - #50 Player in Iowa The 6’5 senior Schroeder is a very important piece for the Raiders. Schroeder averaged nearly a double-double for East Sac County last year and he effects the game in many different ways. He’s an efficient shooter and shot 43% from the perimeter this past winter. He has a nice, repeatable stroke that can translate to a good pull-up jumper. Schroeder is long and that allows him to score inside over defenders, and also effect the game on the defensive end being able to block shots and poke the ball free for transition opportunities. Schroeder is obviously a good rebounder as well, and that will only help his team by crashing the boards on both ends of the floor. Schroeder is a capable ball-handler who can lead the break and has shown a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the season. After a pretty successful season record-wise, Schroeder and the Raiders will be looking to go further into the postseason after being bounced in substate quarterfinals. Schroeder will be leaned on early and often to take his team to another level. Schroeder’s recruitment has no known offers, but his game translates to a good NAIA, DIII level. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Ben-Loverude-2.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1027147 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Ben-Loverude-2-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="964806" first="Ben" last="Loverude"] - Des Moines Christian High School, Wing/Forward - #59 Player in Iowa Somebody who made a jump this summer in his game and exposure is [player_tooltip player_id="964806" first="Ben" last="Loverude"]. The lefty wing/forward has shown his ability to score on all three levels. He has nice looking shot from the perimeter and shot it well from there this past winter season and into the summer. Loverude is also a good attacker off the dribble where he looks to attack the defensive close-outs with quick sweep through moves to get to his strong hand. To go along with his length he has good athleticism and finish above the rim, as he is a baseline dunk threat. He is at his best when he is in the corner on the offensive end where he is able to to shoot it well, but also really good about attacking to get to the 2nd level with his jumpshot or getting all the way to the rim. Other than finishing above the rim, Loverude is a crafty finisher with his strong left hand. Loverude’s length could cause issues for opponents on both ends of the floor. Des Moines Christian was one game from playing at Wells Fargo, but they lost quite a bit of production from last year’s team. Loverude will have to take his game to another level as well as others stepping up to compete at that high level this year. Loverude has an early offer from Dordt University and will look to expand that this season. [player_tooltip player_id="796130" first="Ashton" last="Cook"] - Iowa City Regina High School, Wing - #61 Player in Iowa [player_tooltip player_id="796130" first="Ashton" last="Cook"]’s future may be on the football field, but he’s good on the hardwood as well. Cook is the second lefty in a row on this list and the first thing I noticed of his was the way he rises on his jumpshots and good release. He wasn’t as efficient from the perimeter and will need to up that, but inside the arch is where he excels at. He has a nice pull-up jumper off the one dribble or dribble moves. Cook is really good attacker, and has a quick first step to get by defenders and finishes the ball well around the hoop. Cook is athletic and finishes above the rim in transition and on the baseline. He’s good about attacking close-outs but he is a good dribbler when it comes to taking a defender one-on-one and beating them. He’s a lefty naturally, but he’s a finisher around the rim with both hands and finishes some acrobatic buckets on the break. He can take smaller defenders into the post and uses nice ball fakes, and spin moves around the rim to get separation from the defenders to shoot over. Cook is also a good, strong rebounder as he averaged 8 rebounds per game and with his length he effects the game defensively by blocking shots. Cook will have bigger shoes to fill this year as Regina loses a 26 per game player, and he will be looked at to pick up that load. As far as recruitment goes for Cook, he has offers to play football from Western Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota but none for basketball right now. [player_tooltip player_id="796151" first="Jordan" last="Lawrence"] - Camanche High School, Guard - #63 Player in Iowa A multi-sport athlete is Lawrence, Jordan is a bouncy guard who does a little bit of everything on the basketball court. Lawrence is a 41% three-point shooter who is good about running the team and getting them into plays/sets to get the best shot possible. He has a quick release from the perimeter and is good the way he is able to extend the defense and attack off of his shooting ability. He uses his athleticism to finish well around the rim and get out in transition to get easy buckets. He reads plays well on both ends and anticipates where his teammates may be open to get them the ball. He’s a good on-ball defender where he’s able to stay in front of offensive players well and can frustrate opponents. Lawrence is someone who makes his team better when he’s on the floor and competes on both ends of the floor. Camanche actually ended up as a third place finisher this past season winning the consolation game against Treynor, but they do lose some good production from that team and Lawrence will be expected to fill that production more. Right now his lone offer is from Grand View for football, but with some more production on the hardwood he may garner more interest from college programs. [player_tooltip player_id="796135" first="Bryce" last="Phelps"] - Denver High School, Guard - #79 Player in Iowa Denver finished second overall in the North Iowa Cedar-East Standings this past season and [player_tooltip player_id="796135" first="Bryce" last="Phelps"] was a big part of that. Phelps can play the lead guard and can also slide off the ball and play the off-ball guard position as well. Phelps led his team or was in close to second in most categories for his team. The categories I really like to see Phelps leading in the assists and steals category. That shows that Phelps is a good two-way player and finds ways to impact the game in many different ways. He can also score the ball was tied for lead on the team at 15.4 points per game and led the team in 3 point percentage at nearly 36% conversion rate. He likes to get out into transition and obviously helps himself when he can get into passing lanes and poke the ball free to get out in transition and either score it or find the open man. He’s a good guard rebounder for his team and is a player you want the ball in his hands at the end of the game when you’re winning because he shoots it well from the free-throw line, shooting it at a 88% clip last season. Denver has players in the right spots to go further this year in the postseason than they did last postseason, and any kind of improvements Phelps can make the better and more dangerous the team becomes. Right now, Phelps is garnering interest from levels of programs on the baseball field, and there are no known offers to play basketball at the next level, but he could be a good prospect for an NAIA, DII level type school. Creighton Morisch - Spirit Lake High School, Forward - #80 Player in Iowa There aren’t many 6’7 players who can shoot it at such a high efficient clip as 40%, but Creighton Morisch managed to do that this past season. Morisch is more of a perimeter based forward right now, but has a developing inside game where he can use the length he has. He has a good shooting motion and a high release that is hard to defend against as a defender. He is able to shoot it over the top of defenses, but also has good straight line driving ability. When he has a step on the defender he is good about either pulling up for a jumper or getting to the basket and finishing through contact. His length allows him to block shots effectively around the rim or on jump shooters. To go along with his shooting ability off the catch he is able to come off of screens, and with his frame is a good attribute to have in order to get open shots. He has potential on the block and should continue to develop his post game which would make him an even better prospect for the next level. Spirit Lake will look to improve their overall record this past season and Morisch can only help. Morisch’s recruitment consists of offers from NAIA programs Northwestern College, Dordt University and Mount Marty University.