Conference Preview: Iowa Star South

<p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>The Teams</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Baxter (15-7):</strong> The Bolts were great against non-Meskwaki teams last year in league play, but have major holes to fill following the graduations of [player_tooltip player_id="955294" first="Cole" last="Damman"] and Carter Nelsen. That duo combined to average 37.4 points a game last season. Roy Heer (7.7), Cody Damman (5.8), Kael Johnston (5.0) and Andrew Klemme (2.3) all saw significant playing time last season, but one of them will need to emerge as the go-to guy for this group.</p> <p><strong>Collins-Maxwell (7-15):</strong> The Spartans really struggled down the stretch last year, going 1-10 in their last 11 games and allowing 67.8 points a game (which includes allowing 27 to Valley Lutheran in the lone win). Mason Markley (10.5) is the lone returnee among the top five from last season, and will be asked to step into the primary scoring role. Luke Huntrods (5.0) and Jace Huntrods (3.6) return after solid freshmen seasons and will be asked to become key contributors. </p> <p><strong>Colo-Nesco (3-19):</strong> The Royals lose the top three scorers from last year’s team, with Tanner Ingle (3.6) the top returnee. Five players who saw significant time are back, but they’ll all have to adjust to much larger roles this year. </p> <p><strong>GMG (5-17):</strong> The Wolverines won five games last season (two each against Colo-Nesco and Valley Lutheran, and one against Clarksville). They bring back senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="964945" first="Avery" last="Bryant"] (14.9), who pulled down 8.5 rebounds a game to go with his scoring. Four of the top five scorers return, and if they can take better care of the ball this year, they should be a bit more competitive against the better teams in the league.</p> <p><strong>Meskwaki Settlement (18-5):</strong> The Warriors rolled through teams in the division last year, winning all 13 games against divisional teams by an average of 34.8 points a game. They bring back their top four scorers from that group, and 92% of their scoring overall returns. They’re led by do-everything guard [player_tooltip player_id="796181" first="Taurice" last="Grant"] (15.8), who stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 5.1 steals a game last year. [player_tooltip player_id="964872" first="Victor" last="Balderas"] (14.4) and Osceola Tyon (10.7) are talented scorers alongside Grant, and [player_tooltip player_id="964874" first="Tiernan" last="Wanatee"] (9.5), Evan Nelson (5.3) and Larnell Velaquez (5.1) provide depth. The Warriors like to apply constant pressure against teams, and that will allow them to continue to overwhelm teams in the division. This should be a team that is fighting for a spot in Des Moines come late February and early March.</p> <p><strong>North Tama (8-14):</strong> The Redhawks lose a huge piece in [player_tooltip player_id="956050" first="Ryan" last="McLean"], who averaged 17.7 points and 9.4 rebounds last season. Adam Greiner (10.1) is the top returnee, but is the only one of the top five scorers from last year who is back. They’ll need to get majorly increased production from role players like Devin McKinley (3.5) and Evan Waller (3.0).</p> <p><strong>Valley Lutheran (0-16):</strong> The Crusaders scored more than 30 points just once last season and lost games by an average of 52 points a game. Donovan Elmore (3.9) is the leading returning scorer.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></span><br /> 1. Meskwaki Settlement<br /> 2. Baxter<br /> 3. North Tama<br /> 4. Collins-Maxwell<br /> 5. GMG<br /> 6. Colo-Nesco<br /> 7. Valley Lutheran</p> <p><strong>Analysis:</strong> It’s Meskwaki Settlement, then a big gap here. The Warriors rolled through the division last year and bring nearly everything back. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796181" first="Taurice" last="Grant"], Meskwaki Settlement (2021):</strong> 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 5.1 steals</p> <p>The leader of the division’s best team, Grant stuffs the stat sheet on both ends of the floor in a way that is matched by few players in the state. The impact that he makes on both ends is what sparks this potent Warriors team.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Players to watch</strong></span></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="796181" first="Taurice" last="Grant"], Meskwaki Settlement (2021)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="964872" first="Victor" last="Balderas"], Meskwaki Settlement (2021)</p> <p>Osceola Tyon, Meskwaki Settlement (2022)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="964874" first="Tiernan" last="Wanatee"], Meskwaki Settlement (2021)</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="964945" first="Avery" last="Bryant"], GMG (2021)</p> <p>Mason Markley, Collins-Maxwell (2021)</p> <p>Adam Greiner, North Tama (2022)</p>