State Tournament- Teams who will be back in 2022

<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Austin-Hilmer-new-crop-2786x1829-1615315146-crop-536x352-1615315160.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1147251" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Austin-Hilmer-new-crop-2786x1829-1615315146-crop-536x352-1615315160-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> North Linn Lynx- Class 1A Probably the most obvious team in Class 1A on this list is North Linn. The runner-up to Montezuma this year does not have to retool their roster and will only lose 1 senior from this past year’s team in role player, Kaleb Kurt (6.2 ppg). The Lynx will return 92% of their total scoring from this past season, and I’m almost positive they won’t stop being aggressive on defense with their 3/4 court pressure they overwhelmed teams with all season. Upper Iowa commit, [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"] (17.3 ppg), will return for his senior season looking to lead the Lynx on a revenge tour to a state title. Other key returning players: 2023 Tate Haughenberry (15.6), 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962641" first="Dylan" last="Kurt"] (14.1), 2023 Ben Wheatley (10.2), Cade Haughenberry (9.1) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Wyatt-Gulker-crop-2786x1829-1615320337-crop-523x344-1615320350.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1147353" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Wyatt-Gulker-crop-2786x1829-1615320337-crop-523x344-1615320350-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Western Christian Wolfpack- Class 2A The 2020-2021 Class 2A champions should return to defend their title again next year as they lose two players from the Varsity roster. The Wolfpack will have to find good replacements for Seniors Tyson Boer (8.1) and Dalton Westra (3.7) as Boer was a perimeter shooting threat and Westra was nice interior piece off the bench. The Wolfpack will be led by All-Tournament team captain [player_tooltip player_id="962616" first="Ty" last="Van Essen"] (16.9) and All-Tournament team selection Wyatt Gulker (12.6) who had really good week’s at Wells Fargo. Other key returning players: 2022 Eli Van Essen (9.8), 2022 Brayden Van Meeteren (6.2), 2023 Ashtin Van’t Hul (5.6) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Tamin-Lipsey.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1148922" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Tamin-Lipsey-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> Ames Little Cyclones- Class 4A The Class 4A semi-final team will return 4 of 5 starters only losing Senior [player_tooltip player_id="678945" first="Casey" last="Mumm"] (5.2) from the starting five. They will also lose a couple key players off the bench in [player_tooltip player_id="796163" first="Keyshaun" last="Brooks"] (10.8) and Patrick Krapfl (1.8) who both took a stint in the starting lineup throughout the year as well. The obvious leader on this team is [player_tooltip player_id="682279" first="Tamin" last="Lipsey"] (16.3) who will finish his 4 year varsity career in the 21-22 season. Ames also seemed to catch stride when Waterloo East transfer, [player_tooltip player_id="682277" first="Trevion" last="Labeaux"] (11.5) was eligible and entered into the lineup. Other key returning players: 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="682286" first="Corey" last="Phillips"] (8.6), 2023 Lucas Lueth (4.9) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Manny-Hammonds-crop-2786x1829-1615315783.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1147290" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Manny-Hammonds-crop-2786x1829-1615315783-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Grand View Christian Thunder- Class 1A Grand View Christian will have to replace some key pieces heading into next year but will keep a good core of players. Losing Senior perimeter players Alandis Arrasmith (6.3) and Jonny Gatto (11.7) is not ideal for a Thunder team who’s offense was lacking in the semi-final game against eventual champs Montezuma. However, they will return leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"] (19.3) who had a field day in their first round matchup against Remsen St. Mary’s scoring the basketball. Free throws will be a point of emphasis for this team going into next season. Other key returning players: 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1141465" first="Josh" last="Baucum"] (14.7), 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956875" first="Daniel" last="Tobiloba"] (10.0), 2022 Caleb Parlee (7.0), 2023 Josh Sanderson (3.5) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Jayden-Mackie-crop-2791x1833-1615514370.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1148917" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Jayden-Mackie-crop-2791x1833-1615514370-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons- Class 2A Being a deep team this past season should pay off for this Falcons team heading into next season. The starting lineup does lose two players in [player_tooltip player_id="964850" first="Owen" last="Thomas"] (11.8) and [player_tooltip player_id="964843" first="Josh" last="Haan"] (7.5), but they are the only two Seniors on the overall roster so there should be pieces in the waiting to help pick up what’s being leaving. Aplington-Parkersburg will be led by Senior-to-be [player_tooltip player_id="751418" first="Jayden" last="Mackie"] (14.4) and they will be hoping for more 34 point 1st round performances from him throughout the season next year. Other key returning players: 2023 Garrett Hempen (12.2), 2024 Gavin Thomas (9.4), 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962633" first="Christian" last="Haugstad"] (8.4), 2022 Elijah Switzer (4.8), 2024 Cooper Hoff (2.7) Van Meter Bulldogs- Class 2A Van Meter went out in the first round against the aforementioned Aplington-Parkersburg, but the Bulldogs will be returning 85% of their overall scoring from this season. Taylor Birks (8.9) is the biggest loss for this team and the length he provided at 6’6. They turned the ball over 15 times against an intense Falcons defense, and will have to work on keeping the ball better when it comes late in the season. The Bulldogs should be led by returning leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id="784980" first="Chris" last="Schreck"] (13.0) again next year. Other key returning players: 2022 Clark Fiala (11.1), 2022 Casey Trudo (10.6), 2023 Carter Durflinger (6.1), 2023 Skyler Yazzie (4.4) <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/IMG_14331.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1152259" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/IMG_14331-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> Pella Dutch- Class 3A It’s hard to think that a team can win the state championship and still return a good core, but that’s the situation the Pella Dutch are in. The biggest losses from the roster are starters [player_tooltip player_id="796167" first="Grant" last="Nelson"] (17.4), Ryan Mace (5.4), and Josh Warner (5.1). Of the teams on this list, Pella is probably the team that loses the most from their last year’s team but they seem to have solid contributors waiting in the wings. Newton transfer, [player_tooltip player_id="962617" first="Noah" last="Allen"] (12.3), was big in the state tournament and seems ready to take over the reigns for the Dutch next season to go along with [player_tooltip player_id="682282" first="Karl" last="Miller"] (15.7) and his knockdown shooting. Other key returning players: 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="784990" first="Parker" last="Elder"] (7.2), 2022 Preston Rowe (3.7), 2022 Keegan Hansen (2.3)