Thursday's Top Games

[caption id="attachment_1147361" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Ty-Van-Essen-crop-2786x1829-1615320637-crop-518x340-1615320649.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1147361 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Ty-Van-Essen-crop-2786x1829-1615320637-crop-518x340-1615320649-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Van Essen[/caption] West Sioux (0-0) at 2A #1 Western Christian (1-0) Western Christian rolled in this game last year, winning 79-27, but expect this one to be a bit closer. That game was just the second of the year for a Falcons team that was very young last season, and they weren’t ready for a Wolfpack team that went on to win the 2A championship. Western Christian opened the year with a solid 72-53 win over a potent Newell-Fonda team, with seniors [player_tooltip player_id="1158437" first="Wyatt" last="Gulker"] and [player_tooltip player_id="962616" first="Ty" last="Van Essen"] each scoring 20 points. They shot 52.5% from the floor, although just 22.7% from 3, in the win, keeping up the efficient attack that they showcased last year. Van Essen, a 6-5/6-6 combo forward who scores inside and out, will be a nearly impossible matchup for West Sioux here, and he should have a big night. West Sioux returns their top two scorers from last year’s team, and bring back 96% of their scoring from last season, led by the backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id="956885" first="Mason" last="Coppock"] and Blake Van Ballegooyen. Coppock is a quick guard who can get to the bucket or get others involved, and Van Ballegooyen is a good shooter who can stretch the floor. With all of the experience that they have coming back, expect to see a much more competitive game out of a Falcons team that has some potent offensive weapons.   [caption id="attachment_1290522" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/115-Chase-Low.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1290522 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/115-Chase-Low-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> Low[/caption] Charles City (1-0) at 3A #5 Clear Lake (1-0) Charles City opened the year with a solid 72-64 win over perennially strong Dike-New Hartford. The Comets were led by junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1167722" first="Chase" last="Low"], who had 19 points and 8 rebounds in the win. He’s an athletic wing who can attack the rim or pull-up and knock down jumpers, and he’s a standout defender, which will be key against a Lions team that has a number of potent scoring threats. Look for Low to get shots at a number of different Lions throughout the evening on the defensive end, where his athleticism, length, and versatility will be a big boost for the Comets. [caption id="attachment_1085413" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Carson-Toebe.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1085413" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Carson-Toebe-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Toebe[/caption] Clear Lake rolled in their season-opener, beating West Fork 66-36 behind 18 points from senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="682292" first="Carson" last="Toebe"] and 17 from freshman wing Thomas Meyer. Toebe has established himself as one of the state’s best shotmakers, a tough and talented guard who can fill it up from all three levels at a high clip. Meyer had a strong debut, posting 6 rebounds and 5 steals to go with his 17 points, and he showed a little bit of everything in his arsenal as a scorer. A 6-4 wing, expect to see Low defend him quite a bit throughout the night. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1167712" first="Travaughn" last="Luyobya"] dished out 7 assists in their opener and is the straw that stirs the drink for Clear Lake offensively. The Lions have more firepower and should be able to grab another win here, but Low and the Comets will compete.   1A #10 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (0-0) at Wapsie Valley (0-0) [caption id="attachment_1288254" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/William-Kiburis-crop-4852x3186-1632260355.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1288254 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/William-Kiburis-crop-4852x3186-1632260355-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Kiburis[/caption] A pair of NICL teams with high expectations slash in this one. Wapsie Valley won the last meeting 75-67, but that was two seasons ago. In that game, Gladbrook-Reinbeck point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1167671" first="William" last="Kiburis"], then a freshman, scoring 27 points with 4 assists. He’s only gotten better since then, and now he has some dangerous running mates as well. Kiburis is a long, lanky guard who dominates the game on both ends of the floor with his 6-4 frame and excellent length. A scorer and facilitator, he can make an impact even when he isn’t scoring. Senior big man [player_tooltip player_id="1158493" first="Tristen" last="Sanford-Anders"] gives them a lot of size and physicality in the paint, and junior guard Caleb Egesdal provides a lot of perimeter shooting. [caption id="attachment_1321277" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/113-Gunner-Meyer-crop-1596x1048-1635950122.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1321277 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/113-Gunner-Meyer-crop-1596x1048-1635950122-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Meyer[/caption] Wapsie Valley lost their top two ball-handlers from last season, and will need to find some replacements in the backcourt. But they have a pair of bigger players to build around in senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="962601" first="Gunner" last="Meyer"] and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="956883" first="Mason" last="Harter"]. The athletic wing Meyer can score from all three levels at a high level, and at 6-5, he has the size to be a matchup problem for the Rebels. Harter is a 6-7 forward who runs the floor and controls the glass on both ends of the floor. The battle between him and Sanford-Anders on the glass will be fun to watch, as will the perimeter matchup between Meyer and Kiburis. Gladbrook-Reinbeck is our pick to win the NICL West, while we have Wapsie Valley finishing second behind Aplington-Parkersburg in the NICL East, so expect this one to be a great game.   Madrid (1-0) at Southeast Valley (0-0) Prior to the start of the season, this game would not have been on our radar tonight. But then Madrid freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="1174816" first="Toryn" last="Severson"] dropped 28 points in his debut, while older brother [player_tooltip player_id="1155054" first="Kadyn" last="Severson"] added 21 in a blowout win over Ankeny Christian. So we’re interested to see what the Severson brothers have in store for an encore. Toryn shot 9-13 from the floor, and 5-6 from behind the arc, in that debut game, while adding 7 rebounds and 6 assists. Senior forward Brady Leonard also had 7 points and 17 rebounds in that win, and his matchup with future Iowa big defensive end [player_tooltip player_id="682271" first="Aaron" last="Graves"] in the paint will be a battle. For the Jaguars, who are coming off a 2A football championship run, it may be a bit of a slow start to the season as they haven’t been able to get much practice in. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="962628" first="Kolson" last="Kruse"] has established himself as one of the state’s best shooters, and he’ll be asked to go shot-for-shot with the Seversons if Southeast Valley is going to keep pace in this one. Come for the Severson brothers vs. Kruse, stay for Leonard vs. Graves in the paint.   Bettendorf (0-0) at Cedar Rapids Washington (0-0) [caption id="attachment_1115610" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/117-Traijen-Sain-crop-2004x1316-1610572845.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1115610 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/117-Traijen-Sain-crop-2004x1316-1610572845-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Sain[/caption] Washington is coming off their best season in nearly a decade, reaching the substate finals, and they bring back a large majority of that roster. They’re led by a talented trio of guards - juniors [player_tooltip player_id="1167702" first="Jesse" last="Sellers"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1167699" first="Jaden" last="Harris"], and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1171663" first="Willie" last="Hodges"] - as well as junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="956880" first="Traijan" last="Sain"]. Sellers and Harris both shot the ball at a really high level last season, Hodges is a lightning-quick guard who can break down a defense and get to the bucket, and Sain is a long and athletic wing who can score from all three levels and defend multiple positions. With a ton of production returning from last year’s team, expectations are high for this team, and they’ll be looking to get off to a strong start. [caption id="attachment_1254564" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Caden-Wilkins3.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1254564 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Caden-Wilkins3-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> Wilkins[/caption] For Bettendorf, it’s the start of the [player_tooltip player_id="1171682" first="Caden" last="Wilkins"] era. The top-ranked player in the state in the 2024 class, Wilkins, a 6-6 wing, is ready to take over this team. He scored 26 points in the Bulldogs’ Hall of Pride Scrimmage against Dubuque Senior, showing his ability to fill it up from all three levels. With his size and skill, he’s a tough matchup, and the showdown between him and Sain on the perimeter will be fun to watch. The ’Dogs will be breaking in a lot of new faces on the varsity roster this season, so this will be a major test for them as a season-opener.