Conference Preview: Western Iowa

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AHSTW (23-2, 68.5% of scoring returning): </strong>The Vikings went undefeated in league play last season and bring back three of the top four scorers from that team, including arguably the best tandem in small-school basketball in senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1167692' first='Kyle' last='Sternberg'] (15.8) and forward [player_tooltip player_id='1167687' first='Brayden' last='Lund'] (18.0). Lund is a versatile combo forward who can score inside and out, facilitate the offense, and control the glass. Sternberg is a 40% 3-point shooter with great length who does a tremendous job contesting shots and getting into passing lanes. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1240070' first='Cole' last='Scheffler'] (4.2) isn't a big scoring threat, but he's a really talented lead guard who dished out 4.8 assists a game and does a tremendous job protecting the ball, posting a better than 4-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Role players Ryan Wedemeyer (2.5), Nick Denning (2.5), Luke Sternberg (2.4), and Jacob Coon (1.3) each gained some valuable experience last season and should be ready to pick up a bit more this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Audubon (9-14, 64.0%): </strong>The top three scorers return for the Wheelers in seniors Carson Bauer (12.9) and Collin Bauer (9.0), and junior Edward Miller (8.1), giving them a solid trio to build around this season. Carson Bauer figures to have the ball in his hands quite a bit this season after finishing second on the team in assists last season, while Collin Bauer and Miller are both solid perimeter shooting threats. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>IKM-Manning (7-16, 46.1%): </strong>The Wolves lost their top two scorers to graduation but bring back a pair of forwards who will compete hard on the glass in seniors Caden Keller (5.2, 5.0 rebounds) and Cooper Irlmeier (3.5, 6.0 rebounds). Irlmeier also dished out 3.5 assists a game last season, so expect the offense to flow through him on most possessions. Ross Kusel (6.8) is the team's top returning scorer, a perimeter threat who can get to the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Logan-Magnolia (7-15, 25.5%): </strong>The Panthers lost their top three scorers to graduation, leaving senior Niclo Adame (5.6) as the top returnee. Calvin Wallis (5.3) led the team in assists last season and is also strong on the glass on both ends of the floor. No other returnee scored more than eight points last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Missouri Valley (3-20, 48.5%): </strong>The Big Reds won just three games last season and lost their leading scorer, so it figures to be another long winter. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2221609' first='Brody' last='Lager'] (8.8) and senior forward Hayden Kocour (5.9) are the top returnees, while junior Dane Janssen (4.2) and senior Eli Fouts (3.8) have some experience as well. They took better care of the ball last season than most small schools who don't win many games (13.2 turnovers a game), so they could be in line for a little more offensive production if they can keep that up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Riverside (12-10, 95.9%): </strong>Half of their 10 losses came by single digits and the top six scorers return for the Bulldogs, so expect this group to make a jump up the league standings this season. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171690' first='Grady' last='Jeppesen'] (18.9) has been a scoring machine during his first two years with the 'Dogs and that should continue this season. He's an attacking guard who is at his best when he's playing downhill and getting to the bucket, but is a good enough shooter that it needs to be respected. Senior Ayden Salais (9.2) dished out 5.5 assists a game last season and will pair with Jeppesen in the backcourt to give them one of the better guard tandems in the conference. Aiden Bell (13.5) is the team's top shooting threat, while Mason McCready (4.3), Jon Alff (3.2), and Garrett Hough (3.0) are each solid role players who gained a lot of experience last season. Guard play wins games in high school basketball, and that may be even more relevant this year with the implementation of the shot clock. Riverside has strong guard play and should be a quality team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Treynor (19-4, 61.8%): </strong>Treynor has been one of the most successful programs in the state over the last two decades, winning an average of 20.7 games with an 85% winning percentage in the last 16 seasons. So despite the fact that leading scorer Thomas Schwartz graduated, expect the Cardinals to be in contention for another league title. The next three scorers return in junior guards [player_tooltip player_id='1376717' first='Jace' last='Tams'] (12.3, 42.7 3P%) and Ethan Knoz (5.7) as well as senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1367406' first='Ethan' last='Dickerson'] (11.1, 8.6 rebounds, 3.0 blocks). Dickerson's ability to protect the painted area on the defensive end is huge for this group, and is a major part of the reason that Treynor allowed just 42.3 points a game last year, second in 2A. Tams is an elite shooter who moves well without the ball in his hands and the emergence of junior Karson Elwood (3.9) as a primary ball-handling threat is big for Treynor, allowing Tams to continue to operate off the ball. Treynor should once again be stellar defensively, and if they can become a bit more efficient on the offensive end, they could be a real contender in Class 2A.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tri-Center (13-10, 61.8%): </strong>Senior guard Michael Turner (14.1, 5.5 assists) is one of the best all-around offensive players in the conference and returns to lead the Trojans. He's a versatile three-level scorer who can create his own shot, get to the bucket, knock down 3s, and get looks for others. Kent Elliott (8.9) returns to control the painted area after leading the team in rebounding, and junior forward Christian Dahir (6.0) gives them some additional size and toughness in the paint. They'll need another ball-handler to step in alongside Turner to take some of the perimeter scoring and playmaking pressure off of him, but this team should win double-digit games again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Underwood (15-7, 93.8%): </strong>Six of the top seven scorers return for the Eagles, headlined by a trio of juniors who averaged in double-figures last year as sophomores. Mason Boothby (12.5), Jack Vanfossan (11.5, 11.8 rebounds), and Josh Ravlin (10.3) all return with a ton of valuable experience, and they may have been a bit ahead of schedule last season winning 15 games with such a young group. Vanfossan is a dominant rebounder on both ends of the floor; Boothby is a talented slasher who can create shots for himself and others; and Ravlin is the team's top shooting threat. Senior Alex Ravlin (8.9) gives them some additional ball-handling and perimeter scoring. If the Eagles are able to shoot it a bit better from the arc (26.0% as a team), they can ride their stout defense and balanced attack to a league title. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. AHSTW<br>2. Treynor<br>3. Underwood<br>4. Riverside<br>5. Tri-Center<br>6. Audubon<br>7. IKM-Manning<br>8. Logan-Magnolia<br>9. Missouri Valley</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>The battle between AHSTW, Treynor, and Underwood at the top of the league should be fun to watch. The Vikings swept against both last season and will get the nod here, but it certainly wouldn't surprise anyone if Treynor were to finish at the top of the league. Underwood may be a bit of a surprise, but they were really young last season and had a good amount of success and may be ready to take that next step. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167687' first='Brayden' last='Lund'], AHSTW:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167687' first='Brayden' last='Lund'], AHSTW<br>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167692' first='Kyle' last='Sternberg'], AHSTW<br>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1240070' first='Cole' last='Scheffler'], AHSTW<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171690' first='Grady' last='Jeppesen'], Riverside<br>2023 Aiden Bell, Riverside<br>2023 Ayden Salais, Riverside<br>2023 Michael Turner, Tri-Center<br>2023 Kent Elliott, Tri-Center<br>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367406' first='Ethan' last='Dickerson'], Treynor<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376717' first='Jace' last='Tams'], Treynor<br>2023 Carson Bauer, Audubon<br>2023 Collin Bauer, Audubon<br>2024 Edward Miller, Audubon<br>2024 Mason Boothby, Underwood<br>2024 Jack Vanfossan, Underwood<br>2024 Josh Ravlin, Underwood<br>2023 Alex Ravlin, Underwood<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2221609' first='Brody' last='Lager'], Missouri Valley<br>2024 Ross Kusel, IKM-Manning</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->