River Valley Conference Shootout: 2023 Player Evaluations

PG Cayden Gassmann (Beckman Catholic)   A heady 6-2 guard who does a good job limiting turnovers and getting his teammates involved, Gassman handles it well and is a talented passer who sees the floor at a high level. He's a strong on-ball defender who moves his feet well and has quick hands that he uses to make things uncomfortable for opposing ball-handlers. He had 6 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals in the Blazers' win over Durant.   SG Aiden Wessels (Beckman Catholic)   Wessels is a big-time scorer who comes off the bench for Beckman to provide a spark. A 6-1 guard who can operate both on and off the ball, he has the ability to score from all three levels, absorbing contact around the rim and knocking down shots off the catch. He had 12 points and 4 rebounds.   SG [player_tooltip player_id='1240074' first='Nolan' last='DeLong'] (Durant)   DeLong is a standout football player who will play college football somewhere next year, but he's a solid basketball player too who uses his athleticism and physical frame to get to the rim for finishes routinely. A bouncy 6-1 guard who absorbs contact and finishes through it, he's at his best when he's playing downhill and putting pressure on opposing defenses with his quickness and strength. He had a team-high 13 points on 3-6 shooting (7-9 FT) with 5 rebounds in the Wildcats' loss to Beckman.   PG [player_tooltip player_id='1469826' first='Garrett' last='Hollenback'] (Durant)   Hollenback is a 6-2 lead guard who sees the floor well and is a talented passer. Like DeLong, he uses his physical frame to get to the bucket for finishes or to find open teammates. He's a good athlete with solid size and length who can provide some versatility on the defensive end. He rotates well and contributes on the glass on both ends. He had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.   PG Ty Nichols (Tipton)   A 5-9 lead guard who handles it fairly well, Nichols does a good job using his quick first step to get by defenders and into the painted area, where he can either finish or distribute to a teammate. Despite being one of the smaller players on the floor, he has a nose for the ball and competes on the glass on both ends. He finished with 5 points, 5 rebounds (3 offensive), 4 assists, and 3 steals in the Tigers' win over Anamosa.   SG Jack McCullough (West Branch)   McCullough is a 6-1 guard who moved to West Branch from Liberty and has provided the Bears with a solid perimeter scoring threat. He's a strong guard who can get to the bucket for finishes or knock down shots from deep. He has good form on his jumper and plenty of range, and he moves well without the ball in his hands. He had 12 points on 4-9 shooting in the Bears' loss to Bellevue.   PG [player_tooltip player_id='1167728' first='Alex' last='Bean'] (Mid-Prairie)   A 6-2/6-3 combo guard who showed that he can play both on and off the ball, Bean had 10 points on 4-11 shooting (2-4 3P), 3 assists, and 2 steals in the Golden Hawks win over Camanche. He's a solid ball-handler who limits turnovers and doesn't force anything, and he moves well when he's operating off the ball, finding open spots in the defense to get his shot off. He has a quick release off the catch.   PF Shawn Dodds (Mid-Prairie)   An intriguing prospect for small schools around the state, Dodds is a raw young big man at 6-5/6-6 with good athleticism, hands, and developing touch around the rim. His offensive game is a bit limited, mostly coming off of dump-offs or offensive rebounds, but he has an intriguing blend of size and athleticism. He had 8 points and 6 rebounds (5 offensive) in their win over Camanche.   PG [player_tooltip player_id='1738632' first='Lucas' last='Ihrig'] (Maquoketa)   Ihrig played one of the best all-around games of any player in the gym last Saturday, finishing with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in the Cardinals' win over Wilton. He's a tough 5-11 guard who didn't let his poor shooting (1-7 3P) impact the rest of his game, instead turning into a big-time facilitator. He's quick, doesn't shy away from contact, and is a good athlete who rotates well on the defensive end and blocked a few shots as a help defender.   SG [player_tooltip player_id='1469834' first='Kasey' last='Coakley'] (Maquoketa)   Coakley had an efficient scoring day, finishing with 13 points on 5-8 shooting (3-5 3P), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. An off-ball guard who moves really well without the ball in his hands, he's armed with a quick release off the catch and he's the antithesis of a ball-stopper, quickly making decisions with the ball, either keeping it moving, firing up a shot, or putting it on the deck to attack an off-balance closeout.   SG [player_tooltip player_id='1469778' first='Aidan' last='Walker'] (Wilton)   Walker is a long, athletic 6-2 guard who uses his length and athleticism well on the defensive end, getting into passing lanes and turning defense into offense. He struggled at times to finish around the rim against a really athletic Maquoketa team, but he still finished with 20 points (8-22 FG), 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals. He didn't shoot it from deep the way he's capable of (1-6 3P), but he has good form and a smooth release on his jumper.

PG Cayden Gassmann (Beckman Catholic)