State Tournament Preview: Class 2A Stars to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='956879' first='Tate' last='Petersen'] (Monticello)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Petersen has been battling a right shoulder injury during the last few months, but is starting to get back to the all-state caliber guard that we've become accustomed to seeing over the last four years. Don't let his current 3-point percentage (34.1%) fool you - he's a knockdown shooter who didn't shoot it well at all when he first came back from the injury, but he's been better of late. A three-level scorer who handles it well, sees the floor at a high level, and is a good on-ball defender, he's the type of dynamic all-around player who can lead a team to a state title. He's averaging 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.2 steals a game, and is headed to Kirkwood to play his college ball. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'] (Monticello)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A future Iowa football player, Ries is a fantastic athlete who can dominate games on both ends of the floor with his eye-popping athleticism and physicality. He's a strong, physical 6-3 forward who can score inside and out, control the glass on both ends of the floor, and get into passing lanes. He's capable of taking over a game in the blink of an eye. Ries is averaging 23.4 points and 10.3 rebounds a game on 50-37-75 shooting splits. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1253020' first='Zach' last='Lutmer'] (Central Lyon)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A future teammate of Ries, Lutmer is one of the most dynamic athletes in the state. A 6-2 guard who can control games on both ends of the floor with his feel for the game, physicality, and athleticism, he's a highly efficient scorer who is posting 55-40-77 shooting splits and averaging a team-high 20.8 points. But he's also capable of dominating games when he isn't scoring, dishing out 6.0 assists and averaging 2.8 steals a game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367399' first='Andrew' last='Austin'] (Central Lyon)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Austin was a major contributor for last year's runner-up team, and he has only gotten better this season, averaging 20.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists a game on 61% shooting. A strong athlete who finishes around the rim at a high level and can also step out and stretch the floor, he provides versatility on both ends of the floor with his size (6-7) and athleticism. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381408' first='Zach' last='Driscoll'] (MFL-Mar-Mac)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Driscoll has been dominant on both ends of the floor in his first two years at MFL, showing a high IQ, three-level scoring, and tons of playmaking ability on both ends of the floor. A 6-1 guard who handles it well and has outstanding court vision, he's averaging 20.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 4.2 steals a game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1423351' first='Tysen' last='DeVries'] (Pella Christian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>DeVries' numbers aren't going to blow you away (12.5 points, 4.0 assists), but his impact on the game goes well beyond the box score numbers. A fearless 5-9 guard who plays downhill and attacks the rim relentlessly, he's constantly putting pressure on opposing teams on both ends of the floor. He's a flat-out winner.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367392' first='Isaiah' last='Naylor'] (Roland-Story)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the most talented shot creators in the 2A field, Naylor is a gifted ball-handler with excellent footwork and a pure stroke off the dribble. He can scores in bunches and is the type of player who can drop 15 points in a quarter and turn a game on its head.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171681' first='Jonovan' last='Wilkinson'] (Roland-Story)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-4 wing who can defend nearly every position at this level, Wilkinson is a Swiss Army knife for the Norsemen who does a little bit of everything. He's a versatile defender, skilled playmaker, three-level scorer, and he contributes at a high level on the glass. He's averaging 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.3 steals a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1288927' first='Michael' last='Kasperbauer'] (Kuemper Catholic)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Knights' leading scorer at 14.5 points a game, Kasperbauer is the type of microwave scorer who can get really hot from deep and carry his team for long stretches offensively. If Kuemper is going to go on a run next week, Kasperbauer will need to be a major reason why.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1462778' first='Tate' last='Van Regenmorter'] (Western Christian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-5 combo forward who can score inside and out, Van Regenmorter leads the Wolfpack in scoring (14.4 points) and rebounding (5.3). He's a good shooter (38.1 3P%) with the size and release to get his shot off pretty much whenever he wants. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1436462' first='Kaden' last='Van Regenmorter'] (Western Christian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tate's younger brother is a 6-3 playmaker who is dishing out 4.0 assists a game in addition to his 13.0 points and 5.3 rebounds. He's an efficient scorer who can get to the rim, occasionally knock down shots, and control games as a playmaker and defender. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171689' first='Landon' last='Craven'] (Des Moines Christian)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-1 guard who has been ridiculously good at jumping passing lanes and turning defense into quick and easy offense this season, averaging 4.4 steals a game and leading the Lions at 15.4 points. His shooting numbers haven't been great this season from deep (25.0 3P%), but he's a capable shooter who can use that weapon to open up the rest of his arsenal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->