Winterset Shootout: Friday Morning Standouts

2024 SF Cael Trudo (Van Meter)

Trudo was excellent in the first game of the day, finishing with 30 points and 10 rebounds in the Bulldogs’ win over Knoxville. A 6-3/6-4 wing with a quick release off the catch, he showed the ability to score from all three levels. After a solid first half, he exploded in the third quarter, scoring 10 points within the first two minutes of the quarter, and did so in a variety of ways. He knocked down a pair of 3s off the catch, showing his quick release and good off-ball movement. He jumped the passing lane and turned a steal into a layup, and he showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the rim in the halfcourt. He has improved as a ball-handler, which will serve him well heading into his senior year, where he’ll be asked to do a lot for a Bulldogs team that lost quite a bit of scoring punch from last year’s group.

2024 SG Jackson Green Jackson Green 6'3" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA (Dallas Center-Grimes)

A 6-1 combo guard who showed the ability to create for his teammates or shoot it at a high clip off the catch, Green had 13 first-half points and 18 total in DCG’s win over Kuemper. He’s a pure shooter with a beautiful release on his jumper, and he gets great rotation on his shot. One thing that really stood out about him was that he shoots it well at odd angles or when he’s a little off balance, certainly not something you teach, but an attribute that can come in handy in late shot-clock situations.

2024 SG Jonathan Howard Jonathan Howard 6'1" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA (Dallas Center-Grimes)

A 6-2 off-ball guard who is moving non-stop on the offensive end, Howard had a huge game as a shooter, knocking down four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 24 points. He’s a great shooter off the catch who moves well without the ball in his hands, and he showed a willingness to take smaller defenders down onto the block and either score on his touches or facilitate the offense.

2024 PF Calix Cahill Calix Cahill 6'5" | PF Dallas Center-Grimes | 2024 State IA (Dallas Center-Grimes)

An athletic 6-5/6-6 big man, Cahill has really improved his footwork and touch around the rim over the last year and was a dominant force in the Mustangs’ win over Kuemper Catholic. He showed good awareness on the defensive end, rotating over for a few big helpside blocks, and he looks much more comfortable with the ball in his hands, leading the break after pulling down a rebound on more than one occasion. While he had some impressive blocks and good moves in the paint, perhaps his most impressive individual play was when he made a beautiful touch pass to the corner for a 3 after he caught the ball in the paint as the roll man in ball screen action, showing great feel, awareness, and vision. A really good all-around game for Cahill, finishing with 17 points and double-digit rebounds.

2024 SG Adam Bryte Adam Bryte 6'4" | SG Adel-DeSoto-Minburn | 2024 State IA (ADM)

When you watch Bryte, it’s easy to see why he shot it at such a high clip last season, burying over 44% of his 3-point attempts. At 6-2/6-3, he has good size and a release that is difficult for defenders to contest. He gets great rotation on his shot and has a quick release off the catch. He uses the threat of his shot to open up the rest of his offensive arsenal, and while he isn’t an eye-popping athlete, he has good size and length and is able to cover a lot of ground on both ends of the floor as a result. He had 20 points in their overtime loss to Newton.

2024 SF Christian Lawson (Newton)

Lawson was certainly the most unexpected top performer on Friday morning, coming off a junior year in which he only scored 2 points for the Cardinals. But he was excellent in their win over ADM, finishing with 22 points and a handful of rebounds. He’s a good athlete on the wing at 6-2, and he loves to pound the glass on both ends of the floor. He showed a lot of confidence in his jumper, both off the dribble and the catch, knocking down four 3-pointers.

2025 PG Bode Goodman Bode Goodman 6'1" Southeast Polk | 2025 IA (Southeast Polk)

Goodman dropped 32 points in the Rams win over Madrid, with most of his damage coming either around the rim or at the free-throw line. A supremely talented guard with great footwork, handles, and body control around the rim, he was in complete control throughout the game on both ends of the floor, scoring efficiently, contributing on the glass, and playing his role as an active defender. He didn’t shoot it well from the arc, but is enough of a threat from deep that it needs to be respected. He has a great feel for the game and does a great job playing with pace, changing speeds and keeping defenders off balance.

2024 PG Carson Johnson Carson Johnson 6'0" | PG Ankeny | 2024 State IA (Ankeny)

Johnson was in control during Ankeny’s win over Grand View Christian, showcasing his elite ball-handling and decision-making. He sees the floor incredibly well and loves to get his teammates involved. He’s a high-level shooter from 3 with a clean stroke and the ability to shoot it off both the dribble and the catch. He had 16 points and a handful of assists.

2026 SG Rio Aguirre Rio Aguirre 6'1" | PG Ankeny | 2026 State IA (Ankeny)

Aguirre showed an impressive feel for the game as well as the ability to score in a multitude of ways, finishing the Hawks’ win over Grand View Christian with 23 points. He’s a really good shooter off the catch with a quick release and pure stroke, but he’s not limited to just being a shooter. He cuts well without the ball and finishes around the rim, and he also showed that he can create shots for himself and his teammates with the ball in his hands.