Class 1A: Top 10 Returning Steals
In this article:
1.) 2024 Conner Nally (Bedford) – 93 steals A solid all-around lead guard who gets his teammates involved on the offensive end and does his job defensively, Nally’s 93 steals rank fourth among returnees around the state, regardless of class.…
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Continue Reading1.) 2024 Conner Nally (Bedford) – 93 steals
A solid all-around lead guard who gets his teammates involved on the offensive end and does his job defensively, Nally’s 93 steals rank fourth among returnees around the state, regardless of class.
2.) 2024 Austin Lack (East Union) – 92
As is the case with many of the players on this list. Lack also led the Eagles in assists, dishing out 2.8 a game to go with his 4.0 steals a game. Unlike many on this list, he was also the team’s top rebounder, pulling down 8.5 a night.
3.) 2025 Jack Adams (Riceville) – 88
Adams, a 6-2 wing, had a bit of a breakout sophomore season for the Wildcats, averaging 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists a game. He has good size on the perimeter that he uses to create some chaos on the defensive end.
4.) 2024 Hunter Hughes Hunter Hughes 6'3" | PG WACO | 2024 State IA (WACO) – 77
A do-it-all guard who makes a major impact on both ends of the floor, Hughes was the best player on a WACO team that was extremely successful last season. He’s a tough guard with good size at 6-2, and, like many in the Warriors’ system, he provides some defensive versatility.
5.) 2026 Brady Boulton Brady Boulton 5'8" | PG Montezuma | 2026 State IA (Montezuma) – 73
Boulton was excellent as a freshman for the Braves, averaging 14.8 points and shooting 39.2% from behind the arc. He’s a quick guard with good instincts on the defensive end, routinely jumping passing lanes at the top of their 2-3 zone to create turnovers.
6.) 2024 Jabari Woodbury (GMG) – 72
Woodbury is a good athlete who can defend multiple positions at the high school level. He stuffed the stat sheet for the Wolverines as a junior, averaging 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 steals, all marks that led the team.
7.) 2024 Kaden Kobliska (Riceville) – 69
Another Wildcat with good size on the perimeter, Kobliska, a 6-3 wing, isn’t much of a scoring threat, but he creates some havoc on the defensive end with his athleticism and length.
8.) 2024 Ty Pflughaupt Ty Pflughaupt 6'4" | SF North Linn | 2024 State IA (North Linn) – 68
One of the most versatile defenders in small-school basketball, Pflughaupt pairs his 6-4 frame with a huge wingspan, great instincts, and a tremendous understanding of the Lynx’s pressure-heavy system. He rotates well, gets into passing lanes, and flies all over the floor. One of the best two-way players in the state, he averaged 15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks on 60-37-68 splits last season.
9.) 2025 Grant Whitehead (Sidney) – 66
A quick guard who moves his feet well, Whitehead made life difficult for opposing guards in the Corner Conference on both ends of the floor, dishing out 4.3 assists in addition to his work on the defensive end.
10.) 2025 Dalton Mudderman Dalton Mudderman 6'2" | SG Kee | 2025 State IA (Kee) – 66
Mudderman, a 6-1 guard, is part of a really good 2025 class at Kee that could lead the Hawks to a few good seasons the next two years. He averaged 13.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists a game in addition to his penchant for nabbing steals and turning defense into easy offense.