Class 2A: Top 10 Returning Shot Blockers
In this article:
1.) 2024 Austin Taylor (Woodward-Granger) – 80 blocks Taylor has found himself on quite a few of these top 10 returnee lists, a testament to how dominant a season he had on both ends of the floor. He has great…
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Continue Reading1.) 2024 Austin Taylor (Woodward-Granger) – 80 blocks
Taylor has found himself on quite a few of these top 10 returnee lists, a testament to how dominant a season he had on both ends of the floor. He has great size and is an active big man who can switch onto smaller ball handlers and block shots on the perimeter.
2.) 2024 Karic Stout Karic Stout 6'7" | PF Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2024 State IA (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) – 62
Stout was a role player on the offensive end for the Rockets last season, averaging 7.2 points and 7.7 rebounds, but provided them with a lot of value as an interior defender. He’s a good athlete with great size at 6-7 who does a good job contesting without fouling (just 2.0 fouls per game last season).
3.) 2024 Tate Jirovsky Tate Jirovsky 6'5" | PF Grundy Center | 2024 State IA (Grundy Center) – 40
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Jirovsky’s 40 blocks is that he started just three games last season for the Spartans, so his shot blocking prowess was on full display in fewer minutes than most of the other players on this list.
4.) 2024 Jack Vanfossan Jack Vanfossan 6'3" | PF Underwood | 2024 State IA (Underwood) – 40
An active player on both ends of the floor, Vanfossan pounds the glass hard, can pass it (led the team in assists in addition to scoring and rebounding), and is a good shot blocker with great timing. He plays hard on every possession and is a good athlete.
5.) 2024 Dayson Leerhoff Dayson Leerhoff 6'5" | PF Pleasantville Highschool | 2024 State IA (Pleasantville) – 38
Leerhoff is a really good help defender who rotates well and uses his size and athleticism to contest shots. He accounted for two-thirds of the Trojans blocks last season and looks primed to have a massive senior season on both ends of the floor.
6.) 2025 Finnegan Cline (Louisa-Muscatine) – 31
Cline averaged just 5.8 points as a sophomore, but gave the Falcons good minutes as an interior defender and rebounder. He’s a strong forward who does a good job staying vertical.
7.) 2024 Logan Rosauer (Union) – 31
On a team with a few talented guards who took up a huge chunk of the available shots last season, Rosauer found other ways to make an impact, pulling down 9.7 rebounds a game and playing strong defense. With his ability to contest shots behind them, the Knight guards are able to play a little more aggressively on the perimeter.
8.) 2024 Kole McCormick (Waukon) – 30
Waukon had a rough year, winning just three games, but McCormick, a 6-3 forward, was a standout, leading the team in scoring (11.6) and rebounding (7.0). He has good size, soft hands, and is a mobile big man who does a good job protecting the paint.
9.) 2025 Cael Reichter Cael Reichter 6'7" | PF North Fayette Valley | 2025 State IA (North Fayette Valley) – 30
Reichter is coming off a good sophomore season with the TigerHawks, averaging 15.9 points and 9.3 rebounds, and then put together a strong summer with Iowa Prep . He’s a long, agile 6-5 forward who runs the floor hard and can come out of nowhere to turn away shots on the defensive end.
10.) 2024 Leo Christensen (Columbus Catholic) – 26
A skilled 6-4 wing who can play inside and out, Christensen provides the Sailors with some versatility on the defensive end of the floor. He can hold his own on the perimeter and contest shots against smaller players, or bump down into the paint and block shots against the bigger bodies.