IA Top 250 Expo Preview: Intriguing Prospects
The Prep Hoops IA -Top 250 Showcase is one that brings together some of the best talent in Iowa prior to the high school season kicking off in just a few months and this year’s event is no different. There…
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Continue ReadingThe Prep Hoops IA -Top 250 Showcase is one that brings together some of the best talent in Iowa prior to the high school season kicking off in just a few months and this year’s event is no different. There are already several players signed up for the event that takes place on September 17th at 515 Field House in Grimes, Iowa. In the article below I am going to highlight five prospects I am interested in seeing competing there. Each prospect will have a chance to play some significant varsity minutes this upcoming year at their perspective high schools.
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Preston Daedlow – 2024 – 5’8 – PG – Tipton H.S.
Preston Daedlow is a smaller point guard that has a silky shooting stroke from deep. He is the type of point guard that has a quick first step while displaying a nice feel for a floater/runner, whenever he finds a hole in the defense. When he plays off of the ball he is pretty good at catching with his body square to the hoop, with his eyes locked on the rim, ready to let it fly at any moment. The reality is that I’m curious how Daedlow is going to fair in this type of Showcase. A good majority of players will have size on him so he is going to have to be crafty and use his head to beat his opponents, something that is more then possible but I’d like to see it first hand. If he can accomplish that, I’ll feel pretty good about his upcoming senior year at Tipton high school with the Tigers.
Zander Murray Zander Murray 6'0" | SG Xavier | 2026 State IA – 2026 – 6’0 – PG – Xavier H.S.
I have a feeling that Zander Murray Zander Murray 6'0" | SG Xavier | 2026 State IA is going to be someone that a lot of people talk about over the next few years of his high school basketball career. Murray stands at 6FT with a good mixture of athleticism and muscle mass. He displays a shifty handle coming down the floor with the elite ability to change directions on the stop of a dime, ending in a score for himself at the rim or for an easy assist to a teammate. Murray may not be the tallest player out there but he is the definition of strong. When he gets down hill at full speed, going towards the basket, it is very hard to stop him from making a play. There is going to be some elite competition at this event, with that being said, I think Murray could hold his own and solidify himself as a player to know going into this winter. He has every ability to do so, he just has to go out and actually do it now.
Jacob Attleson – 2025 – 6’5 – F – Waukee H.S.
Players like Jacob Attleson interest me. An Individual who has good height, feel for the ball, and understanding of the game, has every chance to have a breakout season this winter at Waukee H.S. Attleson is tall and lengthy. A player that can screen for a guard and roll to the hoop or pop out for a midrange jump shot. Attleson is also smart. Whenever he has a mismatch in the post on a smaller or weaker opponent, he keeps it simple and scores using his natural advantage. Defensively he is no slouch. Someone that teams have to worry about after they get into the middle of the lane because if not, it’s going to be a block party for Attleson. For this upcoming Showcase I’m most interested to see how Attleson moves on the floor. If he is beating all the other forwards to their spots, while being a constant producer against some other skilled players, he is going to be someone on the radar going into this upcoming high school season.
Caden Kettman – 2024 – 6’4 – CG – Bellevue Marquette Catholic H.S.
I had the chance of seeing Caden Kettman play a handful of times this spring and each game he stood out in a different way. Wether it was fighting for rebounds on the offensive glass or getting a big block on defense, it didn’t matter. Kettman displayed he was dedicated to the game and didn’t have any quit in him when things got tough. I’m curious to see how Kettman does against some high level competition. He stands at a good size at 6’4 and he moves well laterally. He can stick with smaller opponents, using his length to recover if he gets beat off the dribble or he can stand up to longer players that may have some size on him. From what I’ve seen so far, he can really be used in a number of ways. This winter Bellevue Marquette Catholic H.S. is a team to know, they may shock some people as the season goes on and we get into playoff time but we will just have to wait and see. As for Kettman, if he plays his game and trusts his work, he is going to be just fine at this event.
Landon Davis Landon Davis 6'8" | PF Waukee Northwest | 2026 State IA – 2026 – 6’7 – C – Waukee NW H.S.
Landon Davis Landon Davis 6'8" | PF Waukee Northwest | 2026 State IA is going to have himself a winter this year. A player that stands at 6’7 is going to see a lot of time on the floor, accounting for all the players returning to his Waukee NW team’s roster this season. Davis can do it all. He shoots it well with good coordination and balance, he can sit in the post and dominate matchups or screen outside at the three point line, he is a high level rebounder, he is a rim protector, and he can put it on the floor if need be. When you account for all of these things and include his natural size going into only his sophomore year of high school ball, the future looks really bright. As long as he stays efficient in his movements and puts on some weight over the next 4 years, we are talking about a college level prospect at the end of the day.