Class 3A Stars to Watch (Part 1)
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Matthew Noll IA #4 PF #1 HEIGHT 6'7" POS PF CLASS 2024 View Profile Matthew Noll Twitter State: Iowa School: Bishop Heelan Club: Martin Brothers Noll is the best all-around player in 3A basketball, a versatile 6-7/6-8 athlete who can…
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Continue ReadingNoll is the best all-around player in 3A basketball, a versatile 6-7/6-8 athlete who can do a little bit of everything on the floor. If you need him to be a facilitator, he uses his size to see over the defense and find open teammates. If you need him to dominate the glass, he uses his athleticism and great hands to control the glass on both ends of the floor. And if you need him to take over a game as a scorer, he’s capable of filling it up from all three levels. He’s as good as just about anyone in the state at getting to the rim and the free-throw line, and he converts his chances at the stripe. He’s headed to play his college ball at D2 Wayne State, where he should shine for the Wildcats early in his career.
Weisskopf is a fantastic athlete who uses his athleticism and strength to his advantage on both ends of the floor. A future Iowa linebacker, he’s tough and finishes really well around the bucket through contact. He has a really good mid-range game and knows how to get to his spots in that part of the floor. He’s also a strong, versatile defender who can bang with bigger bodies in the paint or move his feet against smaller players on the perimeter. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.0 steals a game on 51.6% shooting as a junior.
Driscoll was exceptional at MFL MarMac as a sophomore, leading the Bulldogs to the 2A state tournament while averaging 20.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 4.2 steals a game. He’s a smaller guard, but he uses his quickness to dominate games on both ends of the floor, and he’s one of the faster players in the state from end-to-end with the ball in his hands. But his game is not just speed. He does a great job changing speeds and directions, keeping his defender off balance. He finishes really well around the rim, showing creativity with either hand, and he’s a good shooter, especially from the mid-range area. He has transferred to play his junior year at Decorah, where he should shine for one of 3A’s best offensive teams.
Highlights
Benzing is one of the best pure shooters in the state, posting 52-46-85 shooting splits last season while averaging 17.7 points a game. He has good size at 6-4 and moves exceptionally well without the ball in his hands. He has a quick release off the catch, and with his size he’s able to get his shot off pretty much whenever he wants. He’s working to improve his shot creation off the dribble. He uses his length well on the defensive end, getting into passing lanes and contesting shots.
Van Kalsbeek scores with remarkable efficiency, averaging 20.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 59.5% shooting and 42.0% from behind the arc. He’s a tough guard who, despite being as good of a shooter as he is, looks to attack the rim first and foremost, playing downhill and finishing at the bucket. He’s also excellent on the glass on both ends of the floor, using his toughness and athleticism to compete against the bigger bodies.
Few players in the state, regardless of class, stuff the stat sheet to the level that Cooley does. He’s coming off a junior year in which he averaged 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 3.0 steals, and 1.4 blocks a game on 51.4% shooting. At 6-5 and with length and athleticism to spare, he can defend multiple positions, score inside and out, pound the glass, and create great looks for his teammates.
Highlights
A quick scoring guard who can put the ball on the floor and create good looks for himself and his teammates, Postel led the Comets to a semifinal appearance last season, averaging 13.0 points and 1.7 steals a game on 45% shooting. He’s a really good defender who moves his feet, jumps passing lanes, and communicates on that end of the floor.
Shabazz will be a new name to much of the state, but the sophomore from Davenport will immediately become one of the best players in the state. He spent the last few years down in Florida before moving back to Iowa, where he has enrolled at Assumption. He’ll give the Knights at elite shotmaker who creates at an extremely high level off the dribble. He has great size at 6-4 and can score in bunches from all three levels. He already holds a handful of Division I offers.
Few freshmen in the state were more productive than Gibson was last season, averaging 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.6 steals a game. His speed is a game-changer on both ends of the floor. He gets end-to-end with the ball as quick as just about anyone in the state. He plays with great pace, changes directions well without losing any speed, is a great ball-handler, and a gifted passer who sees the floor extremely well. If he’s able to add some consistent range to his game, good luck Raccoon River foes.