Conference Preview: Iowa Alliance South

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>East (8-14, 20.7% of scoring returning): </strong>As will be a common theme among the teams in this division, the Scarlets were decimated by losses to transfer, with many of them finding their way over to Roosevelt. Of last year's top five scorers, two graduated, and the other three transferred to Roosevelt, leaving Juelz Daye (5.0) and Keyvaughn McMurray (4.1) as the top returnees. Last year's eight wins were the most for an East team during the QuikStats/Bound era (dating back to 2007-08 season), and they would've had a chance at a .500 or better record if they hadn't lost players to transfer. With the losses, it could be another long winter on the east side of Des Moines. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hoover (15-10, 1.7%):</strong> It will be pretty much a complete reset for the Hoover program after losing coach Courtney Henderson to Johnston and nearly all of last year's scoring production to either transfer or graduation. Henderson built one of the most consistent programs in the Des Moines metro, but new coach Wesley Burrell will have his work cut out for him here. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lincoln (11-13, 9.8%): </strong>Another team that was hurt by the "transfer portal" was the Railsplitters, whose top three scorers from last year's team transferred - one to Johnston and the other two to Roosevelt. [player_tooltip player_id='1587755' first='Tony' last='Davidson'] (4.0) is the only returnee with any significant experience for Lincoln. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North (5-17, 16.8%): </strong>The Polar Bears lost their leading scorer to transfer (Valley), and the next two scorers to graduation. That leaves senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2325327' first='Amos' last='Poe'] (6.0) and junior forward D'corion White (3.7) as the lone returnees with significant experience. North had a pretty sustained run of success from the 2012-13 to 2020-21 seasons, but they'll be hard pressed to have much success this season with their losses. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ottumwa (6-16, 57.0%): </strong>The Bulldogs were rarely competitive in their losses last season, with only two of their 16 setbacks coming by single digits, but with the substantial losses that nearly every other team in the division endured, they have a real chance at finishing second in this division. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1951797' first='Trae' last='Brown'] (13.2) is an impressive athlete on the wing and a really efficient scorer who posted 48-44-69 shooting splits as a sophomore while leading the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals. He'll be one of the best players in the division. Guard [player_tooltip player_id='2325471' first='Rahsha' last='Pope'] (8.4) is a quick, athletic perimeter player who can blow by defenders and create some chaos on the defensive end. Those are the only two returnees who saw any time last year, but that may be enough for them to rack up some wins against these teams that got decimated. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Roosevelt (14-10, 26.7%): </strong>The Roughriders lost their top four scorers to graduation, but their returnees may have been enough for this team to compete for the top spot in the division by themselves. [player_tooltip player_id='1476972' first='Zahj' last='Collins'] (5.3) is the top returning scorer, an athletic and long wing who can do a little bit of everything. Junior guards [player_tooltip player_id='1439900' first='Remi' last='Taylor'] (5.1) and [player_tooltip player_id='1170334' first='Jayden' last='Davison'] (3.3), and senior Brayden Page (3.1), give the 'Riders a solid backcourt trio. That quartet would have been a really good quartet to build around. Then they added nearly half of Des Moines' public schools to their roster with the additions of [player_tooltip player_id='1171694' first='Tyron' last='Wright'], [player_tooltip player_id='1376685' first='JeCari' last='Patton'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1587379' first='Desmon' last='Campbell'] from East; [player_tooltip player_id='1171699' first='Ja'Vion' last='Bell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1288903' first='Deng' last='Gai'] from Lincoln; and [player_tooltip player_id='1381410' first='Markese' last='Harvey-Bell'] from Hoover. The most impactful of these transfers are probably Wright, who averaged 14.0 points and 9.7 rebounds a game last season, Campbell (11.4), and Gai. Campbell and Gai are athletic guards who can get to the rim and create for others. Bell and Harvey-Bell give them some more size, rebounding, and rim protection. Incoming freshman [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] could also be a factor in the rotation this season. A lot of the player on this roster have similar skill sets, and it will be interesting to see how all of these pieces fit together. But there is no doubt that the Roughriders have the most talented roster in the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Roosevelt<br>2. Ottumwa<br>3. Hoover<br>4. Lincoln<br>5. North<br>6. East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Outside of Roosevelt at the top, any of the other five teams could be thrown in just about any order. The Roughriders are an overwhelming favorite here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171694' first='Tyron' last='Wright'] (Roosevelt):</strong> With the huge number of transfers within the South Division this year, we're not quite sure what to expect. But Wright, who averaged a double-double at East last season, should step into a standout role at Roosevelt and be one of the focal points of a Roughriders team that should win the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171694' first='Tyron' last='Wright'] (Roosevelt)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1288903' first='Deng' last='Gai'] (Roosevelt)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476972' first='Zahj' last='Collins'] (Roosevelt)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1587379' first='Desmon' last='Campbell'] (Roosevelt)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171699' first='Ja'Vion' last='Bell'] (Roosevelt)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376685' first='JeCari' last='Patton'] (Roosevelt)<br>2025 Jayden Davidson (Roosevelt)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1439900' first='Remi' last='Taylor'] (Roosevelt)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (Roosevelt)<br>2024 Brayden Page (Roosevelt)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951797' first='Trae' last='Brown'] (Ottumwa)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325471' first='Rahsha' last='Pope'] (Ottumwa)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325327' first='Amos' last='Poe'] (North)<br>2025 D'corion White (North)<br>2024 Keyvaughn McMurray (East)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1587755' first='Tony' last='Davidson'] (Lincoln)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->