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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Anamosa (0-21, 59.6% of scoring returning):</strong> The Blue Raiders were winless last season and only had four games decided by single digits. With a majority of the division returning a significant amount of production, it's hard to see them competing with most of the teams again this year. They lost their leading scorer from last year's group, but bring back the next six, including three juniors and a sophomore, so this could be a year where they're building towards 2024-25. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2398131' first='Vince' last='Diers'] (9.0), Jacob King (4.0), and Nate Fischer (3.8), and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1765552' first='Tristan' last='Faille'] (6.3) will be the headliners, while senior Ike Classen-Tubbs (5.4, 6.3 rebounds) is a solid forward who pounds the glass. </p>
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<p><strong>Beckman Catholic (16-7, 26.3%): </strong>Beckman is always talented, with no losing seasons during the QuikStats/Bound era, but this could be a down year for the Trail Blazers, losing three of their top four scorers, including one of the program's all-time greats in Padraig Gallagher. Senior forwards [player_tooltip player_id='1256303' first='Eli' last='Kluesner'] (9.9) and Max Oberbroeckling (4.5) return, but they're the only returnees who scored more than 17 total points last season. Coach Michael Molony is excited about some of the young talent in the program, and they won't completely bottom out because that's not what happens at Beckman, but they probably won't compete for a division title this season. </p>
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<p><strong>Bellevue (17-6, 43.2%): </strong>The Comets lost two of their top three scorers in Jensen Wedeking and Robert Paulsen, who combined to average 36 points and 16.6 rebounds a game, but they bring back three significant players as well as a number of sophomores who appear ready to step into bigger roles. [player_tooltip player_id='1751111' first='Hunter' last='Putman'] (14.5) was the team's second leading scorer last season, providing them with a lot of perimeter shooting and some ability to create off the dribble, while sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765510' first='Cameron' last='Casel'] (7.2, 3.1 assists) is a talented lead guard who paces the offense, can score from all three levels, and play solid defense. Look for sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2413495' first='Owen' last='Putman'], [player_tooltip player_id='2413487' first='Spencer' last='Abbott'], [player_tooltip player_id='2413480' first='KeShawn' last='DeShaw'], and Kinnick Paulsen, all of whom saw some varsity minutes as freshmen, to become contributors as well. With Putman and Casel leading the way, Bellevue has enough talent to contend for a top-3 finish in the league, and they have a chance to be pretty special in the next two years. </p>
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<p><strong>Camanche (13-10, 55.6%):</strong> Former Mount Pleasant standout Trey Magnani takes over as the Storm's new head coach, and he'll step into a program that Josh Davis did a great job building into a consistent contender. He gets senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1476991' first='Damarion' last='Honaker'] (16.8, 8.0 rebounds) back to lead the way, a great place to start building your own program. Honaker is a bouncy 6-7/6-8 forward who can protect the rim, pound the glass, and finish around the rim at an extremely high level. Senior guard Josh Wiersema (10.0, 3.3 assists) will serve as the team's primary ball-handler, while junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1759947' first='Tyson' last='Seeser'] (6.0) is an athletic wing who can provide some additional perimeter scoring. We'll be curious to see what type of style Magnani plays with Camanche, but they'll have plenty of athletes and should be a factor in the division. </p>
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<p><strong>Cascade (15-7, 76.8%):</strong> After losing big man Cole McDermott to graduation, the Cougars have a pretty big hole to fill in the paint on both ends of the floor. That's the bad news. The good news is that he's the only player from last year's roster who saw time that isn't back. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1587383' first='Jackson' last='Lieurance'] (18.1) is a dynamic three-level scorer who can dominate games as an offensive weapon. He shoots it extremely well off the catch and has worked to improve as a ball-handler and shot creator. He has a chance to lead 2A in scoring this season. [player_tooltip player_id='1476983' first='Cass' last='Hoffman'] (8.7, 4.4 assists) is a reliable ball-handler and playmaker with great command of the offense, while [player_tooltip player_id='1405102' first='Nathan' last='Schockemoehl'] (5.9) and Cooper Hummel (5.9) provide some additional experience and scoring. This group will contend for the division crown and have a chance at the 2A state tournament. </p>
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<p><strong>Maquoketa (13-9, 73.5%):</strong> It was a tale of two seasons for the Cardinals in their maiden voyage in the RVC. They got off to an excellent 12-2 start before going 1-7 down the stretch. The major issue was the defensive end of the floor, as during those first 14 games, they allowed 64 points a game, but that number ballooned up to 75 a night during the final eight. This is a group that had no issues putting the ball in the bucket, averaging 72.5 points a game, and that shouldn't be an issue this year either with three big-time scorers returning in [player_tooltip player_id='1376691' first='Tye' last='Hardin'] (17.6), [player_tooltip player_id='1376709' first='Carter' last='Meyer'] (15.7), and [player_tooltip player_id='1751093' first='Tyler' last='Hinz'] (14.3). Hardin and Hinz are both good ball-handlers and decision-makers who can get their teammates involved at a high level, and either are capable of playing with or without the ball in their hands. Meyer is a long, athletic wing who can score from all three levels. All three of them are good shooters who can space the floor and provide a lot of versatility. Other notable returnees who will provide some depth are sophomore Nolan Ehgliner (5.1, 38.2 3P%), junior [player_tooltip player_id='2820184' first='Eli' last='Lemke'] (2.5), and seniors Dawson Hepner (2.3), Dylan Mangler (1.1), and Nathaniel Ehlinger (1.1). This group will be dynamic offensively, but how their season ultimately turns out will come down to their work on the defensive end. </p>
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<p><strong>Monticello (17-7, 69.1%): </strong>The Panthers lost star guard Tate Petersen to graduation, but bring back five of their top six scorers, including star forward [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'] (23.1, 10.2 rebounds). Ries is a dominant athlete who will play football at Iowa, but he's an unstoppable physical force on the hardwood at this level, posting 49-36-75 shooting splits and controlling the glass on both ends of the floor. He can stretch the floor, create off the dribble, and provide some defensive versatility. [player_tooltip player_id='1759903' first='Carson' last='Lambert'] (10.9, 5.7 rebounds, 38.2 3P%) is a long lefty who shoots it really well from deep and is a strong defender, as is junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1951823' first='Jack' last='Lambert'] (4.2, 45.0 3P%). Jack drew a lot of tough defensive assignments down the stretch last season and stepped up in each of them. [player_tooltip player_id='1476965' first='Peyton' last='Schilling'] (5.8) has played a ton of minutes for the Panthers over the last few years and will provide a veteran presence in the backcourt, while [player_tooltip player_id='1765541' first='Conley' last='Schauf'] (5.1) started 19 games as a freshman and provides some additional size, length, and shooting on the wing. Tim Lambert has turned Monticello into an annual power, and they should be considered the favorite in the division. </p>
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<p><strong>Northeast (8-15, 78.4%): </strong>Last season was a bit of a departure from the norm for the Rebels, who have been an excellent defensive team for the last decade, but they relied more on their scoring last season. They bring back a trio of double-figure scorers in junior [player_tooltip player_id='1759938' first='Gavin' last='Kramer'] (15.6) and seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1945651' first='Clayton' last='Meyermann'] (13.7, 9.1 rebounds) and Jacob Tegeler (11.0, 8.9 rebounds), giving them three great options to build around. Kramer led the team in assists in addition to his scoring, while Meyermann and Tegeler are great on the glass. Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2731868' first='Colby' last='Gray'] (4.3), juniors Grant Gray (2.4) and Calvin Fowler (2.3), and senior Chase Lee (4.0) figure to round out the rotation. If this group can get back to their lockdown ways on the defensive end, with their offensive firepower coming back, they could be much improved. </p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p>
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<p>1. Monticello<br>2. Cascade<br>3. Maquoketa<br>4. Camanche<br>5. Bellevue<br>6. Beckman Catholic<br>7. Northeast<br>8. Anamosa</p>
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<p><strong>Analysis: </strong>With five of their top six returning to a team that qualified for the state tournament for a fourth straight season, Monticello is the favorite here. But it won't be easy, as Cascade and Maquoketa also bring back a ton of talent. </p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p>
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<p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'] (Monticello): </strong>The future Iowa linebacker was dominant last season, averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds a game for the Panthers. He's a walking double-double who is the best player on a Panthers team that we expect to win the division, making this a pretty easy selection.</p>
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<p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p>
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<p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'] (Monticello)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759903' first='Carson' last='Lambert'] (Monticello)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951823' first='Jack' last='Lambert'] (Monticello)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476965' first='Peyton' last='Schilling'] (Monticello)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765541' first='Conley' last='Schauf'] (Monticello)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1587383' first='Jackson' last='Lieurance'] (Cascade)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1405102' first='Nathan' last='Schockemoehl'] (Cascade)<br>2025 Cooper Hummel (Cascade)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476983' first='Cass' last='Hoffman'] (Cascade)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376691' first='Tye' last='Hardin'] (Maquoketa)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751093' first='Tyler' last='Hinz'] (Maquoketa)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376709' first='Carter' last='Meyer'] (Maquoketa)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413548' first='Nolan' last='Ehlinger'] (Maquoketa)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476991' first='Damarion' last='Honaker'] (Camanche)<br>2024 Josh Wiersema (Camanche)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759947' first='Tyson' last='Seeser'] (Camanche)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759938' first='Gavin' last='Kramer'] (Northeast)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1945651' first='Clayton' last='Meyermann'] (Northeast)<br>2024 Jacob Tegeler (Northeast)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751111' first='Hunter' last='Putman'] (Bellevue)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765510' first='Cameron' last='Casel'] (Bellevue)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1256303' first='Eli' last='Kluesner'] (Beckman Catholic)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2398131' first='Vince' last='Diers'] (Anamosa)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765552' first='Tristan' last='Faille'] (Anamosa)</p>
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