Conference Preview: River Valley South

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Durant (6-16, 20.7% of scoring returning):</strong> The Wildcats struggled for a majority of last season, and with both double-figure scorers graduating, it could be another long year for them. Caden Meyer (6.7) and Mason Badtram (2.8) are the only returnees who averaged more than a point a game last season, so there will be a lot of new faces joining the rotation. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mid-Prairie (12-11, 41.5%): </strong>The Golden Hawks lost their top two scorers to graduation, but bring back three starters and a few key bench pieces from last year's team, so this group should be fairly experienced. [player_tooltip player_id='1951822' first='Ace' last='Peck'] (6.4) is the top returning scorer, a junior guard who shot nearly 37% from the arc last season and providing scoring primarily off the bench. Dylan Henry (6.0), [player_tooltip player_id='1874767' first='Brady' last='Weber'] (5.0), Karson Grout (3.8), and Beau Flynn (3.5) also return with experience. Look for Peck to step into a primary scoring role, while Henry and Flynn control the painted area and the glass. Most teams that lost both double-figure scorers would be in trouble, but the Golden Hawks should remain competitive within the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Regina (9-13, 90.1%):</strong> Paul Rundquist takes over at Regina after spending the last handful of years as the co-head coach at Iowa City West. He previously won a state title at Mount Pleasant, so the Regals, who bring back a ton, are getting a really good coach to take over their program. This is a group that improved as the season progressed last season and will bring back their top four scorers and five of the top six. Drew Streb (13.4, 51.2 FG%) and John Devery (7.6, 8.1 rebounds) combined to pull down over 15 rebounds a game last season, giving Regina some size and physicality in the paint, while senior guards [player_tooltip player_id='2325496' first='Michael' last='Martin'] (12.6, 38.7 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1807351' first='Eddie' last='Petersen'] (9.5, 3.4 assists) complement each other well on the perimeter. That quartet is probably the best top four of any team in the division, and they gained a lot of valuable experience last season. This division likely comes down to the Regals and West Branch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tipton (7-15, 32.0%):</strong> Leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='2204890' first='Preston' last='Daedlow'] (12.8) returns for the Tigers, but he's the only player among the top five returning, and only two of the top eight return overall, with junior wing Zach Butler (4.4) the other returnee. Daedlow is a talented shooter who moves well without the ball in his hands, and he'll likely be asked to play with the ball more often this season after the top three ball-handling options all graduated. Look for seniors Brody Marchik (2.6) and Zach Binns (2.0) to step into bigger roles this season, but it figures to be a long winter for Tipton in a division that returns a lot of production. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Branch (12-11, 69.3%): </strong>The Bears bring back the best one-two punch in the division with the return of senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171662' first='Holden' last='Arnaman'] (21.8, 5.7 assists) and forward [player_tooltip player_id='1476994' first='Reese' last='Trepanier'] (16.7, 10.2 rebounds), a pair of experienced players who complement each other well. Arnaman is a dynamic offensive weapon who creates off the dribble as well as just about anyone in the class, and he's armed with a flamethrower of a right hand, torching teams from everywhere on the floor on a nightly basis. He posted 47-42-68 shooting splits as a junior and followed that up with a fantastic summer. In addition to his scoring, he's also a really talented passer and playmaker who puts his teammates in quality positions. Trepanier is an undersized forward, but he's tough, athletic, and physical, and he uses those traits as well as his soft hands to dominate the glass on both ends of the floor. In addition to being a great finisher around the rim, he's also capable of stepping out and stretching the floor, knocking down 39% of his 3-point attempts last season. Cole Crosthewaite (1.9), Cameron Gingerich (1.9), and Michael Montgomery (1.9) are the only other returnees with relevant experience, so there will be a lot of new faces in the rotation, but with Arnaman and Trepanier on their side, West Branch has arguably the two best players in the division, making them the favorite here. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Liberty (7-15, 71.4%): </strong>Nearly half of the Comets losses last season came by single digits, including three that came by a single possession, so this is actually a team that was pretty close to finishing above .500 for the first time since the 2013-14 season (12-10). Could this be the year West Liberty breaks through? Four of the top five, and six of the top eight, scorers return for this group, so there could be some improvement headed their way. Senior forward Jayce McHugh (15.1) led the team in scoring, rebounding, and steals last season and returns to lead the charge. He's a bouncy forward who finishes well around the rim and can do a little bit of everything defensively. Seth Axsom (9.7) and Ryker Dengler (8.3), a pair of junior guards, return in the backcourt, giving them two reliable ball-handlers, while seniors Rafael Mendoza (4.5) and Ryan Noble (3.2), as well as junior Caden Laughlin (2.8), also return to provide some depth. There's a really good chance that the Comets finish above .500, and if a few things go right, they could push for a top 2 finish in the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wilton (18-5, 40.1%): </strong>The Beavers lost an all-time great with the graduation of Caden Kirkman, who was a dominant two-way player for the last few years. They also lost their third leading scorer to graduation, with that tandem combining to average 41.4 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 7.6 assists a game last season. Those are obviously huge holes to fill, but they bring back two starters and three key rotation pieces from last year's team, so the cupboard isn't completely bare. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1376706' first='Landyn' last='Putman'] (14.9, 37.3 3P%) is a good shooter with great size on the wing. He got a lot of open looks playing alongside Kirkman, so he'll need to work a little harder to get good looks, but he's a talented scorer who should step into the primary role this season. [player_tooltip player_id='1900233' first='Casen' last='Reid'] (7.6, 3.7 assists) returns after finishing second on the team in assists, giving them a solid ball-handler and decision-maker in the backcourt, and Drew Keith (4.7) can provide some perimeter scoring. This is a team that is going to be much more perimeter-oriented this season, and they'll need some new faces to step up alongside Putman, Reid, and Keith, but there is enough talent returning to keep them in the middle of the pack within 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. West Branch<br>2. Regina<br>3. Wilton<br>4. West Liberty<br>5. Mid-Prairie<br>6. Tipton<br>7. Durant</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>With arguably the top two players in the division on their side, West Branch is the favorite here. Regina brings back a ton of production from a team that improved down the stretch and brings in a fantastic coach, while Wilton figures to take a step back but should still be a factor. If you're looking for a potential surprise team, it's West Liberty.</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='1171662' first='Holden' last='Arnaman'] (West Branch): </strong>The Minnesota State Mankato commit is a fantastic all-around offensive weapon who can dominate games as a scorer or playmaker. He should have an explosive senior year for the Bears. </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='1171662' first='Holden' last='Arnaman'] (West Branch)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476994' first='Reese' last='Trepanier'] (West Branch)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376706' first='Landyn' last='Putman'] (Wilton)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1900233' first='Casen' last='Reid'] (Wilton)<br>2025 Drew Keith (Wilton)<br>2024 Jayce McHugh (West Liberty)<br>2025 Seth Axsom (West Liberty)<br>2025 Ryker Dengler (West Liberty)<br>2024 Drew Streb (Regina)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325496' first='Michael' last='Martin'] (Regina)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1807351' first='Eddie' last='Petersen'] (Regina)<br>2024 John Devery (Regina)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951822' first='Ace' last='Peck'] (Mid-Prairie)<br>2024 Dylan Henry (Mid-Prairie)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1874767' first='Brady' last='Weber'] (Mid-Prairie)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->