Conference Preview: Tri-Rivers East

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Calamus-Wheatland (7-15, 63.4% of scoring returning): </strong>Leading scorer Pedar Rohling (14.1) returns to lead the Warriors, who lost the next three scorers to graduation. Rohling also led the team in assists and steals last season and is a talented guard who can get to the bucket or knock down shots off the dribble. Three other seniors - Jackson Riedesel (6.0), Luke Rohling (5.2), and Isaac Wilhelm (4.4) - as well as sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2887794' first='Chase' last='Klatt'] (3.4) and junior James Prachar (1.9) return with relevant experience. They'll need one of them to step up and produce at a high level alongside Rohling following the three key losses to graduation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cedar Valley Christian (1-14, 74.6%): </strong>The Huskies were very young last season, with six freshmen and two sophomores on their roster, and they played a bit of an abbreviated schedule. The experience they gained last season should be beneficial, but they'll still likely struggle to compete on a nightly basis against the rest of the teams in the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Easton Valley (12-8, 39.3%):</strong> The top two scorers graduated, leaving seniors Jarrett Driscoll (6.3), Ivan Lant (5.8), and [player_tooltip player_id='2410226' first='Bryar' last='Haring'] (4.9) as the only notable returnees for the River Hawks. Lant was really good last season on the glass, averaging 8.4 rebounds a game, and he'll be asked to be more of a focal point of the offensive attack this season. Driscoll is another big body at 6-4 who will control the painted area, while Haring figures to step into a primary ball-handling and playmaking role. This is a program that doesn't have a losing season during the QuikStats/Bound era, so the bottom isn't likely to fall out here, but they won't be competing for a division crown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lisbon (10-13, 66.6%):</strong> If you're looking for a team to potentially make a jump in the East Division, look at the Lions, who bring back three of their top four scorers from last year's team. They're led by senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1476988' first='Michael' last='Gadberry'] (18.6, 3.4 assists), a skilled lead guard who can break down the defense and get to the rim as well as create for his teammates. [player_tooltip player_id='1951795' first='Grayson' last='Wollum'] (8.3) and Daylin Schaefer (7.4) are bigs who pound the glass on both ends of the floor, and Wollum is a good rim protector. A new name to watch is junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2204866' first='Devin' last='O'Brien'], a long 6-5 sharpshooter who could help space the floor for this group. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marquette Catholic (22-4, 75.2%): </strong>Last year's 22 wins were three more than Marquette had in the previous two years combined, and their most since the 2006-07 season. They bring back five of their top six scorers from that team, which lost by a single point to New London in the substate finals, so expect them to be excellent (and hungry) again this season. Junior combo forward [player_tooltip player_id='1759939' first='Spencer' last='Roeder'] (12.9) is the leading returnee, a versatile two-way player who buried 48% of his 3-point attempts last season while also serving as a versatile defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2204880' first='Kannon' last='Still'] (9.8), [player_tooltip player_id='1338777' first='Caden' last='Kettmann'] (8.0, 7.7 rebounds), Isaac Brinker (7.4), and [player_tooltip player_id='2721446' first='Jacob' last='Litterer'] (4.1) were all key pieces for Marquette last season and also return. Still figures to have the ball in his hands quite a bit as their lead guard, and he's also a reliable shooting threat. Kettmann is a versatile defender who provides a ton of value with his ability to defend one through five, protect the rim, move the ball, and pound the glass. He was really good this summer with [program_tooltip program_id='2148484' first='DCBA' last=''] and should have a big senior year. Bryce Sieverding (3.9), Eli Scott (3.3), and Aidan Clausen (3.2) also each saw significant time in the number of blowouts Marquette had last season and will provide some additional depth. This team is going to be deep, balanced, talented, and defensive-minded, and is very clearly the team to beat in the division. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Midland (9-14, 53.4%):</strong> The Eagles lost their leading scorer, and two of the top four, from last year's team, but every other player returns, so they'll have a good amount of experience back on the roster. Cale Crist (9.8) and Matt Sauer (7.7, 6.0 rebounds) are the top returnees. Crist is the team's primary playmaker, ranking second in assists last season, while Sauer led the team in rebounding, giving them some size and physicality in the paint. Ty Jensen (4.3, 5.4 rebounds) gives them some more rebounding. This is a team that didn't shoot it very well from the arc last season (28.4 3P%), and that number will need to improve a bit if they want to make a jump, but they have some experience and could push for a .500 record. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Cedar (3-19, 73.0%): </strong>The top three scorers return for the Knights in the senior trio of [player_tooltip player_id='2377311' first='Johny' last='Amina'] (11.0, 8.4 rebounds), Jaydon Nabb (11.0), and Hunter Lohman (6.9), giving them an experienced threesome to build around. Amina led the team in rebounding and is also a solid rim protector, while Nabb is the primary ball-handler and playmaker who led the team in assists and steals. The rest of the rotation pieces from last year have graduated, so there will be a lot of new faces filling in the gaps alongside that trio, but they should win a few more games this season with the experience that those three have. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prince of Peace (17-7, 58.9%):</strong> The Irish were better than expected last season, winning 17 games, including a regular-season split with Marquette Catholic. They bring back their top two scorers from that team in junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1759934' first='Hakeal' last='Powell'] (17.5) and senior Jhikeith McGraw (12.2), giving them a pair of dynamic scorers in the backcourt. Powell is a slasher who loves to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, and he's one of the best players in the division. Junior forward Logan Detterman (4.3, 5.3 rebounds) provides the Irish with some size and rebounding in the paint. They'll need to find some consistent shooting to go alongside their slashers in the backcourt, and this is probably the second best team in the division and will be a dangerous team in the postseason. </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. Marquette Catholic<br>2. Prince of Peace<br>3. Lisbon<br>4. Easton Valley<br>5. Midland<br>6. Calamus-Wheatland<br>7. North Cedar<br>8. Cedar Valley Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Marquette took two out of three meetings against PoP last season and brings back a large majority of their roster, making them a pretty clear favorite in the division. Lisbon should be improved and could push Prince of Peace for second. </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>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759939' first='Spencer' last='Roeder'] (Marquette Catholic):</strong> A versatile stretch-4 who can really shoot it as well as protect the rim defensively, Roeder is an extremely important piece for Marquette, the best team in 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>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759939' first='Spencer' last='Roeder'] (Marquette Catholic)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1338777' first='Caden' last='Kettmann'] (Marquette Catholic)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2204880' first='Kannon' last='Still'] (Marquette Catholic)<br>2024 Isaac Brinker (Marquette Catholic)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721446' first='Jacob' last='Litterer'] (Marquette Catholic)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476988' first='Michael' last='Gadberry'] (Lisbon)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951795' first='Grayson' last='Wollum'] (Lisbon)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2204866' first='Devin' last='O'Brien'] (Lisbon)<br>2025 Daylin Schaefer (Lisbon)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759934' first='Hakeal' last='Powell'] (Prince of Peace)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2204875' first='Jhikeith' last='Mcgraw'] (Prince of Peace)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2377311' first='Johny' last='Amina'] (North Cedar)<br>2024 Jaydon Nabb (North Cedar)<br>2024 Hunter Lohman (North Cedar)<br>2024 Pedar Rohling (Calamus-Wheatland)<br>2024 Luke Rohling (Calamus-Wheatland)<br>2024 Cale Crist (Midland)<br>2024 Matt Sauer (Midland)<br>2025 Caleb Krueger (Cedar Valley Christian)<br>2024 Jarrett Driscoll (Easton Valley)<br>2024 Ivan Lant (Easton Valley)<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->