Conference Preview: WaMaC East

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Independence (8-14, 60.1% of scoring returning):</strong> The Mustangs lost their leading scorer to transfer, but bring back the next three, including a pair of double-figure scorers in junior guard Aidan Bernard (12.2, 43.1 3P%) and senior guard Jake Beatty (10.2), giving them a solid trio of players to build around. The other key returnee is Beatty's twin brother, Josh Beatty (7.2), giving them three reliable ball-handlers who can initiate the offense or play off the ball. This group is going to lack size, but they should be quick, and expect to see them try to play a little faster this year to take advantage of that. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marion (19-6, 30.4%): </strong>The Wolves lost one of the best players in school history to graduation, and in total, the top three scorers from last year's team have moved on. That said, four players who appeared in every game last season return, giving them some experience to build around. [player_tooltip player_id='1476987' first='Myles' last='Davis'] (6.3) is an Iowa baseball commit but is a big guard who can shoot it and play solid on-ball defense, while the tandem of [player_tooltip player_id='1751227' first='Payton' last='Hodges'] (6.3) and [player_tooltip player_id='2325432' first='Jordan' last='Fischer'] (3.5) will be the team's primary playmakers. Both are quick guards who like to play downhill and attack. Trey Franck (1.9) is the other notable returnee for the Wolves. Marion has had just one season in the last 15 in which they've finished with a sub .500 record, so despite the significant graduation losses, the bottom won't fall out here, but they probably won't be competing with Solon and Mount Vernon at the top of the division, either. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Mount Vernon (15-8, 52.3%): </strong>A pair of double-figure scorers return for the Mustangs in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1171688' first='Jackson' last='Kutcher'] (16.7, 39.4 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1376688' first='Joe' last='Rhomberg'] (10.5, 7.9 rebounds), giving them a really strong inside-out tandem to build around. Kutcher has really come on strong in the last year, turning himself from a sharpshooter who operated off the ball into a reliable ball-handler and playmaker who can also burn teams off the dribble. Rhomberg is an athletic, undersized forward who controls the glass on both ends of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='1376710' first='Evan' last='Brase'] (5.2) and [player_tooltip player_id='2397355' first='Joe' last='Briesemeister'] (3.0) also return after seeing action in a majority of the Mustangs' games last season. Kutcher is one of the best players in the division, and his pairing with Rhomberg gives them arguably the best one-two punch in the division. Solon dominated both meetings with Mount Vernon last season, giving the Spartans the edge in the division this year, but the 'Stangs will be formidable. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Solon (18-6, 79.4%): </strong>The Spartans turned on the jets after the holiday break, going 14-4 behind a dominant defensive effort, allowing 51.8 points a game during that stretch. They bring back their top three scorers, and four of their top five, from last year's team and figure to be a pretty overwhelming favorite in the division this season. They're led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1376687' first='Jake' last='Benzing'] (17.7, 52.0 FG%), a dominant three-level scorer who is one of the best pure shooters in the state. He shot over 46% from the arc last season, and with his size and off-ball movement, he's able to get to his shot pretty much whenever he wants. Gehrig Turner (9.5), [player_tooltip player_id='2325525' first='Vince' last='Steinbrech'] (9.4), and [player_tooltip player_id='2325516' first='Rylen' last='Stiegelmeyer'] (7.7, 44.9 3P%) are the other key returnees for the Spartans, providing some additional scoring and good length and athleticism on the defensive end. Stiegelmeyer's shooting in particular helps take some of the pressure away from Benzing. There are three other rotation pieces coming back as well in Cole Buffington (2.5), Will Cusick (2.1), and Austin Knight (1.4), giving the Spartans come depth. This team will be really good defensively again, with lots of length, athleticism, and physicality, and they have the best player in the division in Benzing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Delaware (12-11, 32.4%): </strong>The Hawks got off to a strong 6-1 start last season and were 6-2 heading into the holiday break, but the wheels fell off a bit after the hiatus, with only two of their nine losses after the break coming by single digits. They lost the top three, and four of the top five, from that group, leaving junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1874777' first='Griffin' last='Lott'] (7.9) as the top returnee. He provided some scoring punch off the bench last season and will step into a primary role as a junior. John Beswick (5.6, 6.7 rebounds) wasn't much of a scoring threat last year, but was great on the glass and as a rim protector, and his presence in the paint will be invaluable for the Hawks this season. This is going to be a team breaking in a lot of new faces and it could be a bit of a struggle, especially early in the season.</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. Solon<br>2. Mount Vernon<br>3. Marion<br>4. Independence<br>5. West Delaware</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>With four of their top five scorers returning to a team that went 12-4 against league competition last season, Solon looks like a pretty heavy favorite in the East Division this season. Mount Vernon could be competitive if a few new faces step up alongside Kutcher and Rhomberg, and while Marion will take a step back, they'll still be loaded with talented athletes who will compete. </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='1376687' first='Jake' last='Benzing'] (Solon): </strong>Benzing is one of the best pure shooters in the state, armed with a flamethrower for a right hand. He moves really well without the ball and contributes across the board for the Spartans.</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='1376687' first='Jake' last='Benzing'] (Solon)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325525' first='Vince' last='Steinbrech'] (Solon)<br>2024 Gehrig Turner (Solon)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325516' first='Rylen' last='Stiegelmeyer'] (Solon)<br>2024 Austin Knight (Solon)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171688' first='Jackson' last='Kutcher'] (Mount Vernon)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376710' first='Evan' last='Brase'] (Mount Vernon)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2397355' first='Joe' last='Briesemeister'] (Mount Vernon)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376688' first='Joe' last='Rhomberg'] (Mount Vernon)<br>2025 Aidan Bernard (Independence)<br>2024 Jake Beatty (Independence)<br>2024 Josh Beatty (Independence)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1874777' first='Griffin' last='Lott'] (West Delaware)<br>2024 John Beswick (West Delaware)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476987' first='Myles' last='Davis'] (Marion)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751227' first='Payton' last='Hodges'] (Marion)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325432' first='Jordan' last='Fischer'] (Marion)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->