State Tournament Preview: Class 1A Breakout Candidates

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413639' first='Brody' last='Pryor'] (Woodbine)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-2 off-ball guard who can create off the dribble or knock down shots off the catch, Pryor is a good athlete who can make an impact on the defensive end of the floor for the Tigers. He's averaging 8.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game as a sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 Cole Griffith (North Linn)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A high-quality role player for the Lynx who impacts the game on both ends of the floor, Griffith is averaging 7.3 points, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game and knocking down 40% of his 3-point attempts. If the Lynx are going to win the 1A title, they'll need some "unexpected" players to step up and make some big plays at some point in a big game, and Griffith is as good a bet as any to come up with a huge defensive stop or knock down a big shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 Carson Maston (Lynnville-Sully)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maston is an active 6-3 forward who pounds the glass on the offensive end hard, getting the Hawks some valuable extra possessions, which obviously come in handy in postseason games. He's averaging 5.2 points and 5.5 rebounds a game on 50% shooting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381409' first='Jake' last='Edwards'] (Winfield-Mt. Union)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edwards has had a very productive junior year as the tertiary scoring option for the Wolves, averaging 10.7 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game while knocking down 39.5% of his 3-point attempts. At 6-4, he has the size to see over the defense, and his ability to stretch the floor is huge to allow WMU's two star bigs room to operate in the paint.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2204862' first='Brandon' last='Mathern'] (Gladbrook-Reinbeck)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mathern is small, listed at 5-9, but he can really shoot it, knocking down 36 3-pointers this season at a 37.1% clip. He shoots it really well off the catch and moves without the ball. If the Rebels are going to make a run, they'll need him to knock down some big shots to help space the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721446' first='Jacob' last='Litterer'] (Marquette Catholic)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-2 combo forward who can defend multiple positions, Litterer is something of a Swiss Army knife for the Defenders, doing a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor. He's overshadowed by their four standout players, but his versatility has been a major part of their success this season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals a game on 50% shooting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2377298' first='Kyan' last='Jones'] (North Union)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A talented playmaking guard who is the "straw that stirs the drink" for the Warriors, Jones is dishing out 6.3 assists a game and averaging 2.3 steals a night, helping pace the team on both ends of the floor. His on-ball defense and playmaking will need to be great if the Warriors are going to make a run in their first state tournament appearance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1641849' first='Jackson' last='Gaul'] (Lake Mills)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-2 lead guard, Gaul is more accomplished than most of the players on this list, but he has a chance to make his name known around the state with a deep run here with the Bulldogs. Since becoming eligible following his transfer from Crestwood, he's averaging 11.7 points and 8.5 assists per game and posting a 4.70 assist-to-turnover ratio. His ability to break down a defense and find open teammates is rivaled by few in the class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->