State Tournament: Monday's Top Performers

2027 SF [player_tooltip player_id='1977076' first='Landon' last='Blum'] (Woodbine)   Blum is a really intriguing long-term prospect, and he had a coming out party on Monday morning against North Linn. A 6-5 wing with length and athleticism to burn, he showed great confidence in his shot, especially off the catch, knocking down 7-11 from 3 en route to 23 points. He can create off the dribble, using his long strides to cover a ton of ground in a hurry, and he impacts the game defensively with his length and athleticism. We knew that the athleticism was for real coming into the week, he was an All-State receiver as a freshman, after all, but the basketball skills are further along than expected already as well. As he continues to add some strength to his frame, which he frame will certainly allow for, he could become a big prospect tucked down in the tiny town of Woodbine.   2025 PG [player_tooltip player_id='1484418' first='Mason' last='Bechen'] (North Linn)   Bechen was the best all-around player on the floor in North Linn's win over Woodbine. The tough, physical, quick 6-2 lead guard is in complete control of the game on both ends of the floor and makes an impact on the game on nearly every possession. His ability to take defenders off the dribble and glide to the rim for finishes makes the Lynx offense go, and his court vision after he gets the defense to collapse is matched by few in the class. He uses his combination of speed, ball-handling, and physicality to his advantage, bullying his way to the bucket and finishing through contact. He's also a confident shooter off both the dribble and the catch, with a quick release and plenty of range. He had 25 points on 8-18 shooting (3-6 3P, 6-7 FT) to go with 9 rebounds and 5 assists.   2024 PF [player_tooltip player_id='1171697' first='Cam' last='Buffington'] (Winfield-Mt. Union)   The future Iowa football player was a star against Lynnville-Sully in the Wolves' quarterfinal win, scoring 21 points and showcasing range that has really improved over the last year. He showed confidence in his stroke out to the arc as well as improved ball-handling and shot creation off the dribble. In addition to his scoring, Buffington pulled down 9 rebounds in the win. He battled a little bit of foul trouble throughout but still made a huge impact on the game on both ends of the floor. When he was on the bench, Lynnville-Sully was able to attack and get to the rim off the dribble, but when he was in the game, offense was much more difficult to come by for the Hawks. A strong, physical, and hyper-athletic 6-4 forward who uses his physicality to his advantage, he was a force on the floor on both ends, helping the Wolves advance to the semifinals for the first time since 1996.   2024 PG Logan Bacon (Lake Mills)   A future Iowa State football player, Bacon was really good for the Bulldogs in their win over the Warriors. A tough, strong 6-2 guard, he came into their quarterfinal game averaging just 3.5 points and was only 1-8 from the 3-point line on the year. In knocking down a pair of corner 3s in the first half, you would have never guessed that he had only attempted eight 3s on the season. He looked confident in his stroke and he gets good rotation on his jumper. He uses the threat of the shot, and his quick first step and strength, to open up the rest of his game, attacking the rim and getting to the rim for finishes. A solid on-ball defender who moves his feet well and has the length to contest shots on the perimeter, Bacon finished with 13 points on 4-6 shooting (2-3 3P) along with 7 rebounds to help the Bulldogs advance to the semifinals.   2025 PF [player_tooltip player_id='1288890' first='Aiden' last='Stensrud'] (Lake Mills)   A 6-5 lefty with great hands, soft touch, and some increased ability to create off the dribble from the high post area, Stensrud had a big game on the glass for the Bulldogs, helping set the tone. He pulled down 15 rebounds, five on the offensive end, to go with 11 points, a block, and 2 steals. He has good footwork and touch around the rim and he was a major reason why Lake Mills dominated the glass throughout their win over North Union, winning the glass battle 43-23.   2024 SF [player_tooltip player_id='1751213' first='Lance' last='Helming'] (Lake Mills)   Helming battled some first half foul trouble but was the difference-maker on the offensive end when he was on the floor for the Bulldogs. A 6-5 forward who can score inside and out, he finished with a game-high 15 points on 5-7 shooting (1-2 3P, 4-8 FT) to go with 8 rebounds and 2 assists. With his combination of size, physicality, and the ability to play with some finesse, he's a tough matchup.   2024 SF [player_tooltip player_id='2377373' first='Aiden' last='Lofstrom'] (North Union)   The 6-3 wing had a strong game in his high school finale, scoring a team-high 13 points on 6-8 shooting (1-2 3P) to go with 5 rebounds and an assist. A long wing who can score from all three levels, he showed confidence in his ball-handling and shot creating, as well as a quick release off the catch.   2025 SF [player_tooltip player_id='1436462' first='Kaden' last='Van Regenmorter'] (Western Christian)   Regina didn't have an answer for the 6-3 power wing, who was able to get to the rim pretty much whenever he wanted against the Regals. A well-built junior, he's able to absorb contact and finish through it at the rim, and he doesn't get moved off his spot easily. He operates well out of the high post area, where he's a threat to create off the dribble, knock down a 15-footer, or find a cutting teammate. He's a high IQ wing who does everything well, and he was in complete control on both ends of the floor in the Wolfpack's comfortable win.   2025 SG [player_tooltip player_id='1484412' first='Karsten' last='Moret'] (Western Christian)   A talented, quick 6-3 guard, Moret had 18 points on 7-15 shooting (2-3 3P, 2-2 FT) to go with 6 rebounds in the Wolfpack's win over Regina. He's a good shooter off the catch who moves well without the ball in his hands, and he looks to push the pace whenever he can, getting out and running the floor hard in transition. He's a good playmaker off the dribble, getting to the rim and keeping the ball moving on the offensive end. He uses his length and athleticism well on the defensive end.   2026 PG [player_tooltip player_id='1978103' first='Alec' last='Lovely'] (Treynor)   A skilled 5-11 guard who doesn't shy away from the big moments, Lovely was great in the Cardinals win over West Burlington, scoring 22 points on an efficient 9-13 shooting (2-4 3P, 2-2 FT), along with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a block, and a steal. He's a high IQ guard who understands spacing and where he needs to be on the floor, is a good playmaker off the dribble, and has a pure release on his jumper from anywhere on the floor, both off the dribble and the catch. He does a great job moving his feet on the defensive end and contesting shots on the perimeter. He had a coming out party on Monday night.   2024 SG [player_tooltip player_id='1376717' first='Jace' last='Tams'] (Treynor)   The Cardinals leading scorer on the season, Tams put up 18 points on 6-16 shooting (2-9 3P, 4-4 FT) to go with 9 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in their win over West Burlington. He's a streaky shooter, but when he gets it going, you can see the confidence growing within him on every shot. He knocked down a few big 3s and used the threat of his shot to open up his dribble penetration. On a Cardinals team that lacks much size, he also did a great job competing on the glass, leading the team with 9 rebounds.   2025 SG [player_tooltip player_id='1381425' first='Mason' last='Watkins'] (West Burlington)   Watkins battled foul trouble, and wasn't terribly efficient in the Falcons loss, but he showed in some stretches why he's one of the best junior guards in the state. He can create shots off the dribble at a high level for himself, and he has great court vision and passing instincts, getting his teammates involved. He can score from all three levels and he uses his quickness to his advantage on both ends of the floor. He had 22 points on 5-16 shooting (2-7 3P, 10-14 FT) to go with 4 assists and 2 steals.

2027 SF Landon Blum Landon Blum 6'5" | SG Woodbine | 2027 State IA (Woodbine)