2024 Winterset Shootout: 3A Team Preview

Winterset High School will be hosting 32 teams from around the state on Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15. There will be a ton of talent in three gyms, with games tipping off at 8:00 am each day, and lasting until 8:00 pm, giving us a solid 24 hours of basketball over the course of those two days. In this article, we take a brief look at the Class 3A teams that will be in attendance.   Participating teams Both days: ADM, Ankeny Centennial, Aplington-Parkersburg, Kuemper Catholic, Clear Creek Amana, Dallas Center-Grimes, Roosevelt, Des Moines Christian, Grand View Christian, Madrid, Newton, Roland-Story, Waukee, Waverly-Shell Rock, Williamsburg, Winterset Friday only: ACGC, Ames, Ballard, Knoxville, Pella, Pella Christian, Southeast Polk, Van Meter Saturday only: Carroll, Center Point-Urbana, Indianola, North Polk, Norwalk, Pleasantville, Washington, Xavier   ADM (20-4, 40.6% of scoring returning) Opponents: Roland-Story (8:00 am Friday), Grand View Christian (10:00 am Friday), Southeast Polk (12:00 pm Friday), Clear Creek Amana (9:00 am Saturday), Xavier (11:00 am Saturday), Centennial (1:00 pm Saturday)   The Tigers lost nearly 60% of their production off of a 20-win team, but expectations should still be high for Trevor Mickelson's group, with a pair of talented juniors leading the way. [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] led the team in scoring last season, putting up 15.8 a game on impressive 51-43-90 shooting splits, and fellow junior [player_tooltip player_id='1978146' first='Hudson' last='Shull'], who contributed 6.3 a night, is ready to take another step up and become a secondary scoring threat alongside Lorensen. That tandem will be among the best in 3A basketball this season, each capable of taking over games as three-level scorers. This weekend will be about getting some other faces more varsity run to try and fill in the gaps alongside the Lorensen-Shull tandem.   Ballard (16-9, 76.1%) Opponents: Newton (9:00 am Friday), Pella Christian (11:00 am Friday), Centennial (1:00 pm Friday)   Led by junior lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'], one of the top juniors in the state, the Bombers bring back four of their top five scorers from a team that lost in the substate final, so expectations should be pretty high in Huxley. Gibson averaged 17 points and 5.6 assists a game as a sophomore and the dynamic playmaking guard is only improving. The Bombers are able to surround Gibson, who thrives playing downhill and creating, with a ton of shooting in the forms of [player_tooltip player_id='2397342' first='Jackson' last='Brown'] (14.5, 43.8 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='2398123' first='Mason' last='Gatchel'] (6.0, 37.7 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='1759945' first='Miles' last='Mudd'] (5.4, 45.2 3P%), forming a dangerous quartet of offensive weapons. Look for sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'] to step into an even bigger role this year after playing well as a freshman, averaging 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds a game.   Carroll (12-11, 31.5%) Opponents: Washington (3:00 pm Saturday), Grand View Christian (5:00 pm Saturday), Center Point-Urbana (7:00 pm Saturday)   The Tigers lost their top three scorers from last year's team, but bring back a trio of players who got a lot of run last year in [player_tooltip player_id='2413644' first='Jared' last='Mohr'] (8.7), Stone Sibenaller (6.8), and [player_tooltip player_id='2413647' first='Mac' last='Collison'] (3.2), giving them a solid trio of players to build around heading into the 2024-25 season. Sibenaller is a good shooting threat, while Mohr is an active forward who contributes on the glass on both ends of the floor and finishes effectively around the rim. A lot of new faces will be stepping into bigger roles this season and this will be a good chance to learn about some of them.   Center Point-Urbana (7-15, 78.0%) Opponents: Roland-Story (3:00 pm Saturday), Pleasantville (5:00 pm Saturday), Carroll (7:00 pm Saturday)   Last year's seven wins were the fewest CPU had in a season since the 2013-14 season, when they also won seven. With eight of their top nine scorers returning, they should add several wins to that record this season. Coach Mike Halac is excited about junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1765520' first='Cooper' last='Grimm'], and for good reason. The lengthy wing can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor, averaging 11.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game last season while also providing versatility on the defensive end with his length and athleticism. He has a chance to become a really good player for the Stormin' Pointers. [player_tooltip player_id='1518926' first='Jackson' last='Brincks'] (7.3), Kinnick Covington (6.3), Carter Andrews (4.6), [player_tooltip player_id='2511473' first='Nathan' last='Miller'] (4.3), and [player_tooltip player_id='1437003' first='Ryan' last='Sivola'] (3.0) all also return with a ton of experience. This will be a good chance to see what kind of potential CPU may have heading into this season.   Clear Creek Amana (16-7, 78.7%) Opponents: Waverly-Shell Rock (2:00 pm Friday), Kuemper Catholic (4:00 pm Friday), Winterset (6:00 pm Friday), ADM (9:00 am Saturday), Newton (11:00 am Saturday), Des Moines Christian (1:00 pm Saturday)   If you're looking for a team that could potentially jump up into the top 5 in Class 3A next year, a little unexpectedly, check out the Clippers, who bring back all but one player from last year's 16-win team. That loss is a significant one - Haiden Hardy, who averaged 14.3 points and 4.7 assists a game - but this is a team that is going to have a lot of depth and versatility. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1759949' first='Andrew' last='Rotzoll'] is the headliner, averaging 16.5 points a game last season while shooting nearly 43% from behind the arc. Robert Meade is a lanky forward who finishes well around the rim, while [player_tooltip player_id='1381405' first='Brody' last='Clubb'] gives them some additional strength and athleticism in the paint. [player_tooltip player_id='1759931' first='Cale' last='Berry'] and Brock Hilsman will step into bigger ball-handling roles, and [player_tooltip player_id='2413535' first='Ethan' last='Vice'] had a solid sophomore year and can provide some additional scoring. A team that likes to get up-and-down, they shouldn't have any issues putting the ball in the bucket.   Des Moines Christian (16-5, 62.2%) Opponents: Kuemper Catholic (2:00 pm Friday), Winterset (4:00 pm Friday), Waverly-Shell Rock (6:00 pm Friday), Xavier (9:00 am Saturday), Centennial (11:00 am Saturday), Clear Creek Amana (1:00 pm Saturday)   One of the major developments of the offseason was the news that DMC would be moving up to Class 3A for the 2024-25 season following a large spike in enrollment, a nearly 21% increase, per BEDs data. The Lions bring back a trio of double-figure scorers in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2398006' first='Sean' last='Tunks'] (19.1) and [player_tooltip player_id='1759901' first='Seaton' last='Ingram'] (12.1), and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1978133' first='Max' last='Town'] (11.0), giving them a strong foundation of pieces to continue building around for this season. Tunks was a revelation last season for the Lions following his transfer from Southeast Polk, giving them a quick guard who loves to play downhill and create for his teammates by pushing the tempo, a nice fit alongside the hyper-athletic Ingram on the wing. Town is the team's best shooting threat, knocking down nearly 40% of his 3-point attempts last season, and there are some other young pieces, notably [player_tooltip player_id='2530654' first='Davis' last='Tokheim'] (sophomore) and Conner Doohen (junior), who should be stepping into bigger roles this coming season.   Grinnell (16-8, 48.8%) Opponents: Pella (3:00 pm Friday), Dallas Center-Grimes (5:00 pm Friday), Roosevelt (7:00 pm Friday)   The Tigers are a late replacement, coming in to take the place of Knoxville, who evidently suffered some injuries during summer league earlier this week. The Tigers bring back two of their top three scorers, including leader [player_tooltip player_id='2511568' first='Ryan' last='McIlrath'], who averaged more than 15 points a game last season. He's a versatile two-way player who can get to the bucket and score as well as protect the rim defensively. [player_tooltip player_id='2721799' first='Derek' last='Doty'] is the team's top playmaker in the backcourt, giving them a senior leader at lead guard, and there are several players who saw some time last season who will be stepping into bigger roles.   Newton (11-12, 30.7%) Opponents: Ballard (9:00 am Friday), Ames (11:00 am Friday), Madrid (1:00 pm Friday), Centennial (9:00 am Saturday), Clear Creek Amana (11:00 am Saturday), Xavier (1:00 pm Saturday)   Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2413557' first='Caden' last='Klein'] (9.8, 42.1 3P%) was one of the best shooters in 3A last season, finding open looks and knocking down shots off both the catch and the dribble at a high clip. He'll likely have the ball in his hands more this year following the graduations of the team's top two leaders in assists. Cade Bauer and Christian Ergenbright are the only other returnees who saw significant playing time last season, meaning a lot of minutes and shots will be available for those who impress over the summer and fall.   North Polk (11-13, 15.3%) Opponents: Waverly-Shell Rock (8:00 am Saturday), Kuemper Catholic (10:00 am Saturday), Aplington-Parkersburg (12:00 pm Saturday)   The Comets have a lot of production to replace, losing 85% of their scoring, but they do bring back three players who appeared in every game (or missed just one) last season, giving them some experience returning. Those three - Drew Owen (3.1), Jake Hout (3.0), and [player_tooltip player_id='2511544' first='Rocky' last='Bartleman'] (1.6) - will be leaned on heavily while the newcomers get acclimated.   Pella (15-10, 57.7%) Opponents: Knoxville (3:00 pm Friday), Waukee (5:00 pm Friday), Aplington-Parkersburg (7:00 pm Friday)   Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2120763' first='Jack' last='McGuire'] has had a really good start to the spring season with [program_tooltip program_id='2270834' first='Iowa' last='United'] after leading the Dutch to the 3A state tournament last season, averaging 14.4 points and 7.6 rebounds a game. An athletic, versatile wing who can impact the game as a playmaker, defender, or three-level scorer, he has continued to improve and gain confidence in his jumper, which will make him a very dangerous weapon as a junior. [player_tooltip player_id='1484417' first='Brayden' last='Traetow'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2413561' first='Austin' last='Schulte'] combined to average over 17 points a game last season and will be solid complementary options alongside McGuire for the Dutch. That trio will be one of the best in 3A, but we're looking forward to seeing some of the faces that will fill out the rest of their (normally deep) rotation.   Washington (6-15, 82.1%) Opponents: Carroll (3:00 pm Saturday), Roland-Story (5:00 pm Saturday), Pleasantville (7:00 pm Saturday)   The Demons had their first losing season in the last five years last season, but they were very young and should be improved this season. They return five of their top six scorers, led by the tandem of senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1428956' first='Logan' last='McDole'] (12.3) and junior Drew Conrad (11.8), giving them a pair of reliable perimeter scoring threats. They'll be a fairly small team, but they should be balanced, and expect to see increased production out of sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2419825' first='Nic' last='Stone'], who averaged 8 points on 38.1% 3-point shooting as a freshman.   Waverly-Shell Rock (22-4, 32.0%) Opponents: Clear Creek Amana (2:00 pm Friday), Williamsburg (4:00 pm Friday), Des Moines Christian (6:00 pm Friday), North Polk (8:00 am Saturday), Indianola (10:00 am Saturday), Winterset (12:00 pm Saturday)   The 3A runner-ups lost four starters from last year's team, but bring back leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='1759905' first='Luke' last='Frazell'], who put up 18.7 points and 7.2 rebounds a game on ridiculous 57-55-86 shooting splits. He'll shoulder an even heavier load on the offensive end this season, being relied upon to not only knock down shots, but help create offense with his vision and playmaking. Some role players - Gavin Stockdale, [player_tooltip player_id='2511478' first='Tyler' last='Gade'], Hudson Kroymann - return, but this is going to be a very different looking team outside of what Frazell can bring for the Go-Hawks. There are some talented young players in the program, and it'll be interesting to see if (or how many) of them join the varsity roster here.   Williamsburg (16-9, 26.0%) Opponents: Winterset (2:00 pm Friday), Waverly-Shell Rock (4:00 pm Friday), Kuemper Catholic (6:00 pm Friday), Dallas Center-Grimes (2:00 pm Saturday), Waukee (4:00 pm Saturday), Norwalk (6:00 pm Saturday)   Another team that has a lot of production to replace, the Raiders have the difficult task of finding a way to fill the gaping hole that Derek Weisskopf has left. Arguably the best player in program history, the Iowa linebacker was a dominant four-year starter who is going to be very difficult to replace. The good news for Williamsburg is that [player_tooltip player_id='2397303' first='Grant' last='Hocker'], who averaged 10.4 points and 2.8 assists, returns to give them an experienced wing scorer to carry the team on the offensive end.   Winterset (15-10, 11.1%) Opponents: Williamsburg (2:00 pm Friday), Des Moines Christian (4:00 pm Friday), Clear Creek Amana (6:00 pm Friday), Kuemper Catholic (8:00 am Saturday), Aplington-Parkersburg (10:00 am Saturday), Waverly-Shell Rock (12:00 pm Saturday)   The host team has a lot of production to replace, losing nearly 90% of their scoring output from last year's team. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2397315' first='Hank' last='Wilmes'] (4.8, 5.0 assists) will be the leader for this group on both ends of the floor, especially early in the year while the newcomers get acclimated to varsity minutes. Wilmes is a short guard, but he's strong, lightning-quick, and is a pest on the defensive end. [player_tooltip player_id='1580274' first='Logan' last='Porter'] is the only other returnee who attempted more than nine shots last season, getting up 24 shot attempts last season. Needless to say, there isn't much experience returning, but Josh Henry has done a great job building this program, and they're always going to play hard. We will see who the new faces are stepping into bigger roles.   Xavier (10-12, 59.5%) Opponents: Des Moines Christian (9:00 am Saturday), ADM (11:00 am Saturday), Newton (1:00 pm Saturday)   The Saints were very competitive in a majority of their MVC games last season, and while they lost Tyler Netolicky, who averaged 13 points and 11 rebounds, as well as wing Dominic D'Amico, a valued role player, they should be improved this year. A trio of juniors - [player_tooltip player_id='1978144' first='Zander' last='Murray'] (10.5), [player_tooltip player_id='1361499' first='Lorenzo' last='Pino'] (6.1), and [player_tooltip player_id='1765554' first='AJ' last='Evans'] (4.6) - combined to started 41 games last season and are a group that complements each other well. Pino is the reliable ball-handler, a quick, high IQ guard who plays downhill and can also knock down shots from deep, while Murray is a knockdown shooter off the catch with a quick release and unlimited range. Evans, a rangy 6-8 forward, runs the floor hard, protects the rim, and while still raw offensively, is an athletic big man who can provide some versatility on both ends of the floor. Role player [player_tooltip player_id='2204878' first='Kaleb' last='Wilgenbusch'] (9.1) was really good last season for the Saints and will provide some senior leadership on both ends.

Winterset High School will be hosting 32 teams from around the state on Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15. There will be a ton of talent in three gyms, with games tipping off at 8:00 am each day, and lasting until 8:00 pm, giving us a solid 24 hours of basketball over the course of those two days. In this article, we take a brief look at the Class 3A teams that will be in attendance.