Class 4A: Top 10 Returning Steals

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381415' first='Trey' last='McKowen'] (Kennedy) -- 69</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A cat-quick guard with great hands and lateral movement, McKowen makes life hell for opposing ball-handlers with his constant on-ball pressure, routinely picking up players full court and making them work hard just to initiate the offense. He has a high IQ, positions himself well on the defensive end, and also has a penchant for jumping passing lanes to help spark his offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2511630' first='Naszir' last='Lamar'] (Des Moines North) -- 60</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Polar Bears love to play a defensive system that is built on creating chaos, and Lamar is a perfect fit for the system, a quick guard who uses his speed to fly all over the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759953' first='Keegan' last='Steege'] (Cedar Falls) -- 56</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Steege had a really productive year for the Tigers as a junior, providing them with some real value on both ends of the floor, averaging 5.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.4 steals per game. He's a guard who possesses great length and he uses his length and quickness to make life difficult for opposing ball-handlers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2398133' first='Da'corion' last='White'] (Des Moines North) -- 51</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A third North player on this list of top returnees, White is another quick, athletic guard who uses his speed to his advantage on the defensive end of the floor. In addition to his 2.3 steals a game, he also averaged 13.0 points and 5.5 rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1288891' first='Bode' last='Goodman'] (Waukee Northwest) -- 49*</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A long, athletic guard who moves his feet well and does a great job getting up into passing lanes, Goodman has a penchant for nabbing steals and turning his defense into quick, easy offense. He averaged 20.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.0 steals a game last season at Southeast Polk.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>6.) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520040' first='Kai' last='Chamberlain'] (Sioux City North) -- 44</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-2 guard with good length and athleticism, Chamberlain was not only solid on the defensive end for the Stars as a sophomore, but he also averaged 10.0 points a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>t7.) 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (Roosevelt) -- 42</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Currently the #2 ranked prospect in the state's 2027 class, King had a really productive freshman year on both ends of the floor for the Roughriders, averaging 11.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He has a great understanding of the game and knows when to gamble on jumping a passing lane or when to maintain his disciplined off-ball defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>t7.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951797' first='Trae' last='Brown'] (Ottumwa) -- 42</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A versatile defender who has the strength and leaping ability to defend against bigger players in the paint, and the lateral quickness and great hands to defend on the perimeter, Brown can do it all for the Bulldogs, using his athletic 6-4 frame to impact the game in a big way on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>t7.) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765539' first='Max' last='Roach'] (Waukee) -- 42*</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Roach is a quick guard who moves his feet well and uses his hands to pick opposing ball-handlers clean. He also has a knack for jumping passing lanes to help spark his offense. He averaged 18.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.9 steals a game last season at Oskaloosa and will take his talents to the CIML now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>10.) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759908' first='Etienne' last='Higgins'] (Council Bluffs Lincoln) -- 41</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An athletic wing who does a nice job getting up into passing lanes and using his length and athleticism, Higgins is able to use his defense to help spark his offense. He averaged 11.6 points on 41-39-66 shooting splits as a junior.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->