Way Too Early Top 10: Class 4A

With July’s evaluation period now behind us and plenty of time to kill between now and late November, it’s time to take a look at who we believe will be some of the teams to keep an eye on in each classification this winter.

How well do these rankings predict what may happen over the course of the coming season? Well, of the 32 state tournament qualifying teams last year, we had 17 ranked in the top 10 in their respective classes, and another 10 written about in the “Others to Watch” sections. Teams that won state titles were ranked 1st (North Linn), 2nd (Western Christian), 3rd (Assumption), and 1st (Valley), and of the eight teams that participated in championship games, none were ranked lower than 6th (Marquette Catholic, Hudson) to start the year. We were most successful in Class 3A, with all eight teams written about to start the year (2, 3, 4, 7, and four in the “Others to Watch”) reaching the state tournament. Further, over the last seven years, teams ranked #1 to open the year have reached the state semifinals at a 68% clip, and played for a state championship at a 57% rate. So, while this isn’t the definitive list of how teams are going to perform this year, it’s certainly a good thing to find yourselves near the top of these initial rankings.

Below you’ll find our top 10 for Class 4A, along with some other teams that could make some noise, as well as a brief summary of why each team is in their respective spot. Enjoy.

1.) Valley (Defending champion, 21-5 last year, 65.0% of scoring returning)

The two-time defending champions had a very interesting offseason which has left the roster with a few more holes than expected, but the top-end talent returning is still enough for the Tigers to be considered the favorite to three-peat heading into this season. This is a team that was slated to return their top seven scorers to a team that had rolled through back-to-back state tournaments. Then they lost Kyle Cason Kyle Cason 6'0" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2025 State IA to transfer, heading to Dallas Center-Grimes. Cason was the glue guy for the Tigers, a solid guard who did a little bit of everything, but that departure wasn’t nearly as impactful as the next one. A few weeks ago, star guard Curtis Stinson Jr, who averaged 19.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists a game as a junior, announced that he would play his senior year at Western Reserve Academy, a prep school in Ohio. The top-ranked player, at the time, in Iowa’s 2025 class, that is obviously a significant blow. That said, Valley is still slated to return a ton of talent and athleticism to this team, headlined by superstar guard Xzavion Robinson Xzavion Robinson 6'1" | PG Valley | 2025 State #342 Nation IA (14.7). Robinson, an Iowa State football commit as a wide receiver, is perhaps the best athlete in the state. A 5-11 guard who can throw dunks down with authority, he’ll be the focal point for the Tigers as a senior after sharing some of the spotlight with Stinson for the last three years. He’s a dynamic player who impacts the game on both ends of the floor in a massive way, and he could position himself as one of the favorites for Mr. Basketball this season. Northern Iowa commit Trevin Jirak Trevin Jirak 6'9" | C Valley | 2025 State #349 Nation IA (10.6, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.7 assists) returns in the paint to anchor the team defensively. He was outstanding at the state tournament in March, using his 6-9/6-10 frame, elite court vision and passing for a big man, and phenomenal footwork to control the game on the offensive end, and his impeccable timing and size to dominate as a rim protector. Kiki Deng Kiki Deng 6'4" | SG Valley | 2025 State IA (11.0) enters his fourth year as a varsity player, his third year starting, and provides a ton of length, athleticism, and three-level scoring on the wing. Junior Jayden McGregory Jayden McGregory 6'1" | PG Valley | 2026 State IA (9.9) is one of the best athletes in the 2026 class, a standout football player with great athletic ability and a strong frame that he uses to control the game on both ends. Marcus McGregor Marcus McGregor 6'4" | PF Valley | 2025 State IA provides some more size in the paint and a little bit of depth behind Jirak, and the Tigers have gained the services of Roosevelt transfer Jayden Davison Jayden Davison 5'9" | PG Valley | 2025 State IA , who headed to Valley for football purposes, but gives them another quick, athletic guard in the backcourt. If Stinson and Cason were still here, complacency would’ve been the only thing preventing Valley from a three-peat. With them gone, it opens up the field a little bit, but this is still without a doubt the team to beat, and it will take a Herculean effort to knock them off once the lights get bright and the stars come out to play.

2.) Waukee Northwest (15-9 last year, 23.8% of scoring returning)

If you see the returning scoring, and you’re armed with the knowledge that the Wolves lost six of their top eight scorers to graduation or transfer, you may question why Northwest is starting the season ranked this highly. But then you dig a little deeper into the great young talent in the program, along with an influx of talent via transfer or move-in, and you start to understand why expectations are so high in Waukee this winter. We’ll start with the returnees. Junior forward Landon Davis Landon Davis 6'8" | PF Waukee Northwest | 2026 State IA (6.5, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 blocks) may not have put up eye-popping stats last season (outside of the block numbers), but his impact on the game was tremendous on both ends of the floor. At 6-8/6-9, he has great size, soft hands, and impeccable timing as a shot blocker. He could be the best interior defender in the state, and he’s only getting better on the offensive end. Look for him to have a breakout junior season. Sophomore guard Mack Heitland Mack Heitland 6'1" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2027 State IA (5.6, 40.6 3P%) was really productive as a freshman, shooting it at a high clip from behind the arc off the catch while also showing some secondary playmaking ability. And perhaps the most notable returnee, although he didn’t do a lot last year, is junior wing Colin Rice Colin Rice 6'8" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2026 State IA (2.5, 2.7 rebounds), who had one of the best summers of any player in the state. A matchup nightmare with his long 6-8 frame and ability to shoot it from well beyond the high school line, Rice could emerge as one of the state’s elite players this season. He picked up offers from Northern Iowa, Drake, and North Dakota State following his summer performance. Then we get to the big transfer news, arguably the biggest transfer of the offseason. Senior guard Bode Goodman Bode Goodman 6'2" | PG/SG Waukee Northwest | 2025 State IA averaged over 20 points a game last season at Southeast Polk and has moved to Waukee for his season year. One of the best pure scorers in the state, he can fill it up from all three levels, but is also an adept playmaker for his teammates as well as a solid on-ball defender. He has already shown that he can score in bunches in the CIML, and he’ll have more talent around him this season. And finally, the move-ins. The Wolves benefitted tremendously by the new hires at both Drake and the newly established United Prep in Des Moines, gaining the services of talented guards Peyton McCollum Peyton McCollum 6'1" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2025 State IA , Tate McCollum Tate McCollum 5'8" | PG Solon | 2027 State IA , and Isaiah Oliver. Peyton McCollum Peyton McCollum 6'1" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2025 State IA scored over 1,000 varsity points in Missouri and is a skilled guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands. He’ll provide some senior leadership alongside Goodman in the backcourt, as well as the ability to knock down shots in bunches. His younger brother Tate may see some action this season, but figures to be an important piece for the next few years. Isaiah Oliver, the son of former Iowa standout point guard Dean Oliver, comes to the program from Wisconsin after Dean was named the head coach at United Prep. Oliver was one of the top guards in Wisconsin’s 2026 class, and like McCollum, he’s a high IQ guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands, providing playmaking, shot making, and solid defense. Of course we need to see how all the new pieces fit together, but this is a team that is loaded with talent, playmaking, size, length, and Brett Watson is one of the best, most creative offensive coaches in the state. He should have a ton of fun putting together an offensive system with all this guard talent.

3.) Linn-Mar (16-7 last year, 67.6% of scoring returning)

Future South Dakota State forward Davis Kern Davis Kern 6'8" | PF Linn-Mar | 2025 State #244 Nation IA (22.7, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks) is one of the best players in the state, and he’s the primary reason that the Lions need to be considered a serious contender in a 4A field that has opened up quite a bit in the last few weeks. Kern, a 6-8/6-9 forward who can score inside and out with ease, posted 57-45-80 shooting splits last season and is a truly dominant offensive player who can get his shot off whenever he wants against bigger or smaller defenders. He’ll be joined by classmates Payson Nietert Payson Nietert 6'7" | SF Linn-Mar | 2025 State IA (10.1, 37.3 3P%) and Mason Matson Mason Matson 6'1" | PG Linn Mar | 2025 State IA (9.3, 3.3 assists), a pair of players who have grown up playing with Kern and they have great chemistry. Nietert is a sharpshooting 6-6 wing who shook off a really slow start to last season to put up respectable 3-point shooting numbers, and Matson is a lightning-quick guard who thrives playing downhill and using his speed, handles, and athleticism to put pressure on the rim. The backcourt got a boost with the addition of City High transfer Trey Wright Trey Wright 5'11" | PG Linn-Mar | 2025 State IA , who averaged 10.2 points and 3.0 assists for the Little Hawks as a junior. He’s another athletic, quick guard who likes to use his speed to play downhill, and in addition to his work on the offensive end, he’s also a solid on-ball defender who should make the Lions better on the perimeter. This is a group that didn’t go very deep last season, but they should get some production out of a pair of juniors – Tyler Hilton Tyler Hilton 6'6" | SF Linn-Mar | 2026 State IA and Max Robertson – this season, which will help a bit in that regard. They still probably won’t be as deep as a team like Cedar Falls or Waukee Northwest will be, but their starting five will be among the best in the class, and with Kern leading the charge, Linn-Mar will be formidable.

4.) Cedar Falls (State qualifier, 20-4 last year, 54.9% of scoring returning)

The top two scorers return for the Tigers, and there is a lot of young talent in the program as well, so it’s easy to see why Cedar Falls should once again be considered a top-5 level team in the class. Few teams in the state were playing as well as Cedar Falls after the holiday break last season, and then they went cold at the wrong time against Bettendorf, falling in the state quarterfinals after being a pretty popular pick to make some noise in Des Moines. They’ll be led by the dynamic inside-out tandem of junior William Gerdes William Gerdes 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA (11.7, 70.3 FG%) and senior guard Anthony Galvin Anthony Galvin 6'0" | PG Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (11.4). Gerdes holds a few high-major Division I offers and at 6-8, he has the ability to score inside and out, create off the dribble, and protect the paint defensively. He was remarkably efficient last season, knowing how to get to his spots, and he should be a dominant force on both ends as a junior. Galvin shot 35% from behind the arc as a junior, a number that isn’t even close to how great he can be from distance. He had a really good spring and summer with Murray Elite and will be one of the best players in the MVC as a senior. A pair of senior guards – Keegan Steege Keegan Steege 6'0" | SG Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (5.6, 2.4 steals) and Jordan Townsend Jordan Townsend 5'11" | PG Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (4.7, 43.9 3P%) – also return alongside Galvin in the backcourt. Steege is a defensive stopper, a long and quick guard who creates chaos on that end of the floor, while Townsend is a high-level shooting threat from deep. Replacing the athleticism and defensive versatility of Cade Courbat will be tough, as will replacing the toughness of Jake Peters, Logan Wroe, and Aiden Heth, but some of the young talent in the program is really exciting. Junior guard Jaydon Kimbrough Jaydon Kimbrough 6'4" | PG Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA (3.8) is a big, physical guard who can play some bully ball, and he should allow Galvin to operate without the ball in his hands at times. Junior wing Leyton Wolf Leyton Wolf 6'7" | SG Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA (3.0) may be one of the highest upside players in the state’s 2026 class, a big wing who can shoot it from deep and defend multiple positions. There will never be a lack of talent in the Cedar Falls program, and the Tigers should once again be considered a team that can make a real run.

5.) Iowa City West (19-4 last year, 50.8% of scoring returning)

The Trojans haven’t qualified for the state tournament since 2020, a streak that at one point seemed unfathomable. They dropped a heartbreaker in the substate final against Bettendorf last season and will be looking to advance at least one game further this winter. They lost three starters, as well as the top bench player, from last year’s team, but they should still be a formidable team led by Butler commit Jack McCaffery Jack McCaffery 6'8" | SF Iowa City West | 2025 State #70 Nation IA (16.2, 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks). The youngest McCaffery son is a do-it-all combo forward who can score inside and out, control the paint defensively, and he’s a really good passer who sees the floor well and gets his teammates involved at a high level. He will need to be the best player on the floor on a nightly basis after at times drifting into the background last season, but if he does so, watch out because he could put up some ridiculous numbers. Juniors Julian Manson Julian Manson 6'3" | SF Iowa City West | 2026 State IA (8.8) and Mason Goering Mason Goering 6'5" | SF Iowa City West | 2026 State IA (4.7) are the other notable returnees for the Trojans. Manson is an athletic 4-man who can also play a bit of a point-forward role with his ball-handling and court vision, while Goering is an athletic, physical forward who can do a little bit of everything and will help provide some toughness. There will be a number of new faces taking the floor alongside that trio, but with Steve Bergman on the sidelines and Jack McCaffery Jack McCaffery 6'8" | SF Iowa City West | 2025 State #70 Nation IA headlining the roster, West should win plenty of games again and will have a chance to get back to Des Moines.

6.) Kennedy (Runner-up, 25-1 last year, 30.1% of scoring returning)

The Cougars have a ton of talent to replace after losing 70% of their scoring from last year’s team that was undefeated until Championship Friday night. However, Jon McKowen has built Kennedy into one of the best programs in the state, so don’t expect too much of a drop-off from the Cougars here. His son, Trey McKowen Trey McKowen 5'11" | PG Kennedy | 2025 State IA (13.3, 4.2 assists, 2.7 steals, 51.4 FG%), will be the headliner of the group. He’s a tough, quick guard who impacts the game in a major way on both ends of the floor with his talent and IQ. He’ll play his college ball for his uncle, Brooks, up at Upper Iowa. McKowen is going to be asked to do a ton, especially early in the year while the new faces get acclimated to bigger roles as Kennedy lost the next seven scorers from last year’s roster. Reuben Schlaak Reuben Schlaak 5'10" | PG Kennedy | 2025 State IA (4.2, 40.9 3P%) is a talented shooter who can play with or without the ball in his hands, and you can expect to see him and McKowen splitting some of the ball-handling duties. Sophomore wing Jaxson Bean Jaxson Bean 6'1" | PG/CG Kennedy | 2027 State IA (4.0) is a physical wing who uses his strength to his advantage, bullying smaller defenders on the block. Landon Deiters Landon Deiters 6'8" | PF Kennedy | 2025 State IA (3.1) is a big, physical forward who isn’t afraid to throw his weight around in the paint, and Pierce McCrary Pierce McCrary 6'2" | SF Kennedy | 2025 State IA , Carter Cook Carter Cook 5'11" | SG Kennedy | 2027 State IA , and Justin Powell Justin Powell 6'2" | SF Kennedy | 2026 State IA could all be impact rotation players. There will be a ton of new faces taking the floor for Kennedy, but McKowen is among the best coaches in the state, and he does a great job at getting kids to buy into their roles. We will know the names soon enough, and Kennedy will be a factor in the MVC and in 4A at large.

7.) Ames (17-7 last year, 78.7% of scoring returning)

Ames has been one of the most consistent programs in the state for decades now, always a contender, always great defensively, always disciplined. They were once again fantastic on the defensive end last season, giving up just 42 points a game, best in the class. And with all but one player from last year’s rotation returning, they should be stellar again. That one loss is a significant one, leading scorer Jack Wynter, but with all the experience coming back they’ll be just fine on that end. Senior guards Jamison Poe Jamison Poe 5'8" | PG Ames | 2025 State IA (11.5, 3.6 assists), Abe Vos Abe Vos 6'2" | SG Ames | 2025 State IA (8.8, 37.5 3P%), and Isaiah Knight Isaiah Knight 6'3" | SF Ames | 2025 State IA (7.5, 40.0 3P%), and junior WIll Thomas (6.6, 40.6 3P%), will make up what will almost certainly at times be a four-guard lineup. Poe is small, but he’s strong, tough, and skilled as a playmaker, and they’re able to flank him with a lot of shooting. Marach Dau Marach Dau 6'9" | C/PF Ames | 2026 State IA (4.7, 2.5 blocks) is raw but big, athletic, and a fantastic rim protector who allows the perimeter defenders to play even more aggressively. The X-factor for this group, and the player who could determine just how far this team goes, could be senior wing Manny Lueth Manny Lueth 6'3" | SF Ames | 2025 State IA (3.2). He had a really good spring and summer and is a long wing who can get to his spots in the mid-range and knock down shots in bunches. If he’s able to carry that momentum into the winter and emerge as a go-to wing scorer, this team has a chance to be pretty special.

8.) Senior (State qualifier, 21-3 last year, 61.7% of scoring returning)

The Rams were one of the best defensive teams in the class last year, ranking third in scoring defense at just 46.1 points per game. They lost a pair of starters from that group, including leading scorer Jacob Williams, but they should be really good on that end of the floor again. They’ll be led by junior forward Tevin Schultz Tevin Schultz 6'7" | PF/SF Dubuque Senior | 2026 State IA (14.5, 60.3 FG%), an athletic and skilled 6-7 forward who can score inside and out. He’ll be the focal point of the offensive game plan this season. The backcourt will be held down by his classmates, Drake Medinger Drake Medinger 6'2" | SG Senior | 2026 State IA (5.1) and Cooper Porter Cooper Porter 5'11" | PG Senior | 2026 State IA (6.8, 50.0 3P%). Medinger mostly came off the bench last season to provide some three-level scoring and playmaking, while Porter is one of the state’s elite shooters and is a reliable ball-handler who gets his teammates involved. Those three will be relied upon to be the primary scoring options for Wendell Eimers’ team. Senior forward Jalen Johnson Jalen Johnson 6'2" | SF Senior | 2025 State IA , wing Josh Brauer Josh Brauer 6'4" | SF Dubuque Senior | 2025 State IA , and sophomore wing Wesley Rainer should also be big members of the rotation, giving them length and athleticism. This is a team that is always going to be tough, athletic, and disciplined on both ends of the floor. If they can become a bit more consistent on the offensive end, they’ll be dangerous.

9.) Sioux City East (21-3, 54.5% of scoring returning)

Ras Vanderloo has built the preeminent program in large school basketball in western Iowa, and there is no reason to expect the Black Raiders to fall off at all this year. They lost last year’s leading scorer but bring back the next three in juniors Bilal Yusuf Bilal Yusuf 6'2" | SG Sioux City East | 2026 State IA (11.3, 51.4 FG%) and Naef Yusuf Naef Yusuf 6'2" | SG Sioux City East | 2026 State IA (7.8) and senior Manasse Kasongo Malu Manasse Kasongo Malu 6'7" | PF Sioux City East | 2025 State IA (10.5, 8.6 rebounds), giving them a really solid trio to build this year’s roster around. The Yusuf twins are a pair of long, hyper athletic wings who can defend multiple spots on the perimeter, attack the bucket both in transition and in the halfcourt, and Bilal knocked down 38.2% of his 3s last season, the team’s best shooting threat. Kasongo Malu is another great athlete in the post, holding Division I football offers and smaller school basketball opportunities. He has great size and length, can protect the rim and finishes above it with authority. Jang Ruei Jang Ruei 6'6" | PF Sioux City East | 2025 State IA (5.8, 64.0 FG%) gives them another long, athletic wing who provides versatility defensively, and junior guard Chris Loggins Chris Loggins 6'3" | SF Sioux City East | 2026 State IA (5.2) is another quality shooting option who can provide some secondary playmaking off the dribble. Look for the younger Yusuf brother, sophomore Fami Yusuf Fami Yusuf 6'3" | SG Sioux City East | 2027 State IA , to step into the rotation this year as well. In a similar vein to his older brothers, he’s an explosive athlete who can do a bit of everything on both ends. This is once again going to be the team to beat in the MRAC, but they’ll be judged ultimately by how they perform against a CIML team in postseason play. The talent is certainly there for this group to make a serious run.

10.) Johnston (State qualifier, 14-10 last year, 48.9% of scoring returning)

The Dragons lost two of their top three scorers from last year’s somewhat surprising state qualifying team, but they bring back a pretty good amount of talent, have a pair of transfers coming in who will help with depth, and have a quartet of sophomores who may be ready to come in and contribute in a major way. We’ll start with the key returnees, led by senior wing Jalen Richardson Jalen Richardson 6'4" | SF Johnston | 2025 State IA (10.4, 6.0 rebounds, 43.2 3P%), junior guard Tino Daye Jr Tino Daye Jr 6'0" | PG Johnston | 2026 State IA (7.2, 2.1 assists), and senior guard Prestige Taylor Prestige Taylor 5'11" | PG Johnston | 2025 State IA (5.7, 2.0 assists). Richardson is one of my favorite two-way players in the state. He’s a Swiss Army knife who can control the game on either end of the floor with his combination of size, length, and athleticism. Daye and Taylor are a pair of quality lead guards who can control the tempo, attack off the dribble, and create plays for their teammates. The incoming transfers are Nitish Sankaranthi Nitish Sankaranthi 6'7" | SF Johnston | 2025 State IA from Waukee Northwest and Desmon Campbell Desmon Campbell 6'0" | PG Des Moines Lincoln | 2025 State IA from Roosevelt. Campbell is similar to Daye and Taylor, a downhill, attacking guard, while Sankaranthi is a long, lanky wing who can defend a few different spots on the floor. And then perhaps the most exciting aspect of the roster will be the four sophomores who could step in and contribute – Jaden Houser Jaden Houser 6'2" | SF Johnston | 2027 State IA , Darren Grandon Darren Grandon 6'4" | SF Johnston | 2027 State IA , Emri Jones Emri Jones 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2027 State IA , and Joshua Jenkins Joshua Jenkins 6'4" | SF Johnston | 2027 State IA . Houser and Grandon are a pair of long, really athletic wings who play solid defense and can do a bit of everything on the offense end. Jones is a quality playmaker off the dribble, and Jenkins is a long, raw, but skilled wing who can knock down shots off the catch well. Courtney Henderson is one of the best defensive coaches in the state and he’ll have a ton of length, speed, and athleticism to throw at opposing teams with this roster.

Ten more to watch

Ankeny (State semifinalist, 18-7 last year, 27.0% of scoring returning)

The Hawks have a ton of production to replace off of a state semifinal appearance, losing Carson Johnson and Lio Aguirre, among several others, from the rotation. Johnson and Aguirre combined to average 35.1 points and 6.6 assists per game and will obviously be very difficult to replace. That said, in junior guard Rio Aguirre Rio Aguirre 6'1" | PG Ankeny | 2026 State IA (13.3, 3.1 assists, 42.2 3P%), the Hawks have one of the best players in the CIML. A silky smooth guard with unlimited range, a clean release off both the dribble and the catch, and the ability to create plays for his teammates off the dribble, Aguirre is a fantastic offensive player who can control the game on that end of the floor. Luke Anderson Luke Anderson 6'1" | SG Ankeny | 2025 State IA (3.8, 43.3 3P%) is a knockdown shooter off the catch who moves well without the ball in his hands, and sophomore guard Jasani Campbell Jasani Campbell 6'2" | SF Ankeny | 2027 State IA is one of the more talented 2027 players in the state. His ability to create plays off the dribble should be on display this winter. Like all the other Des Moines suburban schools, Ankeny will not be lacking talent on the roster. Experience, yes, but talent won’t be an issue.

Bettendorf (State semifinalist, 18-7 last year, 44.5% of scoring returning)

New head coach Alvin Vesey has some big shoes to fill after Curtis Clark stepped away, but he has been an assistant at Bettendorf for the last 12 years and has a ton of familiarity with the roster that he is inheriting. The Bulldogs need to replace one of the best players in program history in Caden Wilkins, and lose three of their top four scorers from a semifinalist, but this is another school that will always have talent on the roster. The senior quartet of Ben Kerkhoff Ben Kerkhoff 6'5" | SF Bettendorf | 2025 State IA (10.0, 43.8 3P%), Cole Odefey Cole Odefey 6'5" | SF Bettendorf | 2025 State IA (6.6, 4.8 rebounds), Amari Washington Amari Washington 6'4" | SF Bettendorf | 2025 State IA (4.8), and Jackson Laver Jackson Laver 6'2" | SF Bettendorf | 2025 State IA (3.4) all saw a lot of time last season and will give the ‘Dogs a solid quartet of players to build around heading into this season. Kerkhoff is one of the best shooters in the state, a long and lanky wing with a silky smooth stroke from distance. Odefey is a plus-athlete on the wing who uses his strength and athleticism to attack the bucket and play strong perimeter defense, while Washington is a big body in the paint who can do a little bit of everything on the offensive end. Laver is another lanky wing who uses his length well on the defensive end, and he can step out and stretch the floor with a pure stroke.

Centennial (17-7 last year, 10.9% of scoring returning)

The Jaguars lost their top five scorers, and seven of their top eight, from last year’s 17-win team, but it’s a testament to how much talent is still in the program that they should still be considered a contender in the CIML. Senior forward Will Smith Will Smith 6'3" | SF Centennial | 2025 State IA (4.4) is the top returning scorer, and while he will still be a big part of the rotation, it’s sophomore wing Evan Abbott who should be the headliner for this group. A versatile three-level scorer who can put up points in bunches, Abbott likely steps in and is the team’s go-to scorer immediately. Seniors Cabryn Klingner Cabryn Klingner 6'3" | SG Centennial | 2025 State IA (2.1, 38.9 3P%), Rex Jensen Rex Jensen 6'0" | SG Centennial | 2025 State IA (1.2), and Jaxon Volk Jaxon Volk 6'3" | PF/SF Centennial | 2025 State IA should all be contributors this season, and there are expectations for sophomore guard Hunter Runchey Hunter Runchey 6'2" | SG Centennial | 2027 State IA and juniors Cayden Clark Cayden Clark 6'0" | PG Ankeny | 2026 State IA , Kolby Bechen Kolby Bechen 5'10" | PG Centennial | 2026 State IA , and Owen Liechti Owen Liechti 6'6" | PF Centennial | 2026 State IA to potentially step into bigger roles this season as well.

Note: In addition to those program returnees, there are rumors swirling (unconfirmed as of writing) that Sean Tunks Sean Tunks 6'1" | SG Centennial | 2025 State IA , who averaged over 18 points a game last season, could be transferring to Centennial from Des Moines Christian. If that is the case, he could provide the Jags with some needed scoring and experience in the backcourt.

Council Bluffs Lincoln (16-7 last year, 55.0% of scoring returning)

Jason Isaacson has built a perennial contender in Council Bluffs, and the Lynx should be a formidable team in western Iowa yet again this season. Despite losing leading scorer Cole Arnold, who put up over 21 points a game last season, the Lynx bring back a good amount of production. They’ll be led by the senior tandem of forward Creighton Bracker Creighton Bracker 6'6" | PF Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2025 State IA (14.7, 10.6 rebounds) and wing Etienne Higgins Etienne Higgins 6'3" | SG Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2025 State IA (11.6, 39.4 3P%). Bracker is a big, physical forward who does a great job on the glass on both ends of the floor, and he’s a great finisher around the rim who can also occasionally step out and stretch the floor. Higgins is an athletic wing who can attack the rim or knock down shots off the catch, and the program is excited about a trio of young guards – junior Easton Klement Easton Klement 5'11" | PG Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2026 State IA (5.0, 3.4 assists) and sophomores Jeremiah Slaughter (3.1) and Braylin DeJager Braylin DeJager 5'10" | PG Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2027 State IA (0.9). All three are capable of playing with or without the ball in their hands, and each can initiate the offense well. Two more returnees – senior Aiden Sandbothe (4.6) and junior Grant Hughey (2.5) – provide some more depth and talent in the rotation. This is a group that should be able to comfortably go 8-9 deep, and they’ll battle it out with Sioux City East at the top of the MRAC. But as is also the case with East, there will be questions as to how the Lynx fare when they run into a worthy opponent from the CIML come postseason play.

Des Moines North (15-9 last year, 58.1% of scoring returning)

Julian Seay is doing a nice job rebuilding the Polar Bears program, and despite losing two of their top three, and three of their top six scorers to either transfer or graduation, positive momentum should continue on the north side. Last year’s leading scorer Wisdom Fode Wisdom Fode 6'3" | PG Bella Vista Prep | 2026 IA , as well as promising junior Sadeek Noah Sadeek Noah 6'6" | SF Des Moines North | 2026 IA , have both transferred to a prep school in Arizona, leaving a hole in the backcourt, but there is still a good amount of talent, quickness, and athleticism on this roster. Senior Da’corion White Da’corion White 6'2" | SG Des Moines North | 2025 State IA (13.0) is the top returnee, a downhill, attacking guard who puts constant pressure on his opponent on both ends with his speed. Naszir Lamar Naszir Lamar 5'8" | PG Des Moines North | 2025 State IA (7.6, 2.7 steals) is another player who utilizes his speed to his advantage, flying all over the floor defensively. Tarian McNeley (7.2), Aaron Poe Aaron Poe 6'1" | PG Des Moines North | 2025 State IA (3.6), and War Billio War Billio 6'5" Des Moines north | 2025 IA (3.1) were all solid contributors throughout last season, and sophomore guard JJ Seay JJ Seay 5'7" | PG Des Moines North | 2027 State IA Jr. (2.4) should step into a bigger role after being solid as a freshman. The Polar Bears are going to be undersized and could struggle against some of the bigger teams they run into, but they will use their speed to push the tempo, try to create chaos on the defensive end, and attack the rim relentlessly both in transition and in the halfcourt.

North Scott (16-7 last year, 26.2% of scoring returning)

The Lancers are going to be young. Really, really young. But they’re also going to be extremely talented. Sophomore wing Josiah Harrington Josiah Harrington 6'6" | SG North Scott | 2027 State IA (13.3, 46.5 3P%) is the next Iowa player to become a nationally ranked prospect. The 6-4/6-5 wing has picked up several Power 5 offers after a great spring and summer with Meanstreets on the EYBL circuit, and he reminds me a lot of Keegan Murray with his frame, skill set, and demeanor. He could be the best player in the MAC, and potentially the best in 4A basketball this season. That’s how special his talent is. The Lancers also have three other players in his 2027 class – Miller Haedt Miller Haedt 5'10" | PG North Scott | 2027 State IA (1.5), Lukas Fenn, and Drew Fischer Drew Fischer 6'3" | PG North Scott | 2027 State IA – who were on the varsity roster last season, so that class in Eldridge is really strong. What’s scary, though, is that the 2028 class may be even better. Point guard Vasuan Wilmington and wings Marcus Morgan Jr Marcus Morgan Jr 6'1" | SF Davenport North | 2028 State IA . and MarQwan Morgan MarQwan Morgan 6'2" | PG Davenport North | 2028 State IA all figure to be top-10 players in the state’s 2028 class, potentially even top-5. All three have great basketball IQs, have played grassroots ball at an extremely high level against really good competition, and while they’re inexperienced in terms of varsity basketball, they’re far from inexperienced in terms of playing against great players. There may be some rough patches as all of this youth will make it difficult at times to compete in a 4A league, but there is no denying the level of talent on this roster.

Ottumwa (13-9 last year, 74.0% of scoring returning)

Four staters return for the Bulldogs, and in all, six of the top seven scorers are back to a 13-win team, so expectations may be lofty heading into this season. Senior wing Trae Brown Trae Brown 6'4" | SF Ottumwa | 2025 State IA (17.7, 8.0 rebounds) is one of the top under-the-radar players in the state. An athletic, physical 6-4 wing who can score in bunches from all three levels, he’s extremely efficient, posting 53-43-75 shooting splits as a junior and showing the ability to take over games on both ends of the floor with his physicality and athleticism. Following the graduation of Rahsha Pope, look for Brown to have the ball in his hands even more this season. Junior guard Nehemiah Wolfing Nehemiah Wolfing 6'2" | SG Ottumwa | 2026 State IA (6.8) and senior Chase Thompson (6.6) will be the guards joining Brown in the backcourt and one of them will probably need to step up and average 13-15 points a game to take some of the pressure off of Brown, while Parker Derby (5.6) should be the anchor in the paint. Playing in the Iowa Alliance, the ‘Dogs won’t be as tested as teams coming out of the MVC, CIML, and MAC when postseason play hits, but with the experience this group has coming back, and a potentially dominant player in Brown, this is a team that could make some noise if they get the right draw in February.

Prairie (11-12 last year, 52.4% of scoring returning)

In Todd Kuntz’s first year at Prairie, the Hawks put together a respectable 11-win season and showed some real flashes of strong play. Despite losing two of their top three scorers, and three starters, from last year’s team, there is a lot of reason for optimism heading into Kuntz’s second year on the south side of Cedar Rapids. Senior wing Jace McDermott Jace McDermott 6'2" | SF Prairie | 2025 State IA (11.8, 37.7 3P%) was a breakout player as a junior, providing the Hawks with a reliable perimeter shooter with good size and length on the wing. Sophomore guard Austin Joens Austin Joens 5'10" | SG Prairie | 2027 State IA (6.9, 1.8 assists) had an up-and-down freshman season, as should be expected at the 4A level, but he’s a high IQ player who can play with or without the ball in his hands, and he provides the Hawks with another high-level shooting threat. Junior guards LaMarious Clark LaMarious Clark 5'10" | SG Ankeny | 2026 State IA (6.4, 3.7 assists) and Will Wehr Will Wehr 6'2" | SG Cedar Rapids Prairie | 2026 State IA (3.3) are both solid options in the backcourt as well. Clark is a great athlete who loves to attack the rim and play downhill, using his handles, speed, and athleticism to get into the teeth of the defense, forcing them to collapse and make tough decisions to help off of shooters, while Wehr is a heady lead guard who can also get his teammates involved and limit mistakes. Look for senior forward Devin Ikeda Devin Ikeda 6'7" | PF Prairie | 2025 State IA (3.3, 3.0 rebounds) to step into a bigger role, and sophomores Cayden Larson Cayden Larson 6'8" | PF Prairie | 2027 State IA and Quantae Alexander Quantae Alexander 6'2" | SF Prairie | 2027 State IA have a ton of talent and should see a good amount of playing time as well. In games against teams that finished above .500, the Hawks allowed 74.7 points a game, a number that will definitely need to improve if they want to compete against the top-tier teams in the MVC. This group shouldn’t have any issues putting the ball in the bucket; defense will determine just how successful they can be.

Roosevelt (15-9 last year, 54.6% of scoring returning)*

The Roughriders were basically a Des Moines public school All-Star team last season, getting transfers from Lincoln, East, and Hoover, each of whom made impacts. Some of those players are still around, but there is also some “home grown” talent in the program here, most notably sophomore wing Charlie King Charlie King 6'5" | CG/PG Roosevelt | 2027 State IA (11.0, 6.4 rebounds, 38.2 3P%), one of the best 2027 players in the state. In a regular season game against Waterloo East last season, King dropped 37 points on 9-11 shooting (6-7 3P, 13-14 FT), showing his explosiveness and ability to score from all three levels in the process. He plays with great pace, has a smooth stroke, plays under control, and could become one of the best scorers in 4A this season. He’ll be joined in the backcourt by senior guard Remi Taylor Remi Taylor 6'3" | SF Roosevelt | 2025 State IA (11.6), an athletic playmaker who plays downhill and attacks the rim. Iven Karla (4.9) and Isaac Karla (1.8) give the Riders some more speed and playmaking in the backcourt, another pair that loves to attack the bucket. Junior wing Finley Newman Finley Newman 6'4" | SF Roosevelt | 2026 State IA could emerge as the team’s top shooting threat, getting quality looks off of the dynamic downhill attacking that his teammates provide. The X-factor for this group will be senior Chudier Dorar (5.6), a 6-11 combo forward who can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor. He’s raw, but long, athletic, and talented. The Riders are probably still the second-best team in the Iowa Alliance (Ames), and they have the raw talent and athleticism to beat just about anyone if they’re playing well.

Waukee (16-8 last year, 28.8% of scoring returning)

Despite losing a ton of production off of last year’s 16-win team that posted fantastic wins over Ankeny, Northwest (twice), Centennial (twice), and Valley, the Warriors are still going to be a factor in the CIML and in 4A at large because of the incredible amount of basketball talent that is in that school district right now at both schools. The leading returnee for the Warriors is junior forward Evan Jacobson Evan Jacobson 6'7" | C Waukee | 2026 State IA (12.9, 9.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks), one of the best players in the 2026 class. An athletic, rangy 6-7 forward who impacts the game on both ends of the floor, Jacobson is also one of the most highly sought after tight end prospects in the country. Many of those same attributes that make him such a valued player on the gridiron translate to the hardwood, and he looks like he’s primed to be a dominant two-way force. Junior guard Jaishon White Jaishon White 6'1" | PG Waukee | 2026 State IA (6.4, 1.1 assists) is an athletic, quick guard who can play downhill and create quality looks for himself and his teammates, and look for senior wing Caleb Dyvig Caleb Dyvig 6'3" | SG Waukee | 2025 State IA (1.5) to step into a much larger role as a senior. He’s another long, rangy wing who can defend and stretch the floor, and junior combo guard Chance Burkett Chance Burkett 5'11" | CG Roosevelt | 2026 State IA could become a solid player for this group off the bench. This group was also bolstered by the addition of a pair of transfers – Max Roach Max Roach 5'11" | PG Waukee | 2026 State IA and Maverick Inman Maverick Inman 6'2" | SG Waukee | 2025 State IA . Roach, an Oskaloosa transfer, put up 18.4 points and 5.1 assists a game as a sophomore and while he’s taking a significant step up in competition coming into the CIML, he’s the type of talent who should still be able to produce in a big way alongside his talented teammates. Inman (6.9, 1.7 assists, 37.1 3P%) comes across town from Waukee Northwest and will give the Warriors a secondary ball-handler and reliable shooting threat. The final player of note to open the year will be freshman wing Pete Craig Pete Craig 6'4" | SF Waukee | 2028 State IA , a big-bodied 6-4/6-5 wing who can stretch the floor and defend on the perimeter. He figures to be one of the top freshmen in the state and should be an impact player early on for the Warriors. There are a lot of new faces, and a lot of players will be asked to step into much bigger roles than they played last year, but this is a roster that is still oozing with talent and it shouldn’t surprise anyone if they are back in the running for a state tournament trip.