Class 4A Stars to Watch (Part 1)

The youngest McCaffery brother will play his college ball at Butler, where he'll provide the Bulldogs with a long, high IQ wing who can take over games as a scoring threat, playmaker, and defender. He scores from all three levels, is a really skilled passer, and he protects the rim at a high level. He averaged 16.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game as a junior.     Kern is one of the most productive players in the state on both ends of the floor, dominating games on a nightly basis. He averaged 22.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game on 57-45-80 shooting splits as a junior, and his ability to score inside and out is rivaled by few. He has great footwork and touch with either hand on the block, allowing him to score against smaller defenders, and he can take bigger defenders off the dribble off of a wing catch. He's one of the best shooters in the state, regardless of position, and with his size, his shot is incredibly tough to contest.     Jirak grew up as a guard, and it's easy to see those skills when you watch him play now, despite his huge growth spurt that now has him checking in around 6-10. The future Northern Iowa forward has tremendous vision and is one of the most gifted passers in the state, as he showed throughout the state tournament in March in helping lead the Tigers to a second straight state title. He's a dominant rim protector who moves his feet well and contesting shots at the rim without fouling. He averaged 10.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game as a junior, and will be an even bigger part of the offensive attack following the transfers of Curtis Stinson Jr and [player_tooltip player_id='1759897' first='Kyle' last='Cason'].     The future Iowa State receiver may be the best athlete in the state. He's a terror in transition who loves to finish above the rim, and few players in the state can elevate as effortlessly as he does. He's extremely quick with the ball in his hands, pairing great handles with an elite first step that he uses to blow by defenders and get to the rim, and he's also a viable shooting threat from the mid-range and 3-point line. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game as a junior, and, like Jirak, he'll have more opportunity as a senior.     Goodman is one of the best pure scorers in the state, averaging 20.6 points per game as a junior at Southeast Polk. He scores from all three levels, playing downhill and attacking the rim, where he finishes well with either hand. He knocks down shots from 3-point range off both the dribble and the catch, and while he can be a bit streaky, few players in the state are capable of getting as hot as he can when he gets rolling. In addition to his scoring, Goodman averaged 5.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.0 steals per game as a junior. He has transferred to play his senior year at Waukee Northwest, who figures to be one of the best teams in the class.     The recently crowned state champion golfer will be looking to lead Cedar Falls to a basketball title to add to his trophy case this winter. He's a dynamic playmaker who shoots it at an incredibly high level off the dribble, getting the ball into his shooting pocket quickly off the bounce and elevating into his shot from seemingly anywhere inside halfcourt. He averaged 11.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists for a really balanced Cedar Falls team as a junior.     A tough two-way guard with a high IQ, McKowen impacts the game on nearly every possession in some way, shape, or form. He creates quality looks for himself and his teammates off the dribble, pairing his tight handles, quick first step, vision, and toughness to get into the teeth of the defense, where he can either finish or get the defense to collapse and find an open shooter. In addition to his ability to play downhill, he's also a really good shooter from 3-point range, knocking down 38.5% of his attempts as a junior. He's a tough on-ball defender who embraces the difficult assignments. He'll play his college ball for his uncle Brooks at Upper Iowa.     Davis may be the most dynamic individual defensive weapon in the class, blocking 3.5 shots a game in the loaded CIML as a sophomore. He has impeccable timing as a shot blocker and does a great job of contesting shots without fouling. He's a switchable defender who holds his own against quicker guards and dominates the painted area. He is really skilled on the offensive end as well, showing great touch from about 15 feet and in, and he's working to extend his range with consistency.