Preseason All-Conference Teams: MRAC

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Player of the Year: </strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1540183' first='Manasse' last='Kasongo Malu'] (Sioux City East)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Kasongo-Malu isn't the leading returning scorer or rebounder in the league, this is the Black Raiders' conference, and he's their top returnee, making him the pick here. An athletic big man with bounce, length, and the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor, he'll be the 1A to the Yusuf twins 1B for East, who has a stranglehold on the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1540183' first='Manasse' last='Kasongo Malu'] (Sioux City East): 10.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 65.6 FG%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kasongo-Malu is a long, athletic forward who scores efficiently around the rim, controls the glass on both ends of the floor, and can protect the paint defensively. With his size and athleticism, he's a really difficult matchup at this level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381403' first='Creighton' last='Bracker'] (Council Bluffs Lincoln): 14.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 52.5 FG%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bracker (pictured) is a force in the paint on both ends of the floor, a dominant rebounder and efficient interior scoring threat who can occasionally step out and stretch the floor with his jumper. He has good footwork on the block, soft touch, and great hands. If CBAL is going to push East at the top of the league, it will be largely because of Bracker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765514' first='Noah' last='Conley'] (Heelan): 13.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.1 steals</strong>*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Conley was really good as a sophomore at Sioux City North and has transferred to play his junior year at Heelan, where he'll give the Crusaders a quick, skilled guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands. He's a skilled ball-handler and playmaker who sees the floor well and creates plays off the bounce for himself and his teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759908' first='Etienne' last='Higgins'] (Council Bluffs Lincoln): 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.8 steals, 39.4 3P%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The other standout returnee for CBAL is Higgins, an athletic, slashing wing who can get to the bucket or knock down 3s off the catch at a pretty high clip. He's a versatile three-level scorer who can play with or without the ball in his hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765550' first='Bilal' last='Yusuf'] (Sioux City East): 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals, 51.4 FG%, 38.2 3P%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yusuf is the top returning scorer for the Black Raiders, coming off an efficient sophomore year in which he displayed his ability to play on and off the ball, using his athleticism and length to attack the rim or get to his spots in the mid-range, as well as shoot it at a high clip off both the dribble and the catch. He's a fantastic athlete with the length to impact the game on the defensive end as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520040' first='Kai' last='Chamberlain'] (Sioux City North)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 Gio Vasquez (Sioux City West)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978139' first='Isaiah' last='Jervik'] (Sergeant Bluff-Luton)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765551' first='Naef' last='Yusuf'] (Sioux City East)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2442409' first='Jang' last='Ruei'] (Sioux City East)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Honorable Mentions</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2265812' first='Fami' last='Yusuf'] (Sioux City East)<br>2025 Tre Craft (Sioux City West)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1978104' first='Easton' last='Klement'] (Council Bluffs Lincoln)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520031' first='Chris' last='Loggins'] (Sioux City East)<br>2025 Dominic Foster (Sioux City North)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2204879' first='Kamren' last='Hegna'] (Sioux City West)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->