Conference Preview: Siouxland

The Teams   Boyden-Hull (11-11 last season, 40.0% of scoring returning): Leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='1765526' first='Carter' last='Kleinwolterink'] (17.6) returns after a really good sophomore season for the Comets. He led the team in every category except blocks and will once again be the focal point on both ends of the floor. They'll be breaking a number of new faces in alongside him following the graduations of the next four scorers from last season's team. Brent Zylstra (3.9, 39.4 3P%) is a capable 3-point shooting threat who should see a major increase in his role, but other than him, not much experience returns. Being young and inexperienced in the Siouxland is always difficult.   Central Lyon (13-11, 53.0%): The 2023 2A state champs took an expected step back last season, but were still largely competitive in the always loaded Siouxland. They lost star Reece Vander Zee to graduation and replacing his 25 points and 11 rebounds will be difficult, but they bring back six rotation players and should be formidable again. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1426697' first='Ephraim' last='Hoefert'] (12.8, 36.6 3P%) has elite size on the wing and is a good shooter, as is senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1573093' first='Koury' last='Serck'] (8.8, 44.2 3P%). They'll give the Lions one of the best shooting teams in the conference. [player_tooltip player_id='2511610' first='Matthew' last='Elbert'] (6.1, 5.2 assists) is a quality floor general who gets his teammates involved, and Nathan Robinson (4.1) and Leo Groen (3.6) each saw a good amount of time last season. They probably won't contend with the teams at the top of the league this season, but they'll finish above .500 and be a battle-tested team that you won't want to see in your district come February.   MOC-Floyd Valley (22-4, 63.9%): The Dutchmen have the unenviable task of replacing Iowa's Mr. Basketball, Jesse Van Kalsbeek, who averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds a game last season in helping led MOC to the 3A semifinals. And while he's certainly a huge piece to replace, they do bring back four starters from that group and will be one of the best teams in the league and a real contender in 3A again. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2398061' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] (13.9) is the top returning scorer, while [player_tooltip player_id='1523401' first='Ahman' last='Langton'] (9.7), [player_tooltip player_id='1951793' first='Owen' last='Vander Pol'] (7.7), and [player_tooltip player_id='1978131' first='Draeden' last='Punt'] (6.8) were all big-time contributors last season and also return. Langton is a quick guard who can put pressure on opposing teams on both ends, while Vander Pol is an interior presence with good size, and Punt is an athletic, versatile defender. While they may not have the dynamic individual scorer that Van Kalsbeek was, they should be a much more balanced offensive team that can also be pretty darn good defensively.   Okoboji (4-19, 91.6%): A young Pioneers team struggled to compete on a nightly basis in this loaded league, but they should be improved this season with the top six scorers returning. Senior Caleb Simington (9.7) and juniors Avery Simington (7.7) and Elijah Graves (7.7) are the top returnees, while sophomores Asa Jacobsen (5.3) and Miles Wasson (4.9) will be stepping into bigger roles after producing well as freshmen. They'll probably struggle to compete against the top teams in the league again, but they could pick up a few more wins with all the experience returning.   Rock Valley (10-12, 67.9%): The Rockets were pretty young last season and will bring back three of the top four scorers from that team in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1765545' first='Kaden' last='Van Schepen'] (12.2) and Colby Den Hartog (8.3, 37.2 3P%), and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2405597' first='Layton' last='Snuttjer'] (7.9, 47.3 3P%). Den Hartog and Snuttjer give them a lot of shooting, and Van Schepen can score from all three levels. Miles Netten (4.5, 6.5 rebounds) gives them some size and toughness in the paint, and several other rotation pieces return. They will be improved and while they may not push Unity, MOC, or West Lyon at the top, they will battle it out for a top-4 finish.   Sheldon (4-19, 53.0%): The Orabs bring back leading scorer Cooper Jansma (9.5) as well as juniors Drew Sauer (5.1), giving them two of the top three from last season back on this year's roster. They turned it over more than 18 times a game and shot just 25% from 3-point range, both numbers that will need to greatly improve if they are going to be more competitive on a nightly basis.   Sibley-Ocheyedan (2-21, 68.7%): The Generals lost their leading scorer but bring back the next nine from last year's team. Five juniors who gave them good production as sophomores return, led by Ben Byers (10.8) and Gavin Stanton (5.9). Like Sheldon, they'll need to improve with ball security (17.5 turnovers) and shooting (21.5 3P%), but this is a program that will still be really young and will be looking to build into the 2025-26 season.   Sioux Center (10-12, 21.6%): There will be a lot of new faces taking the floor for the Warriors this season after losing their top four scorers to graduation, leaving senior guard Brady Arends (6.4) and Kyle TeStroete (3.1) as the only returnees who saw significant playing time last season. As one of the biggest schools in the league, they should have no difficulty finding new pieces to fill in the rotation, but they'll pretty clearly be a few steps below the top teams in the league.   Unity Christian (21-5, 79.1%): The Knights joined the league before the start of last season and held their own well, going 16-3 against league competition, including a pair of wins over West Lyon. The top seven scorers from that group return, so this team will not only be one of the best teams in the Siouxland, but we have them ranked #2 in Class 2A to open the season. Junior guards [player_tooltip player_id='2413578' first='Dylan' last='Bosma'] (14.0, 5.2 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2413600' first='Austin' last='Wieringa'] (12.3, 6.1 rebounds) are a pair of athletic, tough guards who compete hard on the glass and love to play downhill and attack the rim. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1951824' first='Braeden' last='Bosma'] (13.4) should return to the rotation this season after missing time last year, giving them more scoring, and role players Kolton Smit (7.2), Traevin Van Beek (5.9), and [player_tooltip player_id='1874781' first='Jackson' last='Vogel'] (5.8) also return. Look for improvement from sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge'] (5.7, 4.1 rebounds), who was excellent as a freshman off the bench, who could be the secret to them reaching their ceiling this year. They're going to be a pretty small team, but they'll be extremely tough, disciplined, well-coached, deep, and balanced.   West Lyon (22-2, 71.3%): The Wildcats were dominant last season, ranked #1 in 2A for a good chunk of the year. Their only two losses came at the hands of Unity Christian, and only two of their 22 wins came by single digits, so they were truly dominant on both ends of the floor. Three of the top four, and five of the top seven, return from that group, so don't expect much of a drop-off here. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1759936' first='Carson' last='Hoogeveen'] (16.1, 39.7 3P%, 4.0 assists, 2.9 steals) is one of the best two-way guards in the state. He's a tough, athletic guard with a high IQ who can create off the dribble, knock down shots, and defend at a high level. [player_tooltip player_id='2397298' first='Easton' last='Jacobson'] (8.5, 51.6 FG%) is an efficient interior scorer, [player_tooltip player_id='2731892' first='Jordan' last='Meyer'] (8.3) can score from all three levels, and [player_tooltip player_id='2731896' first='Jared' last='Ciesielski'] (6.4, 62.9 FG%) is another athletic, physical forward who can control the paint. West Lyon is always deep, athletic, and physical, and they'll be one of the top teams in the league and in Class 2A again.   Projected Order of Finish   1. MOC-Floyd Valley 2. Unity Christian 3. West Lyon 4. Rock Valley 5. Central Lyon 6. Boyden-Hull 7. Sioux Center 8. Okoboji 9. Sheldon 10. Sibley-Ocheyedan   Analysis: The top three in this league is as good as it gets, and the battle between those three in their head-to-heads will be great theatre. Rock Valley, Central Lyon, and Boyden-Hull have enough talent to give teams problems on a nightly basis as well.   Preseason Player of the Year   2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759936' first='Carson' last='Hoogeveen'] (West Lyon): A do-it-all two-way guard who impacts the game on nearly every possession in some way, shape, or form, Hoogeveen will be the focal point of the attack again this season for the Wildcats, who will once again be one of the best teams in 2A.   Players to Watch   2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759936' first='Carson' last='Hoogeveen'] (West Lyon) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2397298' first='Easton' last='Jacobson'] (West Lyon) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731892' first='Jordan' last='Meyer'] (West Lyon) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731896' first='Jared' last='Ciesielski'] (West Lyon) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413578' first='Dylan' last='Bosma'] (Unity Christian) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413600' first='Austin' last='Wieringa'] (Unity Christian) 2025 Braden Bosma (Unity Christian) 2025 Traevin Van Beek (Unity Christian) 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge'] (Unity Chrisitan) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765526' first='Carter' last='Kleinwolterink'] (Boyden-Hull) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1426697' first='Ephraim' last='Hoefert'] (Central Lyon) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1573093' first='Koury' last='Serck'] (Central Lyon) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2398061' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] (MOC-Floyd Valley) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1523401' first='Ahman' last='Langton'] (MOC-Floyd Valley) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978131' first='Draeden' last='Punt'] (MOC-Floyd Valley) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765545' first='Kaden' last='Van Schepen'] (Rock Valley) 2026 Colby Den Hartog (Rock Valley) 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2405597' first='Layton' last='Snuttjer'] (Rock Valley) 2026 Ben Byers (Sibley-Ocheyedan) 2026 Caleb Simington (Okoboji) 2025 Cooper Jansma (Sheldon)

The Teams