Preseason All-Conference Teams: South Central

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Preseason Player of the Year: </strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2231637' first='Lincoln' last='Norris'] (Knoxville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This league is a bit more open this year than it was last season, when Knoxville ran away with it. The Panthers are probably the favorite in the league again this year, especially after the injury to Albia star [player_tooltip player_id='2297904' first='Gage' last='Chance'], making Norris, a sharpshooting guard, the pick here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>First Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2231637' first='Lincoln' last='Norris'] (Knoxville): 16.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.6 steals, 42.0 3P%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Norris is one of the most electric shooters in the state, a high-level threat from anywhere past half-court. He moves really well without the ball in his hands, has a quick release, and when he gets it going, good luck slowing him down. He'll have the ultimate green light as a junior following the graduations of a number of key contributors from last year's state tournament team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731635' first='Malachi' last='Rice'] (Centerville): 21.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 4.4 steals, 81.6 FT%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The leading returning scorer in the league, Rice is a quick guard who loves to play downhill and use his speed to get by defenders and into the paint for finishes. He gets to the free-throw line routinely and is a menace on the defensive end of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 Gavin Spaur (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont): 10.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, 78.3 FT%</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Spaur led the Rockets in scoring last season and was second in rebounding. EBF was a young team last year, bringing back their top seven scorers, and thusly should be improved. Spaur will be the leader of that ascension.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2772325' first='Abram' last='Decena'] (Centerville): 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.1 steals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A stat-sheet stuffing guard who pairs well with Rice in the Centerville backcourt, Decena put together a really nice freshman season in which he showed the ability to score from all three levels and create plays off the dribble.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731843' first='Drake' last='Larson'] (Knoxville): 7.8 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.6 steals</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The floor general for last year's state tournament qualifying team, Larson posted a sterling 3.02 assist-to-turnover ratio. He's a high IQ guard who obviously does a great job setting his teammates up and protecting the ball, and he'll likely be asked to shoulder a little heavier scoring load this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Second Team</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 Alijah Frase (Cardinal)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2772138' first='Ryan' last='Diehl'] (Clarke)<br>2027 Connor Shore (Chariton)<br>2026 Cason Young (Davis County)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2772063' first='Peyton' last='Lynn'] (Clarke)</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='2297904' first='Gage' last='Chance'] (Albia) [would have been POY but is missing the year with an ACL injury]<br>2027 Emmett Holohan (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont)<br>2028 Kayden Rice (Centerville)<br>2027 Austin Langstraat (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906421' first='TaShawn' last='Conner'] (Knoxville)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->