Conference Preview: Iowa Alliance South

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>East (4-17, 54.3% of scoring returning): </strong>The Scarlets bring back a pair of talented juniors in [player_tooltip player_id='2420799' first='D'Angelo' last='Parker'] (9.0) and [player_tooltip player_id='2754726' first='Malik' last='Williams'] (7.0), which gives them a good base to build around this year. Both are good athletes who can contribute on the glass on both ends of the floor and get to the rim off the bounce. Julius Manson (5.1) gives them another athletic guard who can play downhill and attack. They lost seven games by single digits last season and shot 53.6% from the free-throw line. If they can get that number up a bit, they could turn some of those losses into wins.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hoover (4-18, 71.4%): </strong>Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2413544' first='Boie' last='Gomo'] (14.0) and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2906425' first='Isaac' last='Fandeh'] (9.7, 7.3 rebounds) will give the Huskies one of the best one-two punches in the South Division. Gomo does a great job using his speed and handles to play downhill and attack the rim, while Fandeh is a force on the glass on both ends of the floor. Diyon Berry (6.4) gives them some more speed and shooting on the perimeter, and a handful of other players who saw playing time last year return to round out the rotation. They lost seven games by single digits last season, and the emphasis should be on ball security after committing 17.5 turnovers a game last season. Clean that up, and more wins should follow.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lincoln (11-12, 21.7%): </strong>The Railsplitters lost their top three, and six of their top seven, scorers from last year's team, leaving [player_tooltip player_id='2731787' first='Lionel' last='Parks'] (6.0, 4.3 rebounds) as the top returnee. Parks is a good athlete in the paint who looks like he could become a pretty good player in a leading role, and he'll be asked to do an awful lot for this group. Role players Bryce Page (2.8) and Manas Gai (2.1) saw some time last season and will step into bigger roles, and junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2124031' first='Bryan' last='De Meyer'] is an intriguing shooter to help space the floor. There are a lot of unknowns on this roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North (15-7, 23.0%): </strong>The top four scorers, and promising big man [player_tooltip player_id='2754693' first='D'Mir' last='Coleman'], are gone from last year's roster, taking a lot of scoring with them. But the cupboard isn't bare for coach Julian Seay, with junior guards [player_tooltip player_id='2617548' first='T'Angello' last='Bush'] (7.2) and [player_tooltip player_id='2420807' first='JJ' last='Seay'] Jr (7.0) returning. Bush looks like a player who could emerge as one of the best scorers in the conference. He can create plays off the dribble and score from all three levels. Seay is a talented playmaker with good handles and vision who can also get to the rim routinely. [player_tooltip player_id='2617518' first='Jayvion' last='Hanson'] (3.6) gives them some perimeter scoring and playmaking as well. the Polar Bears may not have much size this winter, but they should be fast, and able to put pressure on opposing teams on both ends of the floor constantly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ottumwa (7-14, 43.1%):</strong> Three of the top four scorers graduated for the Bulldogs, with only [player_tooltip player_id='2887879' first='Nehemiah' last='Wolfing'] (10.0) returning. He stuffed the stat sheet last year for the 'Dogs, averaging 2.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game to go with his 10 points, and he'll be asked to carry a heavy load for them this winter. Kase Hickman (5.1) was a solid contributor last season, as was Mason Gravett (4.3), who was the team's top perimeter shooting threat. Wolfing will step into a primary scoring role, which he looks capable of doing, but the success of this team will come down to the role players. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Roosevelt (15-9, 38.3%):</strong> The Roughriders lost a lot of role players from last year's roster, with scorers two through six all graduating. But they bring back the best player in the conference in junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (17.3, 7.2 rebounds), an explosive scorer who can fill it up from all three levels and play with or without the ball in his hands. He shot just under 40% from the 3-point line as a sophomore and is starting to garner some mid-major Division I interest. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2772350' first='Frank' last='Lee IV'] (3.8) was a contributor last season, as well senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2519967' first='Finley' last='Newman'] (3.5). The most intriguing player for this group outside of King, however, is [player_tooltip player_id='2754693' first='D'Mir' last='Coleman'], an athletic 6-8/6-9 big man who transfers over from North. If he can protect the rim for this group and finish his opportunities around the rim, Roosevelt could be a surprise team in 4A. They'll also receive a boost from another transfer, Waukee guard [player_tooltip player_id='2136936' first='Chance' last='Burkett'], who will give them some shotmaking and ball security in the backcourt. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Roosevelt<br>2. North<br>3. Hoover<br>4. Lincoln<br>5. Ottumwa<br>6. East</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Roosevelt lost a lot from last year's team, but is still clearly the team to beat here. They have the best player in the division and some talented transfers coming in alongside him. North also lost a lot but has good guard talent, and Hoover should be improved. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (Roosevelt):</strong> King is an explosive wing scorer who can take over games as both a scorer and playmaker for the Roughriders. The best player on the team that should be the best in the division, this is a pretty straight forward selection.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (Roosevelt)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754693' first='D'Mir' last='Coleman'] (Roosevelt)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2772350' first='Frank' last='Lee IV'] (Roosevelt)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2519967' first='Finley' last='Newman'] (Roosevelt)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2617518' first='Jayvion' last='Hanson'] (North)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2420807' first='JJ' last='Seay'] (North)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2617548' first='T'Angello' last='Bush'] (North)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2413544' first='Boie' last='Gomo'] (Hoover)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906425' first='Isaac' last='Fandeh'] (Hoover)<br>2026 Diyon Berry (Hoover)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2887879' first='Nehemiah' last='Wolfing'] (Ottumwa)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2420799' first='D'Angelo' last='Parker'] (East)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754726' first='Malik' last='Williams'] (East)<br>2027 Julius Manson (East)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731787' first='Lionel' last='Parks'] (Lincoln)<br>2027 Gavin Monaghan (Ottumwa)<br>2026 Kase Hickman (Ottumwa)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->