Conference Preview: Western Valley

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kingsley-Pierson (9-13 last season, 81.0% of scoring returning): </strong>The Panthers lost seven games last season by single digits and bring back the top two, and seven of the top eight, scorers. They'll be led by a pair of seniors, Landon Howe (15.4, 6.0 rebounds) and Easton Nissen (13.8, 8.0 rebounds), who will give the Panthers one of the best tandems in the conference. Both stuff the stat sheets, combining to average 29.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game last season. Tyler Koch (7.4) is a solid tertiary scoring option, and a group of sophomores who saw some playing time as freshmen last season return and should step into more significant roles within the rotation this year. This is a group that could make a jump up the league standings this winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Lawton-Bronson (10-12, 58.5%):</strong> The top two scorers need to be replaced, and four of the top eight have graduated. Of course, that means that four are also back, giving the Eagles a solid group of experienced players to build this year's roster around. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='2532829' first='Leo' last='Scott'] (8.3) is the top returning scorer, while Connor Clausen (7.6), Noah Drew (6.8), and Rhett Roth (4.2) are all capable of scoring 10+ on any given night. This group showed what they can be capable of late last season, handing Ridge View one of their two losses, but consistency will be key.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVAOCOU (7-15, 66.6%):</strong> A fairly young Rams team improved as the season went on last year and brings back three players who averaged at least 9.9 points per game. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2523907' first='Jake' last='Scott'] (12.7) is the top returnee, coming off a very productive freshman season in which he showed his ability to play on or off the ball, score inside and out, and defend multiple positions. Tanner Dixon (10.3) is the team's top interior option, and Caden Schmidt (9.9) provides some more playmaking and perimeter scoring. A few other rotation pieces also return for MVAOCOU, and this should be a group that finishes in the middle-of-the-pack in the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OABCIG (18-5, 67.6%): </strong>The Falcons have to replace their leading scorer from last year's group but bring back the next five, making this one of the most experienced teams in the conference. They'll be led by a pair of athletic juniors in [player_tooltip player_id='2823320' first='Evan' last='Hoffman'] (14.8, 8.6 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2420793' first='Jaxx' last='DeJean'] (10.7, 8.4 rebounds), who will dominate the glass on both ends of the floor on a nightly basis. Kade Spotts (8.6) and Raif Jensen (7.4) are both capable scorers as well who also combined to average nearly 10 rebounds a game between them. Turnovers (17.2) and 3-point shooting (28.2%) were an issue last season for the Falcons, and will need to be addressed if they want to compete at the highest level in 2A. But they'll be really good defensively, elite on the glass, and should be pretty efficient on the offensive end, routinely getting shots at the rim. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ridge View (21-2, 62.4%): </strong>Like OABCIG, Ridge View lost their leading scorer but bring back the next five. Carter Todd (10.4, 7.7 rebounds) is the top returnee in scoring, rebounding, and assists, but this is going to be a very balanced group. Adam Stephan (10.0) averaged more than a block per game (as did Todd), giving them some real interior rim protection. [player_tooltip player_id='2853883' first='Zach' last='Kolpin'] (8.2), Drew Burk (7.1), and Kinnick Jensen (6.6) are all capable scoring threats who can score 10+ on any given night. The Raptors were excellent on the defensive end last season, giving up just 46.2 points per game, which was 4th in Class 2A; they should be just as good, if not better, on that end this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Siouxland Christian (2-15, 71.2%):</strong> The Eagles have a new coach, and a highly successful one at that. Loren De Jong, fresh off a 3A state title at MOC-Floyd Valley, came to Siouxland Christian to be the school's AD and head basketball coach, and having someone of his caliber on the sidelines will be a big boost to the program. They bring back their top two scorers in seniors Bennett Pfister (9.5) and Benjamin Bittinger (7.8), and a handful of other rotation pieces return. Expectations obviously shouldn't be too high with a group that won just two games last season, but they should be improved. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Monona (8-13, 60.5%): </strong>A pair of double-figure scorers return for the Spartans in senior [player_tooltip player_id='2886847' first='Ben' last='Holverson'] (15.6) and junior Blake Pekarek (10.4). Holverson is one of the best offensive players in the conference and will carry a heavy load on that end of the floor. Sophomores Evan Lander (4.3) and Xavier DeRocher (3.6) were contributors last season as freshmen and should step into bigger roles this winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Westwood (11-12, 54.5%): </strong>The Rebels have to replace their leading scorer, but in senior forwards Hayden Versch (13.0, 7.0 rebounds) and Ryder Pepin (9.9, 7.6 rebounds), they'll have a pair of bigs who can control the glass on both ends of the floor. Versch, in particular, was also really good on the defensive end, averaging 3.0 steals and 2.4 blocks per game in addition to his work as a scorer and rebounder. Paxton Teel (4.6) and Connor Freese (2.7) are the only other notable returnees. This group did a pretty good job protecting the ball last season, averaging just 11.3 turnovers per game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Woodbury Central (8-13, 79.3%):</strong> The Wildcats bring back a pair of double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='2754701' first='Jayden' last='Lloyd'] (16.0, 3.6 assists) and Brody Bremer (10.5, 14.4 rebounds). Lloyd is a good athlete on the wing who can create his own look or get his teammates involved, and Bremer is absolutely dominant on the glass on both ends of the floor. Seniors Joe DeStigter (8.2) and Carsen Coulter (5.4), junior Logan Phipps (4.1), and sophomores Brody Thomas (2.7) and Julian Weaver (2.4), all return with good experience as well. This could be one of the deepest teams in the league, and they should be able to flip their record around this winter.</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. Ridge View<br>2. OABCIG<br>3. Kingsley-Pierson<br>4. Woodbury Central<br>5. Westwood<br>6. MVAOCOU<br>7. West Monona<br>8. Lawton-Bronson<br>9. Siouxland Christian</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>This is likely a two-horse race again this year between Ridge View and OABCIG, with the race being determined by the head-to-head meetings. The Raptors swept the series last season and get the edge here. </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='2823320' first='Evan' last='Hoffman'] (OABCIG): </strong>The Falcons are probably the team to beat in the WVAC this season, and Hoffman is their best two-way player. After averaging 15 + 9 last season, he could put up a double-double as a junior.</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='2823320' first='Evan' last='Hoffman'] (OABCIG)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2420793' first='Jaxx' last='DeJean'] (OABCIG)<br>2026 Kade Spotts (OABCIG)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754701' first='Jayden' last='Lloyd'] (Woodbury Central)<br>2026 Brody Bremer (Woodbury Central)<br>2026 Joe DeStigter (Woodbury Central)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2886847' first='Ben' last='Holverson'] (West Monona)<br>2027 Blake Pekrarek (West Monona)<br>2026 Easton Nissen (Kingsley-Pierson)<br>2026 Landon Howe (Kingsley-Pierson)<br>2026 Jayden Versch (Westwood)<br>2026 Ryder Pepin (Westwood)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2523907' first='Jake' last='Scott'] (MVAOCOU)<br>2026 Tanner Dixon (MVAOCOU)<br>2027 Caden Schmidt (MVAOCOU)<br>2026 Carter Todd (Ridge View)<br>2026 Adam Stephan (Ridge View)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2853883' first='Zach' last='Kolpin'] (Ridge View)<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->