Eight Outstanding Performances from Week One (Class 3A)

There were a number of remarkable individual performances around the state in the opening week of action. Below we take a look at eight of the top Class 3A showings from the first seven days of action in a series that we plan to continue throughout the year, hopefully without too many repeats!   2026 PF Lual Tharjiath (Carroll) -- 9 points (3-9 FG, 0-1 3P, 3-8 FT), 12 rebounds (8 offensive), 1 assist, 10 blocks [vs. Carlisle]   Tharjiath, a bouncy, long 6-6 forward, nearly posted a triple-double against Carlisle, coming up just one point shy of that impressive achievement. He's a high-level rim protector with a tremendous second jump, and his massive wingspan and agility allow him to cover a ton of ground in a short amount of time. He can impact the game on both ends of the floor with his size, length, and athleticism, and he could be a real game-changer this season for the Tigers.   2026 SG [player_tooltip player_id='2731871' first='Gustavo' last='Drahos'] (Perry) -- 33 points (13-31 FG, 5-11 3P, 2-8 FT), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 9 steals, 1 block [at Greene County]   It looks Drahos 31 shots to do it, but he dropped 33 points against the Rams, showing his three-level scoring ability throughout. He's going to be asked to carry a heavy load on both ends of the floor for the Bluejays this winter, and there will probably be more 30+ point games this year. The most impressive piece of this outing, however, was his work on the defensive end, coming away with nine steals. He's a quick, athletic guard with great hands and a knack for jumping passing lanes.   2026 SF [player_tooltip player_id='2413532' first='Kellen' last='Haverback'] (Mount Vernon) -- 30 points (9-16 FG, 4-8 3P, 8-10 FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, 3 blocks [at Cedar Rapids Jefferson]   A long 6-3 wing who can do a bit of everything on both ends of the floor, Haverback was fantastic against the J-Hawks. He's in complete control of the game on the offensive end, using his size to see over the defense and get his teammates involved as well as shoot over his defender. He has the strength to finish through contact at the rim, and with his size, length, and athleticism, he provides versatility on the defensive end of the floor, as evidenced by his eight "stocks".   2026 PG [player_tooltip player_id='2886796' first='Preston' last='Baumhover'] (Waverly-Shell Rock) -- 21 points (7-13 FG, 5-10 3P, 2-2 FT), 3 rebounds, 4 steals [vs. Marion]   The Go-Hawks lost a ton of production to graduation and needed players to step into bigger roles in a hurry. Enter Baumhover, who had a great game against Marion on both ends of the floor. He's an off-ball guard who is capable of scoring from all three levels. He shoots it well off the catch, with a quick release and plenty of range, and he's a pest on the defensive end who moves his feet well and has quick hands.   2026 SG [player_tooltip player_id='2413561' first='Austin' last='Schulte'] (Pella) -- 20 points (8-11 FG, 0-2 3P, 4-4 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals [at Grand View Christian]   Schulte was great against the Thunder, putting up a double-double and scoring at a highly efficient clip. With his strength, he's able to finish at the rim through contact, and he showed some real improvement and confidence in his ability to create quality shots off the dribble.   2026 PF [player_tooltip player_id='2926177' first='Landon' last='Myers'] (Boone) -- 19 points (9-12 FG, 1-2 FT), 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks [vs. Woodward Academy]   A 6-7 senior forward, Myers was great on both ends of the floor in the Toreadors' blowout win over Woodward Academy, posting a highly efficient double-double and showing his defensive versatility. He's a mobile big man who can protect the rim and switch on the perimeter to defend smaller players.   2026 PG [player_tooltip player_id='2389820' first='Trevor' last='Theobald'] (Clear Lake) -- 5 points (2-8 FG, 0-4 3P, 1-2 FT), 6 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals, 1 turnover [at Charles City]   Theobald scored just five points in the top-ranked Lions' season-opening blowout win over Charles City, but he clearly made a massive impact on the game, dishing out 13 assists and committing just one turnover. That type of assist-to-turnover ratio is going to take a long time to even back out a bit for one of the state's top pure point guards. He has tremendous vision, loves to get his teammates involved, and is a scrappy, athletic on-ball defender.   2026 SG [player_tooltip player_id='2731882' first='Gage' last='Moreno'] (Saydel) -- 35 points (13-22 FG, 2-5 3P, 7-11 FT), 4 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals [at South Tama]   Moreno scored in bunches, and did so in an efficient manner, in the Eagles' win over South Tama last week. He's a quick guard who can get to the bucket off the dribble, is a good enough shooter that it needs to be respected, and is also a talented playmaker who sees the floor really well, as evidenced by his eight helpers.

There were a number of remarkable individual performances around the state in the opening week of action. Below we take a look at eight of the top Class 3A showings from the first seven days of action in a series that we plan to continue throughout the year, hopefully without too many repeats!