Five Iowa Class 3A Surprise Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taking a look at some of the top players in 3A who have taken big jumps from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/01/five-iowa-class-4a-surprise-standouts/">Five Iowa Class 4A Surprise Standouts</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2906415"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69710d094a4d4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2906415' first='Beckett' last='Boeset'] has taken his game to a new level this winter after starting just one contest as a sophomore and averaging 5.4 points and three rebounds per contest. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now the leading scorer for CCA, the junior guard has nearly quadrupled his scoring production, averaging 19.1 points per game (PPG). More than just a scorer, too, Boeset is averaging 6.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2.5 steals per game as a versatile playmaker and a guard that brings consistent effort on both sides of the florr for the Clippers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2731843"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69710d094a538"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A starter for Knoxville last season, [player_tooltip player_id='2731843' first='Drake' last='Larson'] was a good, net-positive piece in the first five for the Panthers, averaging 7.8 points, 5.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game in 2024-25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Now one of two dudes on the roster for Knoxville alongside leading scorer [player_tooltip player_id='2231637' first='Lincoln' last='Norris'] (20.6 PPG), Larson is his playmaking, right-hand man. Averaging 16.4 PPG, Larson can score, but where he really shines is making others better. Leading all classes in assists with a whopping 8.1 per contest, Larson has a sensational assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.42, making him one of the best guards in the state. Made more impressive by his 5-foot-8 size, Larson sees the floor well and he adds 3.6 rebounds and two steals per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2530471"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69710d094a581"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It's not so much that [player_tooltip player_id='2530471' first='Tate' last='McCollum'] has burst onto the scene this season -- his familial pedigree as the son of Iowa head coach Ben McCollum and Hawkeye freshman Peyton McCollum provides enough context for his play to be good in his first year with Solon. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tate hasn't just been good, though, he's been great. The eighth-ranked scorer in 3A at 21.6 PPG, the junior point guard is the only Spartan averaging double-figures in scoring, while adding 2.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.3 steals per contest for undefeated Solon. He's doing all of this after playing in just 13 games and averaging .9 PPG last season for Waukee Northwest before he and his family made the move to eastern Iowa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2926177"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69710d094a5c9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A late bloomer, [player_tooltip player_id='2926177' first='Landon' last='Myers'] didn't do much of anything for Boone prior to this season. During his junior campaign, Myers started five games and played in 21, but averaged just 1.2 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not necessarily needing to develop physically, Myers is the same height he was as last season, but he's become a much better player over the last year. Now a double-double machine, Myers averages 14.5 points, 13.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game for the Toreadors. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As our Tony Roe <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/12/2026-rankings-update-class-3a-4a-newcomer-wings-and-bigs/">previously said</a> of Myers, "He has good, soft hands and uses his physical frame to his advantage."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3424737"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69710d094a60f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A newly added profile for the 6-foot-5 small forward in the midst of a sophomore surge, [player_tooltip player_id='3424737' first='Evan' last='Stanislav'] has gone from an unknown freshman to being a top 25 scorer in 3A and Glenwood's star player in just a year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seeing action in 12 games last season and averaging 3.2 PPG, Stanislav has exploded onto the scene for the Rams in his second year. Averaging 17.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, Stanislav is a name to know in the class of 2028 as a potential Division I-bound prospect -- especially if he continues to ramp up his production over the next few years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->