Mid-Season Mr. Basketball Check In

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The favorites</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Waukee Northwest SF</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1978099' first='Colin' last='Rice']:</strong> In my mind, this race is probably realistically down to two candidates - Rice and Storm Lake wing [player_tooltip player_id='1765515' first='Jaidyn' last='Coon']. Rice is putting up really impressive numbers - 22.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.7 steals, 2.0 blocks on 52-43-78 shooting splits - and is doing so against the best competition the state has to offer on a nightly basis. He has a bit more cerebral game than Coon, with nowhere near as many high-flying highlights, but there is definitely something to be said for scoring at a highly efficient clip, impacting the game in a signifiant way on both ends of the floor, and doing so against high-level competition. The future Nebraska wing is the top-ranked player in the state for a reason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Storm Lake SF [player_tooltip player_id='1765515' first='Jaidyn' last='Coon']:</strong> It seems like every night there is a new highlight video of Coon throwing down 4-5 dunks against an overmatched opponent. On most nights, Storm Lake is just way, way better than anyone else on the schedule. The big bullet point on Coon's resume is his performance against Omaha Westside in the MLK Classic last Monday. In a triple overtime win against arguably the best team in Nebraska, Coon had 37 points, 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks, and delivered highlight after highlight. The Creighton commit is averaging 23.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game on 56-31-67 shooting splits. With Mr. Basketball voting taking place on the morning of Championship Friday, there's a real chance that this race could come down to who has a better state tournament week (provided both teams get there).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The biggest threats</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Decorah C [player_tooltip player_id='2413531' first='Cael' last='LaFrentz']: </strong>It has been a down year for the Vikings by their lofty standards set over the last half-decade, but LaFrentz is still a big name who is putting up massive numbers. He's averaging 27.6 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 5.1 blocks per game on 57% shooting, and is a player who should still garner some consideration.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cedar Falls PF [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes']: </strong>The leading scorer and rebounder for the state's best team, Gerdes is having a sensational senior year, averaging 20.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.2 blocks on nearly 73% (!) shooting. The Northern Iowa commit has the Tigers looking like the favorite to win the 4A title, especially with their win over Waukee Northwest at the Crossover Classic, and if he can get them to Championship Friday and impress along the way, he'll be a name tossed into the ring, no doubt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>ADM SG [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen']:</strong> Lorensen, who recently became ADM's all-time leading scorer, isn't having quite as explosive a scoring season as he did last season, but he has been remarkably efficient, posting 51-49-94 shooting splits en route to just under 22 points per game. The Tigers have taken a few lumps but are still considered one of the top contenders in Class 3A, and if they reach Championship Friday, it'll be largely because of Lorensen.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Burlington, Notre Dame PG [player_tooltip player_id='1978106' first='Shay' last='Stephens']: </strong>Stephens, a Western Illinois commit, has the Nikes looking like one of the top contenders for the Class 1A state title. A 6-5 point guard who uses his size to his advantage, he's a bouncy athlete with length, shot making, and ball-handling that make him nearly impossible to defend at this level. He's putting up 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.8 steals on 67-38-76 shooting splits, and is likely the candidate that the small-school newspaper voters rally behind.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>In the conversation?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Linn-Mar SF [player_tooltip player_id='2204894' first='Tyler' last='Hilton']:</strong> If you're looking for a potential dark horse in this race, it could be Hilton. The Wayne State commit has multiple 20-20 games this season and has kept Linn-Mar in the conversation in Class 4A despite losing a ton of production from last year's semifinalist. At 6-7, he can score inside and out, is dominant on the glass, and versatile defensively. He's averaging 18.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 50.6% shooting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Keokuk C [player_tooltip player_id='1978100' first='Jaxon' last='Clark']: </strong>One of the most dominant big men in the state, Clark is putting up video game numbers for the Chiefs - 29.7 points, 16.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.5 blocks on 69% shooting. The thing holding him back is that it's really unlikely that Keokuk gets to the state tournament in 3A, and it'll be hard for him to be considered a truly viable candidate without getting onto the big stage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->