State Tournament- Teams who will be back in 2022
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North Linn Lynx- Class 1A Probably the most obvious team in Class 1A on this list is North Linn. The runner-up to Montezuma this year does not have to retool their roster and will only lose 1 senior from this…
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Continue ReadingNorth Linn Lynx- Class 1A
Probably the most obvious team in Class 1A on this list is North Linn. The runner-up to Montezuma this year does not have to retool their roster and will only lose 1 senior from this past year’s team in role player, Kaleb Kurt (6.2 ppg). The Lynx will return 92% of their total scoring from this past season, and I’m almost positive they won’t stop being aggressive on defense with their 3/4 court pressure they overwhelmed teams with all season. Upper Iowa commit, Austin Hilmer Austin Hilmer 5'10" | PG North Linn | 2022 State IA (17.3 ppg), will return for his senior season looking to lead the Lynx on a revenge tour to a state title.
Other key returning players: 2023 Tate Haughenberry (15.6), 2022 Dylan Kurt Dylan Kurt 6'3" | SF North Linn | 2022 State IA (14.1), 2023 Ben Wheatley (10.2), Cade Haughenberry (9.1)
Western Christian Wolfpack- Class 2A
The 2020-2021 Class 2A champions should return to defend their title again next year as they lose two players from the Varsity roster. The Wolfpack will have to find good replacements for Seniors Tyson Boer (8.1) and Dalton Westra (3.7) as Boer was a perimeter shooting threat and Westra was nice interior piece off the bench. The Wolfpack will be led by All-Tournament team captain Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA (16.9) and All-Tournament team selection Wyatt Gulker (12.6) who had really good week’s at Wells Fargo.
Other key returning players: 2022 Eli Van Essen (9.8), 2022 Brayden Van Meeteren (6.2), 2023 Ashtin Van’t Hul (5.6)
Ames Little Cyclones- Class 4A
The Class 4A semi-final team will return 4 of 5 starters only losing Senior Casey Mumm Casey Mumm 5'11" | PG Ames | 2021 State IA (5.2) from the starting five. They will also lose a couple key players off the bench in Keyshaun Brooks Keyshaun Brooks 6'1" | CG Ames | 2021 State IA (10.8) and Patrick Krapfl (1.8) who both took a stint in the starting lineup throughout the year as well. The obvious leader on this team is Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'2" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA (16.3) who will finish his 4 year varsity career in the 21-22 season. Ames also seemed to catch stride when Waterloo East transfer, Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA (11.5) was eligible and entered into the lineup.
Other key returning players: 2022 Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA (8.6), 2023 Lucas Lueth (4.9)
Grand View Christian Thunder- Class 1A
Grand View Christian will have to replace some key pieces heading into next year but will keep a good core of players. Losing Senior perimeter players Alandis Arrasmith (6.3) and Jonny Gatto (11.7) is not ideal for a Thunder team who’s offense was lacking in the semi-final game against eventual champs Montezuma. However, they will return leading scorer Manny Hammonds Manny Hammonds 6'2" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA (19.3) who had a field day in their first round matchup against Remsen St. Mary’s scoring the basketball. Free throws will be a point of emphasis for this team going into next season.
Other key returning players: 2022 Josh Baucum Josh Baucum 6'1" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA (14.7), 2023 Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA (10.0), 2022 Caleb Parlee (7.0), 2023 Josh Sanderson (3.5)
Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons- Class 2A
Being a deep team this past season should pay off for this Falcons team heading into next season. The starting lineup does lose two players in Owen Thomas Owen Thomas 6'4" | SF Aplington-Parkersburg | 2021 State IA (11.8) and Josh Haan Josh Haan 6'6" | PF Aplington-Parkersburg | 2021 State IA (7.5), but they are the only two Seniors on the overall roster so there should be pieces in the waiting to help pick up what’s being leaving. Aplington-Parkersburg will be led by Senior-to-be Jayden Mackie Jayden Mackie 6'2" | PG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2022 State IA (14.4) and they will be hoping for more 34 point 1st round performances from him throughout the season next year.
Other key returning players: 2023 Garrett Hempen (12.2), 2024 Gavin Thomas (9.4), 2022 Christian Haugstad Christian Haugstad 6'7" | C Aplington-Parkersburg | 2022 State IA (8.4), 2022 Elijah Switzer (4.8), 2024 Cooper Hoff (2.7)
Van Meter Bulldogs- Class 2A
Van Meter went out in the first round against the aforementioned Aplington-Parkersburg, but the Bulldogs will be returning 85% of their overall scoring from this season. Taylor Birks (8.9) is the biggest loss for this team and the length he provided at 6’6. They turned the ball over 15 times against an intense Falcons defense, and will have to work on keeping the ball better when it comes late in the season. The Bulldogs should be led by returning leading scorer Chris Schreck Chris Schreck 5'10" | PG Van Meter | 2022 State IA (13.0) again next year.
Other key returning players: 2022 Clark Fiala (11.1), 2022 Casey Trudo (10.6), 2023 Carter Durflinger (6.1), 2023 Skyler Yazzie (4.4)
Pella Dutch- Class 3A
It’s hard to think that a team can win the state championship and still return a good core, but that’s the situation the Pella Dutch are in. The biggest losses from the roster are starters Grant Nelson Grant Nelson 6'1" | SF Pella | 2021 State IA (17.4), Ryan Mace (5.4), and Josh Warner (5.1). Of the teams on this list, Pella is probably the team that loses the most from their last year’s team but they seem to have solid contributors waiting in the wings. Newton transfer, Noah Allen Noah Allen 5'11" | PG Pella | 2022 State IA (12.3), was big in the state tournament and seems ready to take over the reigns for the Dutch next season to go along with Karl Miller Karl Miller 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA (15.7) and his knockdown shooting.
Other key returning players: 2022 Parker Elder Parker Elder 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA (7.2), 2022 Preston Rowe (3.7), 2022 Keegan Hansen (2.3)