Conference Preview: Tri-Rivers East

<h4>The Teams</h4> <p><strong>Calamus-Wheatland (11-11):</strong> The top four scorers, and six of the top seven, graduated for the Warriors, leaving junior forward Cole VanderHeiden (4.5, 6.4 rebounds) as the lone returnee who saw significant playing time last season. VanderHeiden is a good rebounder on both ends of the floor, and the Warriors have posted double-digit wins seven years in a row, so we expect them to have some talent in the system to fill in the departed gaps, but it could be a little bit of a rough start to the year for this group. Expect to see them in the middle of the division.</p> <p><strong>Cedar Valley Christian (2-17):</strong> The Huskies bring back nearly 95% of their scoring production from last year’s team that got more competitive as the season progressed. Senior forward Levi Telecky (10.8) is the top returning scorer and sophomores Abdisa Ali (8.4) and Gabe Werling (6.3) saw lots of playing time last season as freshmen and will be key pieces for this program for the next three years. Ali led the team in rebounding at 7.3 a night. With the experience back, they should cut down on the turnover issues they had (24.4 a game) a bit, and there is a chance they could double their win total from last year, which would be a step in the right direction for this program.</p> <p><strong>Easton Valley (22-1):</strong> After a few years of close calls, the River Hawks finally broke through and made a trip to the state tournament last season. They lose both double-figure scorers from last year’s team but bring back five key contributors, so while they probably won’t be going undefeated again in the league, they should still be considered the team to beat in the division. They’ll be led by 6-7 big man [player_tooltip player_id="1158461" first="Cayden" last="Deardorff"] (8.7), a mobile big man who runs the floor, protects the rim, and can occasionally pop out and stretch the floor as well. Senior wing Aidan Gruver (6.3) was a solid role player for this group, as was Conor Gruver (4.8), and lead guard [player_tooltip player_id="1167740" first="Carson" last="Fuegen"] (4.9, 6.4 assists) is a dynamo on both ends of the floor with his quickness. Despite losing Kaleb Cornilsen (22.9 points a game last year) and Porter Fuegen (13.9), they should still be dynamic offensively because of their constant on-ball pressure defensively. This program has been dominant over the last decade or so, posting 20.2 wins a season over the last nine years, and they should be strong again this year.</p> [caption id="attachment_1290515" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/110-Kole-Becker.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1290515 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/110-Kole-Becker-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> Becker[/caption] <p><strong>Lisbon (11-9):</strong> The Lions bring back nearly 90% of their scoring from last year’s team, led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="784986" first="Kole" last="Becker"] (17.6), one of 1A’s most versatile threats on both ends of the floor. A long, 6-4 wing with tremendous athleticism, Becker has committed to high jump for Iowa State in college, but he’ll enjoy a fantastic senior year on the hardwood before then. He can fill it up from all three levels and has really improved as a shooter over the last few years. He buried 42.9% of his 3-point attempts last season, which when paired with his ability to get to the rim, makes him a dynamic scorer. Fellow seniors [player_tooltip player_id="962694" first="Tyson" last="Scott"] (11.5, 8.4 rebounds) and Tyler Scott (5.0, 2.7 assists) give them an experienced core to build around. [player_tooltip player_id="962694" first="Tyson" last="Scott"] is a physical presence in the paint, while Tyler Scott is the team’s leader on the court. If Lisbon can cut down on the turnovers a bit (16.1 a game), they could be a very dangerous offensive team. Expect them to compete for the division title. </p> <p><strong>Marquette Catholic (7-12):</strong> Leading scorer Carson Michels, who led the state in scoring at 29.1 points a game last season, graduated, leaving a gaping hole in the lineup for the Mohawks. In addition to his scoring, he averaged 13.3 rebounds a game, so they are losing 55% of their scoring and 43% of their rebounding just with the loss of Michels. Sophomore wing Cade Kettmann (5.6) had a productive freshman season as a role player and is ready to step into a bigger role as a sophomore, while junior guard Evan Scott (4.6) and senior forward Nolan Tracy (3.5) are the other key returnees. Expect a step back from this group, but a much more balanced attack this year.</p> <p><strong>Midland (5-15):</strong> The Eagles lose their leading scorer and rebounder from last season but bring back four key rotation pieces in juniors Zain Sauer (10.2) and Warren Etten (5.9), sophomore Cale Crist (5.3), and senior Jon Thomsen (5.1), giving them an experienced quartet to build around. Sauer led the team in assists last season, and Crist and Etten combined to knock down 65 3-pointers, giving them a strong trio of guards to hold down the fort. This team will be small, and could have issues on the glass against some of the bigger and more athletic teams in the division, but they should be improved this season with the experience they have returning.</p> <p><strong>Prince of Peace (13-8):</strong> The Irish closed last season strong, winning 11 of their last 14 games (with two of those losses coming to Easton Valley). Unfortunately, they lose the top four scorers from that team, leaving junior guard Marcus Blount (6.2) as the top returnee. He was second on the team in assists and steals per game last season, and is a capable 3-point shooting threat. Expect to see Blount emerge as one of the better players in the division. A trio of sophomores saw plenty of playing time last season as freshmen - Jhikeith McGraw (3.7), Jaxon Dehner (3.0), and Julius Graham (2.9) - and should become bigger contributors this year. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Projected Order of Finish</h4> <p>1. Easton Valley<br /> 2. Lisbon<br /> 3. Prince of Peace<br /> 4. Marquette Catholic<br /> 5. Calamus-Wheatland<br /> 6. Midland<br /> 7. Cedar Valley Christian</p> <p><strong>Analysis:</strong> Easton Valley should still be considered the favorite in this division, despite losing a lot of production. They've been a dominant force, annually winning 20+ games, and they're the champs until they're dethroned. Lisbon should be very improved and a real threat to the River Hawks.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Preseason Player of the Year</h4> <p><strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="784986" first="Kole" last="Becker"], Lisbon:</strong> Becker is an eye-popping athlete who finishes above the rim with authority both in transition and in the halfcourt. He has really improved as a shooter and put up very impressive 51-43-77 shooting splits last season while impacting the game on both ends of the floor.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Players to Watch</h4> <p>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="784986" first="Kole" last="Becker"], Lisbon<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962694" first="Tyson" last="Scott"], Lisbon<br /> 2022 Gavin Wollum, Lisbon<br /> 2022 Tyler Scott, Lisbon<br /> 2022 Kaeden Harrer, Lisbon<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158461" first="Cayden" last="Deardorff"], Easton Valley<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167740" first="Carson" last="Fuegen"], Easton Valley<br /> 2022 Aidan Gruver, Easton Valley<br /> 2022 Conor Gruver, Easton Valley<br /> 2022 Levi Telecky, Cedar Valley Christian<br /> 2022 Drew Grimm, Cedar Valley Christian<br /> 2024 Abdisa Ali, Cedar Valley Christian<br /> 2024 Gabe Werling, Cedar Valley Christian<br /> 2023 Zain Sauer, Midland<br /> 2023 Warren Etten, Midland<br /> 2023 Marcus Blunt, Prince of Peace<br /> 2024 Caden Kettman, Marquette Catholic</p>