Conference Preview: Heart of Iowa

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Greene County (10-13, 39.5% of scoring returning):</strong> The Rams lost a pair of big-time scorers to graduation in Richard Daugherty and Jesse Miller, taking a combined 30.7 points and 12.9 rebounds a game with them. The good news, however, is that the next three scorers from last year's team are back, including double-digit scorer Gabe Ebersole (10.0). Ebersole is an undersized forward at 6-1, but he has a non-stop motor and is really good on the glass on both ends of the floor. Brynley Ruzicka (7.8, 38.1 3P%) is the team's top perimeter shooting threat, and Nathan Behne (5.6, 41.7 3P%) showed flashes in limited action, appearing in just five games last season but producing when he was on the court. They'll battle for a top-half finish in the league, but with the production that a majority of the other teams in that range are bringing back, it will be tough. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Nevada (15-8, 86.7%): </strong>The Cubs bring back their top four scorers from last year's 15-win team, led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1751185' first='Jacob' last='Khounsourath'] (18.7, 3.4 assists), a 6-1 guard who stuffs the stat sheet and provides a ton of versatility on both ends of the floor. He's a good defender who blocks shots at a really high clip for a perimeter player, and he's able to put constant pressure on opposing teams with his ability to create off the dribble. Easton Gray (9.7) and [player_tooltip player_id='1758643' first='Alec' last='Higgins'] (9.1) slot in alongside Khounsourath on the perimeter, giving them three viable scorers and playmakers, while sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='1765535' first='John' last='Nelson'] (8.4, 6.2 rebounds) was excellent as a freshman, controlling the glass on both ends of the floor and providing some rim protection. The road to the HOI title probably still goes through Roland-Story, but Nevada will certainly have a say in that. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PCM (8-15, 71.8%): </strong>Both of the Mustangs' double-figure scorers return in senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1751230' first='Jacob' last='Wendt'] (13.7, 10.1 rebounds) and junior wing Gavin VanGorp (13.1), giving them a pair of big scoring threats who complement each other well. Junior guard Kaleb Devries (3.5, 4.1 assists) isn't a big scoring threat, but he's a solid lead guard who gets his teammates involved and protects the ball fairly well, giving them a reliable ball-handler and playmaker in the backcourt. As a team, the 'Stangs struggled with turnovers last season, giving it away 17.5 times a game, and that will definitely need to improve if they want to be more competitive this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Perry (8-15, 85.9%): </strong>After a long stretch of lean years at Perry, the program seems to be heading back in the right direction as we head into the 2023-24 season. This is a program that won 8 games last season after winning a combined 12 games over the previous five years, and they bring back the top four scorers, and all but one player who saw time last season, giving them some reason for optimism this year. Four double-figure scorers return in juniors Geren Kennedy (11.6, 7.3 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2721707' first='Owen' last='Myers'] (10.8), and seniors Brandon Mahler (11.4) and Drake Levan (10.5). Kennedy led the team in scoring and rebounding, while Mahler, Levan, and Myers are all pretty reliable ball-handlers and playmakers who can each initiate the offense or play without the ball. The Bluejays have a lot of experience returning and some momentum within the program. They have a real chance to finish above .500, and there is a pretty good amount of young talent in the program that will be looking to make an impact in the 2024-25 season as well. After some bleak years in Perry, things are trending up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Roland-Story (25-2, 34.4%): </strong>The Norsemen lost three of their top four scorers to graduation, which is obviously a significant blow to a team that made it to the 2A semifinals last season. But they bring back a pair of veteran pieces who will keep this group competitive within the league and in 2A again this season, especially early on as they break in some new faces. [player_tooltip player_id='1171681' first='Jonovan' last='Wilkinson'] (16.3, 6.8 rebounds) is one of the best two-way players in the state, a versatile defender and fantastic mid-range offensive weapon. He has worked to extend his range as well as his ability to create off the dribble, knowing that he'll need to do a little bit of everything for this team this season, and he looks primed to shoulder the scoring load as well as serving as a facilitator when needed. The other key returnee is [player_tooltip player_id='1288880' first='Boaz' last='Clark'] (7.0, 35.1 3P%), a quality role player last season who will step into a much larger role as a senior. He shoots it really well from the arc both off the dribble and the catch, and he'll be able to provide some needed spacing for Wilkinson. Wilkinson and Clark are the only returnees with notable experience, but Roland-Story's program is on an upward trajectory and they should be a factor in the league race again. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Saydel (8-14, 77.0%): </strong>The Eagles have won a combined 18 games in the last two seasons after a six-year stretch in which they had a combined 18 wins. They haven't posted a winning season since the 2009-10 season, in which they went 14-9, but they have a chance to get above the .500 mark this year. Six of the top seven scorers return, led by the tandem of seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1945655' first='Cade' last='Boten'] (15.7, 35.9 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1945658' first='Shyne' last='Lo'] (11.4, 6.5 assists), who pair to give the Eagles a really strong, experienced backcourt. Boten is a solid three-level scoring threat who can take over games as a volume scorer, while Lo is an efficient guard who gets his teammates involved at a high clip. AJ Ollin (7.7), Trevor Goode (3.5), and Hunter Reed (3.3) were all quality role players as sophomores and should step into bigger roles as juniors. Outside of Boten and Lo, there isn't much shooting on the roster, which could be a concern, and they'll need someone to step up as an interior presence and rebounder following the graduation of Mason Hicks, who accounted for nearly over a third of their rebounds last year. But there is a lot of experience returning, and this should be a pretty deep team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>South Hamilton (9-13, 60.4%): </strong>The Hawks were pretty close to putting together a really good year last season, with eight of their 13 losses coming by single digits, including five by four points or fewer. The top two scorers return in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2204891' first='Ryland' last='Ubben'] (10.4) and Reece Ricke (9.2), giving them a strong duo to build around. Ubben is a tough guard with good size on the perimeter who can create looks for himself and his teammates, as well as defend a few different positions. Ricke is a physical forward who rebounds well on both ends of the floor, and senior forward Owen Renaud (5.5) gives them some additional size and rebounding. This team struggled to shoot it from the arc (25.9 3P%) and with turnovers (18.2) last season, both numbers that will need to improve if they want to win those close games and flip their record around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Marshall (9-13, 56.3%): </strong>The Trojans struggled to score last season, averaging under 46 points a game, and the primary culprit is their inefficiency from behind the arc (22.8%). They bring back three of their top five, led by senior Owen Siegert (8.5), who tied for the team lead in scoring last season. He's the most efficient scorer on the roster and will be tasked with being their go-to threat on that end of the floor. Andrew Tollefson (6.4) and Preston Reese (5.2) are the other notable returnees, veteran pieces who can do a little bit of everything. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Projected Order of Finish</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>1. Roland-Story<br>2. Nevada<br>3. Perry<br>4. Saydel<br>5. South Hamilton<br>6. PCM<br>7. Greene County<br>8. West Marshall</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>Despite significant personnel losses due to graduation, we're still siding with Roland-Story to take home the HOI crown this season. They have the best player in the league and have established a strong foundation for the program. Nevada will push them to the end of the season, and Perry and Saydel are a pair of programs trending in the right direction and looking to get above the .500 mark.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Preseason Player of the Year</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171681' first='Jonovan' last='Wilkinson'] (Roland-Story): </strong>One of the best two-way players in small-school basketball, Wilkinson looks primed to have a huge senior year for the Norsemen as a scorer, defender, and playmaker. He's armed with one of the best mid-range games in the state and does a little bit of everything for an R-S team looking to win the league again. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171681' first='Jonovan' last='Wilkinson'] (Roland-Story)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1288880' first='Boaz' last='Clark'] (Roland-Story)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751185' first='Jacob' last='Khounsourath'] (Nevada)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1758643' first='Alec' last='Higgins'] (Nevada)<br>2025 Easton Gray (Nevada)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765535' first='John' last='Nelson'] (Nevada)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751230' first='Jacob' last='Wendt'] (PCM)<br>2025 Gavin VanGorp (PCM)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1945655' first='Cade' last='Boten'] (Saydel)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1945658' first='Shyne' last='Lo'] (Saydel)<br>2025 AJ Ollin (Saydel)<br>2024 Brandon Mahler (Perry)<br>2025 Geren Kennedy (Perry)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721707' first='Owen' last='Myers'] (Perry)<br>2024 Drake Levan (Perry)<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2204891' first='Ryland' last='Ubben'] (South Hamilton)<br>2024 Reece Ricke (South Hamilton)<br>2024 Gabe Ebersole (Greene County)<br>2024 Brynley Ruzicka (Greene County)<br>2024 Owen Siegert (West Marshall)<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->