Coach’s Take: Iowa Mavericks 17U Purple (Part III)
A mainstay in the upper echelons of Iowa grassroots ball, the Iowa Mavericks certainly have a good thing going right now. They recently became a Jordan Brand Program after inking a three year deal with the company, making it certain they’ll have some of the nicest threads in the state for years to come. The unis are nice, but the talent level within the program is the real story. In particular, the Mavs’ top 17U squad was one of Iowa’s best groups this offseason. We caught up with co-program director and 17U Purple coach Miguel Villagrana to discuss just what it was that made his team special.
Co-program director/17U Purple coach, Miguel Villagrana
Nick Bockman, 6′ PG (Decorah)
“He’s quite possibly the best shooter that we had on our team. The deal was, we had to convince him that it was part of his job. Nick’s very unselfish, a really, really nice defender. He kind of felt that at the beginning of the year, his job was just to fit in and not score the ball. Towards the end of the year we had a small talk and he decided to start putting it up a little more. He’s definitely one of the better shooters in Eastern Iowa. He doesn’t miss often. And if he misses one, you can almost guarantee the next one is going in. He handles the ball well, and defends well. And the best thing is probably his conscientiousness as a person. Decorah will be good with him as their point guard this year. And he’s the type of player that can take an average team and make it good, and an average team and make it above average. He’s willing to play hard, and he’s a coach’s best friend; he has absolutely no attitude and you know exactly what he’s going to get for you. I’m looking for big things from him this year.”
Noah Schlader, 6′ PG (Charles City)
“In my opinion, he’s always overlooked by everybody. He’s grown a lot, he was very small as a freshman, and he’s been playing with us for three years. He’s grown now to where he’s a good 6-foot, 6’1. He’s a good shooter and a better than average defender. A lot of guys would say he’s only a shooter and then he’d come away with three of four steals in a game. There were at least three or four games where he made critical steals for us and went down to get a lay-up when we needed a big bucket. Other games, he’ll step out and shoot the 3. There was a game in Minnesota where Kyler (Bell) drove baseline and kicked it out to him for a big 3-pointer. That’s the thing I like, is he’s ready to take the big shot, he’s not going to shy away from it, even though that didn’t look like it was going to be his role, but it’s what he does. With him playing alongside Jackson Molstead at Charles City, they’ll have a really nice combo at the guard.
Luke Empen, 6’6 C (Northeast, Goose Lake)
“He’s a dream to coach, probably the hardest working kid that we had. He’s a big kid, not over-sized, but he plays that post position really well because of his strength. Her rebounds the ball like a man. You can hear him grab a rebound, and the kids on the floor and other coach’s have to turn their heads to see who just got that ball. It was just him smacking it between his hands. He’s got a really nice shooting touch, soft touch for somebody as strong as he is. He gets a lot of nice soft bounces around the rim. And he can put it in around the rim with his right or his left. He passes the ball very well. And, like I said, the rebounding was incredible. The one thing that was most eye-opening for me was when we were in Vegas, and he was standing at the free-throw line. Somebody missed a jumper from the top of the key and he came running down the lane and went back and was going for the one-handed put-back dunk. He slammed it off the back, and I don’t think the ball landed until it got to the other half of the court. It didn’t count for points, but the athleticism that was there was awing. I know he’s a good football player as well as a good basketball player, so it’ll be interesting to see who recruits him and what their thoughts are for him.”
Peter Timmerman, 6’6 SF (Dubuque, Wahlert)
“Pete’s the only guy on the team who’s been on this team for all three years. I’ve gotten to know him really well, and he’s two things; he’s a great kid, and he learned how to be a leader these last two years, which I didn’t know if it was in his makeup. He shoots the ball from inside and out very well. Early in his career, he had a little trouble taking contact, which a lot of taller, thin guys are going to have. And he really worked on that, he’s worked on adding some weight, so he can be a force inside and outside; which I think makes him a nightmare to guard. He’s probably the nicest kid that you’ll meet. He’s definitively the most coach-able. And if you say anything to the rest of the team, he is 100 percent behind the coach, and in agreement. He’s definitely someone that we relied on for three years. And between him and Tyler Kelley, it’d be a toss-up between who was the best player on that team, and who we couldn’t be without. I can’t say enough about him, and how good of a kid he is, not just a basketball player. He’s just a great, great person, and I’m a better person for having been around him these last three years.”