The Lea3ue Opening Night Preview
The second annual Iowa Barnstormers-run fall league, The Lea3ue, will tip off on Wednesday night in Dubuque, as some of the best players in eastern Iowa descend upon Loras College, the University of Dubuque and Clarke University of the course of the next five weeks to get some quality game action in before the opening of high school practices in November.
In all, 21 players ranked in the top 50 in their respective classes are participating.
Full rosters and a schedule can be found at http://thelea3ue.com.
In this article, we’ll preview the pair of opening night games, as well as pick our winner for the season. This figures to be a dynamite showcase of the young talent across eastern Iowa, and those who are itching for some basketball should certainly make their way out to some of these games to check out the action.
6:30 pm (Loras Fieldhouse): Molstead Motors/Ludovissy and Associates vs. Cottingham and Butler/American Trust Retirement
The Lea3ue kicks off with what should be an entertaining game featuring eight players who are ranked among the top 25 in their respective classes: Trey Hutcheson, Jackson Molstead and Hunter Strait for Molstead Motors; Griff Clark, Keith Johnson, Alex McAleer, Masen Miller and Corvon Seales for Cottingham and Butler.
Hutcheson was the top pick in the draft, and the trio of him, Molstead and Strait is going to be really tough for opposing teams to stop. Cottingham may be the team best set up to defend them though, with plus wing defenders like Corvon Seales and Nick Timmerman on their roster.
Matchup to watch: Trey Hutcheson vs. Keith Johnson
Hutcheson was the No. 1 pick in this league, and for good reason. He’s a supremely gifted wing who can score inside and out, handles it well and rebounds at a high level. I’d imagine that Cottingham and Butler will throw a number of different players at him, including Corvon Seales, Nick Timmerman and Alex McAleer. But their best chance at slowing Hutcheson down may be with Johnson, a strong, physical and athletic 6-5 forward who has the speed to stay in front of Hutcheson and the length to contest his jumpers.
Top-50 ranked players to watch
Molstead Motors/Ludovissy and Associates: Trey Hutcheson (Linn-Mar, 6-6, No. 7 in 2019); Ozzie Meiborg (Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 5-11, No. 31 in 2020); Jackson Molstead (Charles City, 5-10, No. 21 in 2019); Hunter Strait (Ankeny Centennial, 6-2, No. 5 in 2018); VJ Wilmington (Davenport North, 6-2, No. 40 in 2018)
Cottingham and Butler/American Trust Retirement: Griffen Clark (Cedar Rapids Prairie, 5-11, No. 21 in 2018); Keith Johnson (Dubuque Hempstead, 6-5, No. 17 in 2018); Alex McAleer (Central DeWitt, 6-6, No. 8 in 2020); Masen Miller (Iowa City Regina, 6-0, No. 19 in 2020); Corvon Seales (North Scott, 6-3, No. 23 in 2018); Nick Timmerman (Dubuque Senior, 6-1, No. 40 in 2019)
8:00 pm (Loras Fieldhouse): Harris Golf Cars/Quagliano Foot and Ankle Care vs. Gooch’s Greenhouse/Gold Standard Insurance
There are lots of talented guards to keep an eye on in this matchup, with Lucas Duax, Jake Hilmer and Kris Murray headlining Gooch’s Greenhouse against Carter Stevens, Keegan Murray and Calvin Harris of Harris Golf Cars.
The big edge that Harris Golf Cars should have here is the fact that they have arguably the two best big men in the league, with Even Brauns and Noah Carter, whose skill sets complement each other well. That combination of inside-out scoring is going to be difficult for any team in this league to slow down.
Matchup to watch: Carter Stevens vs. Jake Hilmer
Hilmer would’ve been my top pick in this league, simply because no matter what the setting is, he makes everyone better. With his speed, court vision, passing and scoring ability, he’s the type of player who will thrive in this more open setting. Stevens will have his hands full trying to slow Hilmer down, but he’s no slouch on the offensive end in his own right. He also has the added benefit of playing with a pair of bigs who run the floor really well, guys who would’ve fit in really well with Hilmer’s style of play. If Stevens can come close to matching Hilmer’s production, it’ll go a long way towards getting Harris Golf Cars an opening win.
Top-50 ranked players to watch
Harris Golf Cars/Quagliano Foot and Ankle Care: Even Brauns (Iowa City Regina, 6-9, No. 4 in 2020); Noah Carter (Dubuque Senior, 6-6, No. 14 in 2019); Calvin Harris (Western Dubuque, 6-1, No. 11 in 2020); Keegan Murray (Cedar Rapids Prairie, 6-3, No. 25 in 2019); Jacob Schockemoehl (Dubuque Wahlert, 5-11, No. 28 in 2020); Carter Stevens (Dubuque Senior, 5-11, No. 28 in 2018)
Gooch’s Greenhouse/Gold Standard Insurance: Lucas Duax (Dubuque Hempstead, 6-2, No. 20 in 2018); Jake Hilmer (North Linn, 5-10, No. 9 in 2019); Kris Murray (Cedar Rapids Prairie, 6-3, No. 32 in 2019); Peter Timmerman (Dubuque Wahlert, 6-6, No. 38 in 2018)
Preseason champion pick: Gooch’s Greenhouse/Gold Standard Insurance
You could make a strong argument for any of the four teams, because obviously each one is loaded with talent. But in a setting like this, I’m taking the team that is led by the player I would’ve taken first. Hilmer makes everyone around him better, and pairing him with some electric scorers like Lucas Duax and Kris Murray makes them my team to beat here. This team is going to light up the scoreboard, and while they may struggle to get many defensive stops, I think they’ll outscore everyone en route to the championship.