Week One Review: New Names

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2027 SG Brody Clark (Mount Pleasant)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-0 guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands, Clark dished out 5 assists in the Panthers' loss to Cedar Rapids Washington, showcasing good vision and instincts as a passer. He'll likely be asked to do a lot as a playmaker for a Panthers team that lost a lot of production to graduation and transfer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 SG Javion Seals (Cedar Rapids Washington)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An athletic 6-1 guard who does a nice job using that athleticism to compete on the glass, Seals pulled down 6 rebounds in the Warriors' win over Mount Pleasant. He has a great second jump that he uses to sky above other players.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 PF Brandon Johnson (Ames)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson is a bit undersized at 6-1, but he's athletic, physical, and tough as nails. He provided the Little Cyclones with a bit of a spark off the bench with his rebounding and solid interior defense. He had 4 rebounds, including a pair of the offensive end. He has soft hands and does a nice job using his strong lower body to clear out space.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 C DJ Bijiek (Ames)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bijiek is raw, but he's 6-8, springy, and really, really long. He has the type of length and raw athleticism that college coaches will be intrigued by. In limited minutes, he had 2 rebounds, an assist, and 2 steals, and while he wasn't credited with a block, he altered several and deterred anyone from trying to get to the rim when he was in the game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 SF [player_tooltip player_id='2731768' first='Christopher' last='Watkins'] (City High)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Watkins is the most intriguing long-term prospect on the Little Hawks' roster, an interesting wing with great length at 6-5. He showed some really impressive flashes in their loss to Ames, attacking off the dribble and getting to the rim for a pair of lefty finishes. He covers a lot of ground on both ends of the floor with his long strides and huge wingspan, and his blend of size, length, ball-handling, and athleticism make him someone to keep an eye on over the next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 CG [player_tooltip player_id='2886822' first='Henry' last='Elser'] (Iowa City West)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 6-0 guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands, Elser knocked down his only attempt from 3-point range, looking smooth and confident off the catch. He sees the floor well and gets his teammates involved, is a solid team defender, and contributes on the glass. He didn't do anything that will blow you away, but he was a solid two-way contributor for the Trojans.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 SF [player_tooltip player_id='2721822' first='Hayden' last='Umoren'] (Clear Creek Amana)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Umoren is a newcomer for the Clippers, having transferred from Iowa City West, but as he gets more acclimated with his new teammates, he could become a big-time impact player on the wing. He's an athletic, 6-5 wing with length, ball-handling, and toughness. He did a great job as the primary defender on [player_tooltip player_id='1381414' first='Jack' last='McCaffery'], and showed some potential as a ball-handler and playmaker in the open court. He's an intriguing player that I'll continue to monitor throughout his senior season as a possible late blooming prospect.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2025 PF Jack Wallace (Iowa City West)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the best quarterbacks in the state on the gridiron, the 6-3 Wallace provided some real toughness for the Trojans in the paint on the hardwood in their win over CCA. He came off the bench to score 8 points on a perfect 3-3 shooting (2-4 FT) with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. He's a tough interior presence who isn't afraid to throw his weight around, and he has soft hands and good vision out of the post.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 SF [player_tooltip player_id='2731802' first='Devin' last='Harper'] (Pleasant Valley)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harper was really impressive in his first major varsity minutes, scoring 15 points on 7-10 shooting (1-1 3P) with 5 rebounds, an assist, and 2 steals. A long, bouncy wing with a great second jump that he uses to compete on the glass, he showed some ability to create plays off the dribble and attack the rim, and he also looked comfortable shooting it from the mid-range and arc. His size, length, and athleticism allow him to provide some versatility on the defensive end, a bonus for Coach Hillman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 SG [player_tooltip player_id='2717164' first='Henry' last='Stremlow'] (Assumption)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stremlow made a big impact in his varsity debut with the Knights, scoring 11 points with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals, the latter two stats both leading the team. A quick guard with great hands, he gets his mitts on passes frequently, showing a knack for jumping passing lanes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2026 SF [player_tooltip player_id='1978134' first='Connor' last='Walsh'] (Wahlert Catholic)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A flamethrowing 6-3 wing, Walsh was scorching hot in the Golden Eagles' "upset" win over Assumption, going 6-8 from behind the arc, seemingly gaining confidence with each make. He has good size, which allows him to get to his shot a little easier, and a quick release off the catch. His impact wasn't limited to just 3-point shooting, though, as he also chipped in 5 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks in the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->