Conference Preview: MVC Valley

<!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>The Teams</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cedar Falls (22-3 last season, 60.1% of scoring returning): </strong>The Tigers bring back four of their top six scorers to a 22-win team that reached the semifinals last season. They'll be headlined by a pair of complementary seniors in forward [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] (16.5, 2.0 blocks, 65.9 FG%) and wing [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'] (12.5, 40.2 3P%). Gerdes, headed to Northern Iowa, is a mobile 6-8 forward who can protect the rim, score inside and out, and is a skilled passer. Kimbrough, headed to Winona State, is one of the best shooters in the state. Senior combo forward [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] (8.0, 5.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks) is an X-factor for this group with his size and versatility on the defensive end. He can defend one through five at this level, and he's also a good passer who uses his size well. The Tigers will get a boost from Waterloo West transfer [player_tooltip player_id='1765505' first='Parker' last='Berns'], who put up 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game last season for the Wahawks. He'll give the Tigers more playmaking in the backcourt as well as a solid on-ball defender. Several role players return and a strong group of players from last year's sophomore team that had a lot of success will fill in rotation spots. This is the team to beat in the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>City High (10-14, 66.0%): </strong>The Little Hawks really improved throughout last season and were playing good basketball down the stretch, winning six of their last eight games, with the two losses coming to Kennedy and Cedar Falls. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2731768' first='Christopher' last='Watkins'] (14.1, 6.8 rebounds, 55.8 FG%) was one of the breakout players last season around the state. He's a long, athletic wing who uses his size to his advantage on both ends of the floor. He scores well from all three levels and is an active rebounder and defender. [player_tooltip player_id='1978117' first='Davion' last='Luckett'] (6.4, 4.6 assists) is a quick guard who puts constant pressure on teams with his speed, and [player_tooltip player_id='1978142' first='Ja'Vion' last='Robinson'] (5.2), Iyon Harris (4.2), and Jack Lampe (3.4) all saw a good amount of time last season. Look for sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2917313' first='Coden' last='Kurtz'] to become a contributor this season and be a big piece of the puzzle moving forward. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hempstead (3-19, 27.7%): </strong>The Mustangs lost their leading scorer and five of their top seven from a team that won just three games last season. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2974139' first='Jordan' last='Plummer'] (8.2) is the top returning scorer, while DaJuan Willis (4.7) gives them some athleticism in the backcourt. The only other returnees who saw much time last season are sophomore Evan Hefel (2.5), senior Will Steffen (2.4), and junior Conner Carpenter (1.8). This is a group that struggled defensively last season, giving up 76.5 points a game, a number that will need to improve if they're going to win more games this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jefferson (5-18, 33.6%): </strong>The J-Hawks lost all three double-figure scorers from last year's team, leaving [player_tooltip player_id='2754713' first='Ian' last='Eirp'] (6.3) and [player_tooltip player_id='2906423' first='Jayden' last='Faulkner'] (6.0) as the top returnees. Eirp is a good shooter, and Faulkner can get to the rim off the dribble. Jefferson will receive a big boost if sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2523901' first='Halbert' last='Jackson'], a Washington transfer, can get on the floor. Per Jeff Johnson of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, he is currently ineligible to play, but if he can get on the floor, he's one of the most talented players in the state, regardless of class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Prairie (19-5, 70.4%): </strong>The Hawks bring back their top two, and five of the top seven, scorers. They're going to be absolutely loaded with shooting with the returns of [player_tooltip player_id='2419791' first='Austin' last='Joens'] (11.9, 41.7 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='2023719' first='Will' last='Wehr'] (11.7, 48.8 3P%), perhaps the best shooting tandem in the state. They are elite shooters off both the dribble and the catch, and their ability to space the floor opens everything up for the rest of the roster. [player_tooltip player_id='2419754' first='Quantae' last='Alexander'] (8.3, 3.0 assists) is a long, lanky guard who sees the floor well, creates for his teammates, and is a good, versatile defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2731874' first='David' last='Fason'] (7.6, 4.8 assists) is another good on-ball defender who can create plays for his teammates and score from all three levels. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2419840' first='Cayden' last='Larson'] (6.5) could have a huge year after playing well as a sophomore. He's got good size at 6-6/6-7, great footwork, and can defend the rim. The Hawks will have depth, a ton of shooting, and good size. This is a team that can 100% win a state title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wahlert Catholic (13-10, 23.7%): </strong>The Golden Eagles lost their top three scorers, and four of the top five, from last year's team. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1978134' first='Connor' last='Walsh'] (10.3, 48.0 3P%) is the top returning scorer, a big-time shooter with good size on the wing, and junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2370429' first='Peter' last='Wedewer'] (5.5) is a good on-ball defender, creative playmaker, and adept three-level scorer who came on strong down the stretch last season. Those are the two notable returnees, but they'll also get big contributions from a trio of transfers - sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2897197' first='Reid' last='Herrig'] (Senior), junior [player_tooltip player_id='2419855' first='Brayden' last='Tanny'] (Western Dubuque), and freshman Alex Tanny (Western Dubuque). The older Tanny led the Bobcats in scoring last season, putting up 9.8 points per game, but the younger Tanny is the one to really get excited about. He's a 6-8 wing who has been invited to several high-level showcase events already. This group may take a little while to gel together, but there is a good amount of talent here, and they'll have some good size.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Washington (6-17, 76.9%):</strong> The Warriors were ridiculously young last season, with their top three, and four of their top five, scorers being freshmen. They lost the aforementioned Jackson to transfer to Jefferson, but bring back all sorts of talent. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2523925' first='Trae' last='Fields'] (17.6) was fantastic during his freshman season, showcasing his ability to score from anywhere on the floor as well as create good looks for his teammates. [player_tooltip player_id='2772342' first='Brian' last='Robertson'] (7.9, 56.3 FG%) is an athletic forward who can score around the rim, and [player_tooltip player_id='2396064' first='William' last='Rahe'] (6.6, 2.5 assists) is a junior guard who can create plays for his teammates. Look for sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2523892' first='Chuck' last='Crawley'] (3.0), Zaccai Walters-Page (1.7), and [player_tooltip player_id='2523920' first='Quinton' last='Garner'] (0.2) to step into bigger roles this season for the Warriors, who should be more competitive and a lot of fun to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Waterloo West (14-9, 22.8%): </strong>The Wahawks lost all three double-figure scorers to either graduation or transfer, leaving juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2420800' first='Zion' last='Cook-Berns'] (7.3) and [player_tooltip player_id='2125122' first='Derrick' last='Akines'] (4.8) as the top returnees. Both are good ball-handlers and shot creators who will split primary playmaking roles. Not much else returns outside of those two, so this will be an almost entirely new look roster.</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. Cedar Falls<br>2. Prairie<br>3. Wahlert Cathoilc<br>4. City High<br>5. Washington<br>6. Waterloo West<br>7. Jefferson<br>8. Hempstead</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Analysis: </strong>This is a two-horse race between Cedar Falls and Prairie, the teams that we have ranked #2 and #3 to open the year in Class 4A. Wahlert could be a contender in 3A, while City and Washington should both be improved this season and a tough out on a nightly basis. </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>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] (Cedar Falls): </strong>The division race between Cedar Falls and Prairie will be a ton of fun to watch unfold this year, and both teams have multiple candidates for this honor. We'll side with Gerdes, the Northern Iowa signee, who impacts the game in a major way on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] (Cedar Falls)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'] (Cedar Falls)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765505' first='Parker' last='Berns'] (Cedar Falls)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] (Cedar Falls)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419791' first='Austin' last='Joens'] (Prairie)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2023719' first='Will' last='Wehr'] (Prairie)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419754' first='Quantae' last='Alexander'] (Prairie)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731874' first='David' last='Fason'] (Prairie)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419840' first='Cayden' last='Larson'] (Prairie)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2523925' first='Trae' last='Fields'] (Washington)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2772342' first='Brian' last='Robertson'] (Washington)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2396064' first='William' last='Rahe'] (Washington)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731768' first='Christopher' last='Watkins'] (City)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978117' first='Davion' last='Luckett'] (City)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978134' first='Connor' last='Walsh'] (Wahlert Catholic)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419855' first='Brayden' last='Tanny'] (Wahlert Catholic)<br>2029 Alex Tanny (Wahlert Catholic)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2370429' first='Peter' last='Wedewer'] (Wahlert Catholic)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2974139' first='Jordan' last='Plummer'] (Hempstead)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2420800' first='Zion' last='Cook-Berns'] (Waterloo West)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2125122' first='Derrick' last='Akines'] (Waterloo West)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906423' first='Jayden' last='Faulkner'] (Jefferson)<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->