The Lea3ue Opening Night Preview
A fall league featuring some of the top players in eastern Iowa tips off tonight, as the Iowa Barnstormers-run “The Lea3ue” opens play at the University of Dubuque. In all, 19 top-50 players in their respective classes will take the court.
Spanning five weeks, four teams will play games at both the University of Dubuque and Loras Fieldhouse, with games tipping off at 6:30 and 8:00 p.m. each Wednesday night through October 19.
Full rosters and schedules can be found at http://thelea3ue.com/.
Here, we’ll preview the opening night pair of games, and also pick a winner for the season. This figures to be a dynamite showcase of the young talent across eastern Iowa, and those jonesing for some basketball should certainly make their way to some of these games to check it out.
6:30 p.m.: Harris Golf Cars/Gooch’s Greenhouse vs. Mike Molstead Motors
The Lea3ue starts with a game featuring some top notch guard play, with top-25 guards Carter Stevens, Corvon Seales, Austin Ash, Jake Hilmer and Jackson Molstead all taking the floor. Throw in guys like V.J. Wilmington, Noah Carter, Keith Johnson, Lucas Duax and Peter Timmerman, and you’ve got the makings of a barnburner. This game should be extremely fast-paced with the number of talented scorers and floor generals that will be on the court.
Matchup to watch: Austin Ash (Molstead Motors/Mount Vernon) vs. Corvon Seales (Harris Golf Cars/North Scott)
While there is plenty of talent to watch on both teams, this matchup stands out the most. Ash, a senior guard from Mount Vernon, is walking on at Iowa next year and is one of the most potent scoring threats in the state with his ability to shoot from anywhere inside half-court. Seales, a junior from North Scott, has steadily developed himself into one of 2018’s top players in the state. With a mixture of athleticism, length and skill, he’s turning into a great defensive player, and it should be interesting to watch this potential low-major D1 talent try to slow down Ash.
Top-50 ranked players to watch
Harris Golf cars/Gooch’s Greenhouse: Noah Carter (6-4, Dubuque Senior, No. 19 in 2019); Carter Stevens (5-9, Dubuque Senior, No. 18 in 2018); Jake Hilmer (5-10, North Linn, No. 7 in 2019); Corvon Seales (6-2, North Scott, No. 19 in 2018)
Mike Molstead Motors: V.J. Wilmington (6-2, Davenport North, No. 36 in 2018); Jackson Molstead (5-10, Charles City, No. 18 in 2019); Keith Johnson (6-5, Dubuque Hempstead, No. 21 in 2018); Austin Ash (6-2, Mount Vernon, No. 26 in 2017)
8:00 p.m.: Steele Capital/Anderson-Weber vs. Cottingham & Butler/American Trust
The nightcap is heavy on talent as well, but this one will feature significantly more size. Cottingham & Butler will be led by the dynamic duo of wing Bailey Basala and point guard Hunter Strait, both ranked among the top-6 in their respective classes. They’ve also got a top-notch interior presence in Max Techau, a versatile big who helped Xavier win the 3A title last season. This team is the oldest of the four, with one sophomore, one junior and eight seniors on their ten-man roster. Will that experience prove to be a difference in a setting like this? We’ll have to wait and see. Steele Capital counters with a group that will surround star point guard Matthew Mims with loads of shooting. Jordan Lake, Jackson Joens, Tyler Voves and Abraham Kinrade are all good perimeter shooters, and should fit in nicely with Mims. Add in tough, do-everything guys like Nick Timmerman and Trey Hutcheson, and this is a well-balanced group.
Matchups to watch: Bailey Basala (Cottingham & Butler/North Scott) and Hunter Strait (Cedar Rapids Washington) vs. Abraham Kinrade (Steele Capital/Maquoketa) and Matthew Mims (Cedar Rapids Xavier)
This should be a fantastic duel between a quartet of Division I players. Basala and Kinrade are Iowa Barnstormers teammates, and both are dynamic scoring wings with good length, size and the ability to score from anywhere on the floor. Basala has a number of low-major Division I offers, and Kinrade recently committed to play at Air Force. The backcourt matchup between a pair of junior point guards should also be a lot of fun to watch. Strait is a more flashy player with great vision and handles, while Mims is an extremely solid and poised all-around player with an offer from North Dakota. Whichever duo has the better night should go a long ways in deciding this one.
Top-50 ranked players to watch
Steele Capital/Anderson-Weber: Nick Timmerman (6-3, Dubuque Senior, No. 24 in 2019); Trey Hutcheson (6-4, Linn-Mar, No. 10 in 2019); Jordan Lake (6-1, Western Dubuque, No. 26 in 2018); Jackson Joens (6-6, Cedar Rapids Xavier, No. 9 in 2018); Matthew Mims (6-0, Cedar Rapids Xavier, No. 10 in 2018); Abraham Kinrade (6-7, Maquoketa, No. 8 in 2017)
Cottingham & Butler/American Trust: Hunter Strait (6-2, Cedar Rapids Washington, No. 6 in 2018); Cortavius Seales (5-10, North Scott, No. 31 in 2019); Max Techau (6-7, Cedar Rapids Xavier, No. 22 in 2017); Bailey Basala (6-6, North Scott, No. 4 in 2017)
Preseason champion pick: Steele Capital/Anderson-Weber. In showcase-type leagues like this, it’s often better to pick a team that has a truly dominant player like a Bailey Basala, but I really like the way this Steele Capital team is constructed. They’ve got a great point guard in Matthew Mims, who is equally happy scoring or facilitating, and they surround him with a number of shooters, including a pair of wing scorers in Jackson Joens and Abraham Kinrade with great height. Throw in Nick Timmerman and Trey Hutcheson, a pair of players willing to do the dirty work, and Jordan Lake, another kid who can really score it, and this is my pick to win the title.