The First Five: Iowa Barnstormers 16U
A talented group playing in their first year as a full-fledged adidas program, the Iowa Barnstormers 16U team has qualified for the adidas Summer Finale in July with their play during the first two weekends on the adidas circuit in Dallas and Atlanta. This is a group that can comfortably go as deep as perhaps any team in the country, and with the amount of talent and versatility they have on the roster, it’s no wonder they’re among the top 16U teams in the country. The Iowa Barnstormers 16s are the subject of today’s “First Five”.
Patrick McCaffery. Shortly before the first live period began, Rivals moved McCaffery all the way up to No. 23 in the country for the 2019 class. And he spent his time in Dallas playing like he was trying to prove he belongs in that class. Prior to his injury the following weekend in Atlanta (broken left ring finger), the 6-9 forward was playing the best basketball of his life.
He should be back soon, with a possible return date of Memorial Day weekend for the adidas Regional Qualifier in Chicago.
The best player on this Barnstormers team, he’s a gifted athlete on both ends of the floor, with the length to be a major difference maker on the defensive end, and an offensive game that is beginning to blossom. On defense, he moves well laterally, with the ability to defend on the perimeter against much smaller, quicker guards. His length allows him to cover a ton of ground and recover against the quickness of opposing ball handlers. He’s also gaining strength, quite noticeably in his upper body, which will allow him to defend bigger wings and posts successfully as well.
He’s becoming a more confident offensive player seemingly every time he steps on the floor, with a rapidly improving handle and ability to finish at the rim (that poster dunk from the live period in Atlanta!). He’s a menace in transition, looking to dunk everything, and his skill set in the halfcourt is developing nicely as well. He’s a capable shooter from the arc, and while some think his release is low, it isn’t. His load point is a little low, but his release is up around his head, which by the time he elevates into his jumper is well above seven feet off the ground. He’s got a quick release on the catch and is improving off the bounce. Where he is really improving on this end is in his playmaking ability. He’s turning himself into a bit of a point-forward with his ball handling and passing, a valuable asset.
With his dad firmly entrenched as the head coach at Iowa, it’s a safe bet to assume that Patrick will join older brother Connor in the black and gold in a few years.
Trey Hutcheson. Perhaps no player has benefited more from the McCaffery injury than the Linn-Mar small forward. He’s been among the team’s leading scorers in nearly every game without McCaffery in the lineup (and he was playing pretty well when Patrick was on the floor as well). After putting together a really strong sophomore season with the Lions, averaging 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds, he’s gotten off to a strong start on the grassroots circuit as well.
Hutcheson is a versatile offensive player who has steadily added to his arsenal by expanding his range and improving his face-up game. He used to thrive off of offensive rebounds or drop-off passes from teammates at the rim, but he’s now capable of creating his own looks, and consistently knocks down 15-18 footers, while also being able to hit from the arc. He’s very strong on the glass on both ends of the floor, and is a good enough ball handler and passer to bring the ball up the floor himself.
He’s an interesting projection to the next level, as he’s not quite big enough (6-5/6-6) to play the four, and not quite skilled or quick enough (yet) to play the three. However, he’s a damn good basketball player who will contribute in big ways on both ends of the floor.
Noah Hart. The Waukee combo guard has taken his game to another level during the first few months of the grassroots season, becoming a go-to scorer in addition to being a dynamic defender. He’s playing with increasing confidence seemingly every time he steps on the floor.
On the offensive end, he’s become a very high mid-range shooter, with the ability to create his own shot and score off the dribble. He’s able to get to the rim and finish through contact, and is a high-level shooter from the arc off the catch. He’s improving his ball handling and passing abilities, tuning his point guard skills and becoming a better all-around player on this end of the floor.
Defensively, he’s a 6-3 combo who can defend either perimeter spot. He moves well laterally, has good length and understands defensive positioning well. He does a great job denying passing lanes, and is becoming a good all-around team defender. There are few players in the state, regardless of class, that have helped themselves more over the past few months than Hart has.
Derek Krogmann. Arguably the most consistent player on the Barnstormers roster, the 6-7 power forward is a pretty safe bet for 12 and 8 every time he steps on the floor on the adidas circuit. Armed with a seven foot wingspan, he gobbles up rebounds and blocks shots consistently, despite routinely giving up a few inches and several pounds to the big bodies he’s defending.
On the offensive end, he’s developing his right hand nicely, arming himself with some countermoves to go away from his dominant left hand when the defense eventually takes that away. He has good footwork and touch around the rim, and is a fairly reliable free throw shooter, so defenses can’t just rely on hacking him. He competes well on the offensive glass, and where he really thrives is in early offense, running the floor and establishing early position where he buries his defender within the first few seconds of a possession.
Krogmann has a North Dakota offer, and many other low-to-mid-majors are interested.
Dylan Jones. One of the most intriguing prospects in the state for the 2019 class, Jones is a gifted 6-7 combo forward with the ability to score inside and out. He’s becoming more aggressive and confident with each passing day, and is finishing at the rim and rebounding at a high level for this group. He has the ability to step out to the 3-point line and knock down shots, and has a really good mid-range face-up game to pair with it. On the defensive end, he moves his feet on the perimeter and has the size and length to bang with bigger bodies in the paint. As he continues to get stronger, and refines his interior footwork, he’ll be a really tough player to defend with his all-around versatility.