UPDATED 2017 Rankings: Biggest Risers
Matt Dentlinger (23 to 14)
He’s walking on with Division I South Dakota State next season, and it was very clear during the state tournament in March why the Jackrabbits are so intrigued. Dentlinger is a lethal mix of big, skilled and versatile. He was dominant in the post, and can step out a hit with regularity from deep. Also very lengthy, the Kuemper Catholic alum is a menace while blocking shots defensively.
Kyle Arrington (52 to 29)
At 6-foot-11 and with an ever-increasing set of skills, this Lewis Central product was bound to make a rapid ascension in the rankings. He was hurt for much of his junior season, but showed out as a senior, going for 15.3 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game. He nabbed a slew of JuCo offers because of it, and it seems like he could develop into a D1 talent.
Connor Gholson (41 to 31)
Gholson has been given the opportunity to walk-on at Drake, and in return they’ll get one of the best scorers and shooters that Iowa’s class of 2017 has to offer. He, along with teammate Garrett Sturtz, helped will the Newton Cardinals to state where they nearly knocked out eventual champs Iowa City West in the first round. That alone is a good enough accomplishment for a substantial leap in the rankings.
Chad Moran (51 to 36)
Another Lewis Central product to make the list, this athletic 6-foot-3 guard made a big climb last fall after he dazzled at our Expo in Ames, and after the season he put together with the Titans he continued to climb the charts. Moran had one of the best senior seasons in the state last season, gong for 18.4 points per game on solid shooting while adding 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He’s headed to Prep School in Arizona next season. We’ll be curious to see where he lands after that.
JMichael Young (64 to 32)
Wow was this kid for Bettendorf good. It was one of the slower paced and well-balanced teams in Iowa, so his numbers weren’t gaudy, but on other teams they very well could have been. He’s physically imposing, at 6-foot-2 and with a very strong build, and has the skill-set to match. He was quite impressive at the state tournament in March, and if he wasn’t playing football at the next level, it looks like he could have — at the very least — been a D2 scholarship player for hoops.
Parker Lange (68 to 44)
The 6-foot Storm Lake product had one of the better careers of anyone in the 2017 class, making a big impact as a frosh and carrying gradually better numbers through his seasons with the Tornadoes. Last winter he averaged 16.3 points per game while shooting at a very decent clip, he also led his team in assists. All that was good enough for Upper Iowa to offer him a scholarship, which Lange accepted.
Chris Kroll (71 to 45)
After a fantastic senior season with Sergeant Bluff-Luton, we were interested to see what this kid’s game was all about at the state tournament. And he blew us away. In a semifinal win over West Delaware, the 6-foot guard went off for 32 points, and if that wasn’t enough, he added 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals — he was magnificent. He wasn’t as good in the title game, but still impressed defensively, swiping four steals during a narrow loss to Xavier. Northwestern College is getting a good one.
John Nagel (85 to 51)
Another guy who elevated his stock while showcasing himself on the state’s biggest stage at Wells Fargo Arena in March. Nagel is a football guy, we knew that; he’ll play at Iowa State next season. But man can he ball too. Big but nimble and with a nice touch around the rim, Nagel could have been a D2 big had he chosen hoops, and will dominate Iowa State rec leagues for years to come.
Other Notable Ascensions
Brett Kauzlarich (70 to 56)
Donovan Holterhaus (62 to 57)
Liam Robbins (151 to 58)
Jaden Kephart (187 to 61)
Kaleb Haeffner (159 to 71)
Jesse Jansma (171 to 80)