Iowa Preview: Hardwood Classic (Lawrence, KS)
This weekend will be the third straight year we at prephoopsiowa.com will cover the Hardwood Classic (we’ll be there Saturday and Sunday), which has always been one of the Midwest’s best July live period events. This year, the event could be considered one of the nation’s best, as many of the best squads from around the country — not just the Midwest — will converge on Lawrence, KS at the Sports Pavilion — 100 Rock Chalk Lane.
Below you’ll find some of the more intriguing storylines from the Iowa teams involved.
Barnstormers 16U vs MOKAN Elite
There’s going to be tons of quality matchups going down in pool play this Thursday and Friday, but one that’s particularly intriguing is this meeting between two Midwest powers. One recent poll has the ‘Stormers 16U squad as the best team in the country; this MOKAN team will certainly not be intimated though. But let’s not beat around the bush, the real intrigue lies with Tyreke Locure — Iowa’s third-ranked 2019 — who plays with the Kansas-based squad. He’ll go head-to-head with Iowa’ top-ranked 2019, Partick McCaffery, as well as seven of the Iowa’s top-15 2019s. This will be fun to watch. Oh, and Howard Pulley (MN) is the third team in the pool, so there’s that too.
Top 10s at the Tourney
2020: Bowen Born (3), Even Brauns (4), Will Berg (5), Cameron Soenksen (7), Alex McAleer (8), AJ Coons (9)
2019: Patrick McCaffery (1), Tyreke Locure (3), Derek Krogmann (5), James Betz (6), Trey Hutcheson (7), Jake Hilmer (9), Noah Hart (10)
2018: Joe Wieskamp (1), AJ Green (2), Blake Brinkmeyer (3), Sam Ingoli (4), Hunter Strait (5), Elijah Hazekamp (6), Nathan Johnson (7), Garrett Sturtz (8)
Iowa Programs Represented (15U-17U)
All Iowa Attack, Beyond Ball, Iowa Barnstormers, Iowa Intensity, Kingdom Hoops, Showtime Hoopers, SW Iowa Select, Team Iowa, Tri-State Steam
Kingdom Hoops Avenge Title
Never forget: last July it was Douglas Wilson and his 17U Kingdom Hoops Elite who made a run to the finals — surviving several scares and mounting several comebacks — and wound up defeating Team Penny EYBL (16U) in for the ‘ship. Better yet, the win came on a thrilling last play, when Wilson tipped in a miss at the buzzer for the win. The celebration from the Kingdom Hoops family when they stormed the court afterwards may have been better than the actual tip-in. Obvi, this season’s 17U squad is a different group of guys than last July’s champs, but they can still walk into the tournament with an aura.
Possible Matchups
- Showtime Hoopers 15U could get a crack at the Barnstormers is both win their pools, that game would be at 2:30 Friday afternoon, the winner would advance to the Sweet 16.
- If All Iowa Attack 16s get second in pool F and Iowa Barnstormers 16s can win their pool, AND both win their first bracket game, then they’d meet in the Sweet 16, Saturday at 4:40 — and we’d be there.
- Maybe we could get a 16U Barnstormers vs Kingdom Hoops Final Four? Both would need to win their very tough pools, and then win three straight bracket games. It’s a long shot, but we’re holding out hope.
- If Team Iowa Red 16U wins Pool C and Kingdom Hoops Red nabs second in their pool, then they’d meet Satuday at 11:15 in what would be a fun matchup.
- There’s another possible All Iowa Attack vs Iowa Barnstormers matchup in the 17U Sweet 16. That game would be 7:55 Saturday evening. Both would have to win their first three games to get there.
- How fun would a Howard Pulley vs Iowa Barnstormers 17U final be? We could find out first-hand if both go undefeated and advance to that very game, which would be Sunday at 1:25. A possible Iowa vs Minnesota battle royale.