Way Too Early Top 10: Class 2A
With July’s evaluation period now behind us, and plenty of time to kill between now and late November, it’s time to take a look at who we believe will be some of the teams to keep an eye on in each classification this winter. And, since everyone likes rankings, why not roll out a de facto pre-season top 10 for each class, with our “Way Too Early” top 10 lists.
How well do these rankings predict what may happen over the course of the coming season? Well, the top ranked teams in each class in these “Way Too Early” rankings ended up playing for the state title in their class come March, with two of them winning it all (Cedar Rapids Xavier, Iowa City West). That may mean nothing this season, of course, but it’s something to note.
Below you’ll find our top 10 for Class 2A, along with some other teams that could make some noise, as well as a brief summary of why each team is in their respective spot. Enjoy.
1.) Van Meter (State qualifier, 23-2 last year, 99.6% of scoring back)
It was a historic season last year for Van Meter, as the school made the state tournament for the first time since 1936, riding the No. 4 defense in the class to 23 wins. The Bulldogs allowed just 44.1 points a game last year, and should be even better this season with all sorts of experience, size and talent returning. Only six points are lost from last season’s team, giving them the most experienced team in the class. They’ll be led again this year by the pair of 6-8 post players in junior Ryan Schmitt (11.0) and senior Grant Johnson (8.5), who combined to block 115 shots last season. They provide an incredible amount of rim protection, and Johnson has some versatility with the ability to stretch out to the arc. That duo will be nearly impossible for 2A teams to stop, and while this team is incredibly balanced, look for both of their numbers to increase. The backcourt is arguably the best shooting backcourt in the state, regardless of class, as Blake Fryar (10.8, 40.2 3P%), Mitchell Pomeroy (9.6, 49.5 3P%) and JJ Durflinger (9.0, 45.9 3P%) return, each having made at least 39 3-pointers last year. Jack Trudo (7.8) adds some additional scoring, and watch for sophomore guard Ian Abrahamson (4.5) to take a major step forward this season. A compact, strong scoring guard who excels at getting to the rim, he’s primed to breakout. This Van Meter team has everything you look for in a high school basketball team — a pair of big, skilled post players to protect the rim; a trio of guards who can torch the nets; and some scoring off the bench. They’ll be one of the best defensive teams in the state, and one of the most efficient and balanced offensive teams you’re going to see anywhere. A mere state qualifying team last year, they’ll make some noise this time around.
2.) Cascade (State qualifier, 22-3 last year, 89.5% of scoring back)
Cascade didn’t miss a beat last season after losing one of the school’s best players and a legendary coach, as they made another state tournament trip. They should be even better this year, as the top five scorers from last year’s 22-win state qualifying team return for the Cougars, giving them loads of experience. A balanced team that featured four double figure scorers, look for the same from them this season. Johnny Supple (12.1) is a long, athletic wing who can score inside and out, as well as protect the rim. Gannon O’Brien (11.4) is the team’s best marksman from deep, Haris Hoffman (11.2) loves to attack the rim and Brock Simon (10.6) is coming off a very strong offseason with the Tri-State Steam. Simon led the team in assists and steals last season, and his length at the top of their 2-3 zone causes all sorts of problems. This group led 2A in scoring defense last year, allowing just 41.1 points a game, and with the type of talent they have coming back, look for that number to drop below 40.
3.) Sioux Center (15-9 last year, 96.2% of scoring back)
The Warriors lose only 64 points from last year’s roster, returning their top six scorers and eight of the top nine. A group that really pushed eventual champion Western Christian in the substate final, losing by just four, they’ve got four double figure scorers back. They’re led by scoring guard Tyus Arends (18.8), one of the most potent scoring threats in the class. He knocked down 81 3-pointers last year at a 45.3% clip and is a very versatile offensive threat. Tyler Van Beek (11.6), Cade Bleeker (11.3) and Brendan Zeutenhorst (11.0) are back as double figure scorers, each providing different elements to the attack. Bleeker is a really strong shooter, Van Beek, has some versatility and is the team’s leading assist man, and Zeutenhorst is dominant in the paint on both ends of the floor. Look for him to have a huge senior season. Isaac Vietor (9.1) figures to join that group in the starting lineup, giving the Warriors one of the most experienced teams in the state, regardless of class. Six of their nine losses from last year came against teams on this list, so they’ll need to improve in games against elite competition, but with all the firepower and experience they have coming back, we certainly anticipate that happening.
4.) Sheldon (18-5 last year, 78.4% of scoring back)
The top four scorers return for the Orabs, headlined by what could be a dominant interior duo with Kyle Boerhave (14.7) and Ryan Van Marel (12.0), who combined to shoot 60.6% from the floor and pull down 18.6 rebounds a night as well. That tandem is going to be incredibly tough for most 2A teams to handle. The backcourt will be led by Jaden Kleinhesslink (13.7), a scoring guard who is also a capable distributor. He and Tyler Merley (6.7) are both solid perimeter shooters who will benefit playing alongside that dynamic post duo. They’ll need to find some additional help from guys like Tyler Johnson (2.3), Phil Cain (0.8) and Bryant Dykstra (0.9) to get the job done come playoff time, but they have one of the best trios you’ll find anywhere in the state, and that Boerhave-Van Marel-Kleinhesslink trio is going to win a ton of games.
5.) West Lyon (19-5 last year, 71.6% of scoring back)
One of the state’s most potent offensive attacks last year, the Wildcats averaged 71.1 points a game and return leading scorers Nos. 2 through 9 from that group that lost by just one to eventual champion Western Christian in the district final. They’ll be led by Micah Meyer (14.5), an efficient scorer who does a majority of his damage from the painted area, but can stretch out to the arc and knock down an occasional jumper. Jaden Snyder (8.7) and Mitch Rentchler (7.8) will be asked to step up in the scoring column following the graduation of Isaac Heyer and his 20 points a game. Snyder was remarkable as a distributor last season, posting 124 assists to just 22 (!) turnovers. The backcourt combination of Snyder, Rentchler and Noah Van’t Hof (6.1) will be one of the best at protecting the basketball in the state, and that efficiency and leadership goes a long way towards winning a lot of games. Korbyn Gramstad (6.3), Malachi Van Wyhe (5.3), Tanner Oleson (1.4), Logan Bruggeman (1.2) and Nate Grotewold (2.0) are all back after seeing minutes last year, and will provide some solid depth for this group. The Siouxland Conference teams were all very tough to rank after they all beat each other up in some way or another, in addition to the rosters they’re all bringing back. That race is going to be the best in the state and should be extremely fun to watch throughout the winter.
6.) Western Christian (State champions, 24-2 last year, 36.6% of scoring back)
Arguably the most successful high school basketball program in the state, Western Christian added another state title (their state record ninth) to their trophy case last year, cruising through the state tournament with a more guard oriented team than we’re used to seeing. This season, we anticipate seeing a big man dominate for the Wolfpack, harkening back to what we’ve come to expect from the boys from Hull. That big man is 6-7 junior Jacob Vis (8.8, 71.7 FG%), who was dominant during that state tournament run and should be the focal point of this year’s group. He’s a long, athletic big man who runs the floor and finishes highly efficiently at the rim, and he protects the rim on the other end, blocking 34 shots last season. Look for that number to increase. The leader of the backcourt will be Caleb Harmsen (8.2), a gunner who does a majority of his damage from behind the arc and posted a better than 2.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last year. He has some big shoes to fill, but the coach’s son is more than ready to step into the role. Ben Granstra (4.2) will fill the other starting backcourt spot, and Layne Miller (2.6) should probably be starting alongside Vis on the interior. A 6-6 forward, he’ll give them plenty of size in the paint. This is Bill Harmsen’s final go-round as the leader of the Wolfpack, as he’s set to take over the head women’s basketball coaching job at Dordt for the 2018-19 year, and he’ll be looking to add another title to that trophy case before he leaves. We will never count Western Christian out. The boys in Hull just know how to play basketball and play it at an incredibly high and beautiful level.
7.) Forest City (19-5 last year, 86.8% of scoring back)
The No. 1 scoring defense in 3A last year, the Indians allowed just 40.8 points a game and have the added benefit this year of dropping down to 2A for the postseason. They’ll be led by a pair of highly efficient players in Sam Snyder (15.3) and Chris Jermeland (9.7), who shot 55.9 and 70.3% from the field, respectively. Snyder led the team in rebounding and blocks as well, proving to be a force on both ends of the floor. That interior duo will be surrounded by some capable shooting in Grady Hovenga (8.2, 48 3PM), Ryan Theel (7.1, 27 3PM) and Avery Busta (5.6, 22 3PM). In all, the top five scorers return for this group which won 19 games last season and is the core of an elite defensive team. While this is an efficient team, they had some games in which they struggled to score, losing three games in which they scored 43 or fewer points. With some much of their scoring punch returning, we anticipate seeing a slightly more powerful offensive attack, but make no mistake, this team is going to live and die by how they defend, which will win them a ton of games and make them a real threat come February and March.
8.) East Marshall (17-6 last year, 75.6% of scoring back)
The Mustangs were one of 2A’s best teams last season after Zaine Leedom became eligible following his transfer from Grinnell. Three of their six losses came before he was eligible, while the three with him in the lineup came to Joe Smoldt and Gladbrook-Reinbeck (twice) and the substate final to a very good South Hamilton team by just two points. With six of their top seven scorers back, we expect them to be even better this year, with a great shot at making the first state tournament trip in the school’s history. They’ll be led by the aforementioned Leedom (17.9), a highly athletic wing who can score from anywhere, block shots, rebound and pass. In short, he’s a high-level, major impact player. Zane Johnson (14.6) joins him in the frontcourt, a relentless rebounder with a rapidly improving skill set. The backcourt is led by point guard Tyler DeBondt (10.6), who posted a ridiculous 190 assists last season compared to just 35 turnovers. He also knocked down 53 3-pointers to boot, proving he can score and facilitate. The trio of Leedom, Johnson and DeBondt is going to win the Mustangs a ton of games, but they’ll need someone out of the Logan Nicholson (4.0), Eli Anderson (3.7) and Justin Ridout (2.7) trio to step up if they want to take this thing to the next level.
9.) Aplington-Parkersburg (17-5 last year, 78.8% of scoring back)
Six of the top seven scorers from last year’s team return for the Falcons, a team that lost a combined four games to Dike-New Hartford and Jesup, a pair of teams that combined to go 40-9 last season. So that’s to say, outside of their loss to Hudson, they lost to some really good teams, and they should have a dynamite team this season. They’ll be led in scoring again this year by Carter Cuvelier (15.5), a gifted wing who thrives at attacking the rim. Make no mistake here though, the highest impact player on this team will be point guard Alec Oberhauser (11.2), who posted over a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last year. At 6-5, he sees the floor incredibly well, has the length to make a major impact on the defensive end (see the 47 blocks last season) and makes a huge difference in the game even when he’s not scoring. That combination of Oberhauser and Cuvelier is excellent, and they’ll have some high quality help alongside with Grant Truax (9.2), Coby Hoff (5.1), Dylan Ellis (5.0) and Andrew Haan (4.0). Aplington-Parkersburg is a community that is used to having all sorts of athletic success, and this year’s Falcons will make that community very proud. We anticipate seeing them in Des Moines.
10.) Rock Valley (16-6 last year, 69.5% of scoring back)
The fourth Siouxland Conference team in the 2A rankings (and fifth to be ranked; George-Little Rock in 1A), the Rockets bring back four of their top seven scorers from last season, a group that swept Sheldon but lost two of three to West Lyon. Routinely a pretty balanced team, they should be similar this season with a quality inside-out game that will cause some issues for opposing teams. 6-10 center Jason Taylor (12.4, 60 blocks) is the lead dog here, a skilled big man who can control the paint on both ends of the floor. He’s a Division I prospect and is primed to have a big senior season. Brayton Van Kekerix (12.1) figures to be the other primary scoring option for this group, with a majority of his damage coming from the perimeter. He shot 40.5% from behind the arc last season (a true standout on a team that shot just 29.2% from 3 as a team). Van Kekerix’s twin brother, Elliot (8.6), will join him to make up the starting backcourt and will be the primary ball handler for this group after leading them in assists last year. 6-0 off guard JT Van’t Hul (8.4) gives them a solid trio on the perimeter, and if they can improve from the arc as a team, they’ll be able to give Taylor more room to operate in the paint. This group won 10 of their final 13 games last year and should be looking to carry some of that momentum into the 2017-18 season.
Ten more teams to watch
Iowa City Regina (13-9 last year, 87.1% of scoring back)
The top five scorers return from what was a very young Regals team last season, which sets them up to have a very successful year. Head coach Stu Ordman has moved on to Iowa City Liberty, but replacement Jared Galpin has been at the school as an assistant for ten years and is very familiar with the pieces coming back. They should be led this season by 6-9 sophomore Even Brauns (10.4), a highly skilled and athletic young big man who runs the floor, protects the rim and is an efficient scorer. Look for his numbers to skyrocket this year after a very solid freshman season in which he shot 59.5% from the floor. Fellow sophomore Masen Miller (8.4, 43.9 3P%) is a strong lead guard who posted a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio as a freshman, giving them a strong, young base. Jocoa Kerschen (12.6) is one of the state’s better 3-point shooters (although last year’s numbers don’t reflect it), and is a player who also contributes on the glass on both ends of the floor. Look for him to become more efficient as Brauns takes some pressure off of him. Jake Phillips (8.5) and Ryne Schooley (9.1) round out the starting five, giving the Regals plenty of talent and experience. Returnees Zach Seaman (4.2), Blake Berns (3.6) and Bryce Barnett (1.9) all saw significant time last year as well, giving the Regals some solid depth. You could make an argument to include them in the top 10 from the beginning of the year, and they’ll most certainly find themselves ranked for a good chunk of the season.
South Hamilton (State qualifier, 22-3 last year, 63.7% of scoring back)
The Hawks lose the best player in the school’s history as Collin Hill is headed down to Truman State to start his collegiate career. However, there is still quite a bit of talent returning to Jewell, and this is a group that will have a shot at making a run to Des Moines again this winter. They’ll be led by their guard play this season, with Marco Balderas (12.7) and Conner Hill (11.3) forming one of the best tandems in the class. Balderas posted an incredible 4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season and is as tough as they come despite being listed at just 5-7. He doesn’t back down from anyone on either side of the floor, and it’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to becoming more of a scorer following Hill’s graduation. Conner Hill, Collin’s younger brother, is coming off a very strong sophomore season in which he knocked down 61 3s (at a 41.8% clip), and is one of the best perimeter defenders, both on and off the ball, that we’ve seen. He can lock down just about anyone’s top scorer, and is a threat to get hot from the arc at any point in time. Logan Peters (5.8), Logan Klemp (5.2) and Cole Berg (4.7) each contributed at a fairly high level last year and will need to step up the scoring a bit, but have the experience necessary to be counted on in big spots. There is a glaring hole here following Collin Hill’s graduation, and the Hawks may struggle to compete on the glass against many teams, but I’m not betting against Marco Balderas, who is one of the toughest kids I’ve ever seen play the game, and this group is going to be really tough on the defensive end. If they can figure out the scoring (I’d guess they become a much more balanced team), they’ll make plenty of noise.
Wapello (14-9 last year, 93.4% of scoring back)
The Indians started strong last season, going 9-2 in their first 11 contests before struggling in the second half of the season. If they’re able to maintain more consistency throughout the course of the season, they could make some noise. The top six scorers are back for Wapello, headlined by big-time scorer Trenton Massner (22.9), a fairly efficient volume scorer who shot 48% from the floor and 44% from the arc. He also led the Indians in every major statistical category other than blocks, where he finished second. He’s the leading returning scorer in the class, and could led all of 2A in scoring this season. Logan Belzer (11.4, 41.7 3P%) is a pretty solid second option as well, with a better than 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season. Gage Witte (7.4), Jared Wiley (6.4), Keaton Mitchell (4.9) and Trace Howard (4.9) are the other key returnees, giving the Indians a veteran group to head into this winter with. With a scorer the caliber of Massner in tow, this is a group that nobody is going to want to see in their district come postseason time.
Treynor (14-10 last year, 79.1% of scoring back)
Five of the top six scorers return for a Cardinals team that won seven of their last 10 games down the stretch (two of the losses came to a 21-3 AHSTW, Avoca team, and the other to a state qualifying 3A Atlantic group). They’re led by 5-11 scoring guard Dillon Faubel (18.0), a versatile player who is capable of scoring at all three levels. He finished with 73 assists last season, and with Trey Castle and his 127 helpers gone, look for Faubel to have the ball in his hands an awful lot this winter. Jerry Jorgensen (9.5), Luke Clausen (7.9) and Jack Stogdill (7.4) should join Faubel in the starting five, with the other spot up for grabs among a number of interesting newcomers and returnees. Treynor has a strong program that is always going to compete, and they’ll be armed with one of the best players in the class, which will keep them competitive night-in, night-out.
Osage (22-2 last year, 65.6% of scoring back)
The core of this Green Devils team has won a lot of games in the last two years, winning 22 last season and 20 the year before (with a state tournament trip to boot). The returnees this season have been key pieces of those successful teams, and will look to add another state tournament trip to their resumes. They lost just two games last season by a combined seven points; one to 3A Forest City and the substate final to Garner-Hayfield-Ventura. They’re led by do-everything guard Drew Olson (18.0), who paced the team in every category. He’s a big, physical and smart lead guard who will have the ball in his hands a ton and is among the most experienced players in the state. Capable of scoring from anywhere on the floor, as well as facilitating for his teammates, he’s one of the best point guards in the class. He’s joined by returnees Lucas Schwamman (9.8), an efficient offensive player who shot better than 60% from the floor last season, and Nathan Bushbaum (7.7), a gunner who is capable of getting red hot from deep. They’ll need to get some increased production out of role players like Brett Bobinet (3.5) and Colin Klapperich (4.3) this season if they want to repeat the prior two seasons of success, but we’ll never count out a team led by a player like Olson.
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura (State qualifier, 23-2 last year, 64.4% of scoring back)
An elite defensive team, the Cardinals ranked third in the class in scoring defense last year, allowing just 43.9 points a game. They figure to be just as good this season with their big, athletic rim protector back in the middle of that defense in Northern Iowa commit James Betz (12.2). Betz, just a junior, is about as physically imposing a player as you’re going to find at the 2A level, armed with plus length, athleticism and size (6-8). He should be an absolute force on both ends of the floor this season for G-H-V. Two more double figure scorers return in Nick Joynt (11.5) and Ryan Meyers (11.2), giving the Cardinals experienced scoring. They’ll need to find some production from other role players, but that trio is going to win plenty of games. Normally a trio of double figure scorers returning as an elite defensive team would garner a place in the top 10, but it’s more a testament to how deep 2A will be with quality teams than a knock on G-H-V. This group will almost certainly find themselves ranked for a chunk of the season, and likely find themselves playing Osage in another substate final, like they have for each of the past two seasons.
East Sac County (15-8 last year, 77.5% of scoring back)
Three double figure scorers return for the Raiders in Levi Olhausen (12.4), Ryan Bellcock (10.5) and Brandyn Clair (10.2), and in all, six of the top seven scorers from last season’s group are back, giving East Sac a strong nucleus to work with. Olhausen is the team’s top perimeter threat, knocking down 58 3s a year ago and dishing out 64 assists. He’ll be the primary ball handler for this group after the graduation of Sam Scott, who led the team in assists last season. Bellcock is a versatile scorer who can do a bit of everything on the floor, and competes well on the glass. And Clair provides some interior toughness, with the large majority of his scoring coming around the rim. He’s the team’s leading returning rebounder, and led the Raiders in blocks last season. Connor Crabb (7.6), Josh Halibur (3.9) and Alex Gerdes (1.7) played roles last year and return as well. With a trio of double figure scorers back, look for the Raiders to win a lot of games and be a real threat to do damage come district play in February.
Central Decatur (17-5 last year, 75.4% of scoring back)
The Cardinals return six of their top seven scorers from last season, headlined by guard Carter Boothe (17.3), a versatile scoring threat who also dished out 161 assists, good for second in 2A. Boothe led the team in everything but blocks last season, and if he’s able to improve a bit on the 41.9% he shot from the floor last year, watch out. Other key returnees are Grant Atwood (8.5), an efficient post scorer who shot 59.4% from the field; Cole Pedersen (7.6), a rising sophomore who, like Atwood, does a majority of his damage inside the arc; and Michel Evertsen (5.3), another sophomore who shot an incredible 63.9% from behind the arc last season (23-36). This group lost three games last season by three points each, and shot just 54% from the free throw line as a team. They’ll need to improve on that number if they want to turn into a serious contender for Des Moines.
Alta-Aurelia (21-2 last year, 70.0% of scoring back)
Like Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, the Warriors were an elite defensive team last season, allowing just 42.8 points a game, good for second in 2A. Unlike G-H-V, they’ve got some scoring to replace with leading scorer Ryan Radke graduating. The good news is that Carson Kruger (14.3) is a proven scorer who also led the team in every other category, and seven other players who averaged at least 2.1 points a game last year are back. This is a team that doesn’t rely very heavily on the 3-point shot, rather showing a fairly efficient offensive attack that shot just under 47% from the floor as a group (51.2% from 2-point range). Kruger can be a dominant force on both ends of the floor and controls the glass for this group. Jordan Gano (7.0), TJ Walter (5.0) and Tayler Gano (4.7) will all be asked to help make up for some of Radke’s departed 14.6 points, and that second scorer is the one big question that we have with this group.
West Branch (18-6 last year, 63.8% of scoring back)
The bad news for the Bears is that they are losing one of the best basketball players in the school’s history in Cooper Kabela, a 24-point a game scorer last year. That’s a huge loss that is going to be very tough to overcome. The good news, however, is that every other player who scored in a game last year returns, headlined by talented junior scoring guard Beau Cornwell (19.2). Cornwell is the definition of a gunner, and he is capable of (nearly) winning games on his own, but he can also shoot them out of games. He’ll need to improve his efficiency without Kabela to take some of the scoring pressure off, and if he’s able to do so, they should be very good again this season. Ben Thompson (9.0), Tanner Lukavsky (4.7), Brett Schiele (4.3) and Ted Bridges (3.5) were all solid contributors last season and should be solid again this year. We’re looking to Lukavsky to improve on a solid freshman year and become a very capable second scorer for the Bears. This team has a chance to make some noise come playoff time, and with Cornwell in tow, they’ll be an incredibly dangerous team.