Iowa Dynasty Fall League Week 1 Standouts
The annual Iowa Dynasty Fall League tipped off on Sunday, with some of the top players from around Iowa City and Cedar Rapids descending on North Central Junior High to compete. The league has added some talented players this season from a little further away, and it should make for some competitive games throughout the fall. Below we profile six of the standouts from week one. We’ll have six new players each week.
2018 6-4 GF Jocoa Kerschen (Iowa City Regina/Formosa)
Kerschen has long been a personal favorite of mine because he’s an elite shooter. He proved that yet again during the opening week of this league. His team went 2-0 on Sunday, and he led the team in scoring, averaging 22.5 points a game, knocking down ten 3s in the process. With his size, he’s able to get his shot off pretty much whenever he wants, and he’s constantly improving his ability to shoot off the bounce. A long wing, he can make an impact on the defensive end, and he’s a great rebounder from his wing spot. A competitive player who can put points on the board in a hurry, he’s a guy that all Iowa Conference teams should be monitoring.
2018 6-2 SG Brock Simon (Cascade/Formosa)
One of Kerschen’s talented teammates, Simon scored in double figures in both of Formosa’s wins, averaging 13 points in their victories. He’s a long, athletic wing who displayed the ability to creatively finish at the rim, either through or around contact. He fills the lanes on the break and isn’t afraid to attack the rim in transition. His shot has steadily improved, and while he only knocked down one 3 in the pair of games, it’s something that he looks much more comfortable doing than when I first saw him in December of 2015. While Cascade plays only a 2-3 zone, he’s shown the ability both here and during the Top 250 Expo on Saturday to capably defend in man as well. His length and lateral movements help in a big way, and with some more coaching on that end, he could become a plus-defender. Another player that Iowa Conference teams should have an eye on.
2018 6-5 GF Hakeem Odunsi (Iowa City West/Hawkeye Title and Settlement)
Odunsi is probably the most talented player in the league, and he showed a little bit of everything in his game during his 23-point performance in Hawkeye Title’s opening win. He’s a gifted ball handler with great size and fantastic footwork. He uses his body effectively to get to the rim for buckets, is capable of getting red hot from deep and is a dynamic playmaker. He’s a great passer with plus-court vision, and a real triple-double threat here.
2018 6-7 F Seybian Sims (Iowa City West/Coralville Chiropractic)
Sims scored a week-high 26 points in his team’s loss, and his back-and-forth with high school teammate Odunsi was extremely entertaining. A high-flying combo forward, he has the ability to score from anywhere on the floor, and he handles the ball fairly well for a 6-7 player who doesn’t play with the ball in his hands during the high school season. He rebounds at a high level, blocks shots, can step out to the arc and knock down shots, and will dunk on anyone in the paint. He’s among the most talented players in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids corridor, and his performance during week one showed why.
2019 5-10 PG Antonio Turner (Iowa City High/Hawkeye Title and Settlement)
Turner is routinely a standout at the Dynasty Fall League, showcasing elite quickness and an explosive first step to get into the paint, where he’s one of the more creative finishers around. Despite his small stature, he’s not at all afraid to get to the rim and score, putting different spins on the ball to get his attempts to drop. He’s a capable perimeter shooter, but the best aspect of his game is definitely his ability to get to the rim and finish or distribute. He has blazing speed, pushes well in transition and can cause some issues on the defensive end as well.
2019 5-9 PG Dante Eldridge (Iowa City West/Hawkeye Title and Settlement)
After a relatively quiet first half, Eldridge exploded in the second half, scoring 18 of his co-team-high 23 points in the final 18 minutes. He did so by knocking down six 3s (he had seven in the game), and doing so in a variety of different ways. He knocked them down off the catch, off the dribble and while coming off of screens. He’s a bit of streaky shooter, but as he showed during the first week of games, he’s capable of getting red hot and putting up points in a hurry. He’s a decent ball handler and has the quickness/first step to get to the rim as well.