STATE TOURNAMENT: 4A Stars to Watch
Over the course of the next two weeks, the Prep Hoops Iowa team will be flooding you with content previewing and covering the State Tournament. Here we take a look at ten of the star players to keep an eye on during the Class 4A tournament.
Patrick McCaffery (Iowa City West)
6’8 SF, 2019
One of two future-Iowa Hawkeyes playing in the state tourney, McCaffery has taken the steps from role player two years ago in a Trojans runner-up finish, to key player on a title team last season, to top-dog this season. He’s averaging a team-best 20.6 points on 53 percent shooting, and 6.4 rebounds per game. Fans in Des Moines will see a very tall, long wing with an incredibly high basketball IQ.
Joe Wieskamp (Muscatine)
6’6 G/F, 2018
The highly touted and much celebrated wing carried The Muskies on his back into the state tourney; and although Muscatine comes in as the 8-seed, any team with a player of Wieskamp’s caliber leading the charge, always has a chance. His shooting prowess will impress, his athleticism will excite and his ability to score will be second to none. BTW, Wieskamp is averaging 33.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game coming into the tourney.
Nathan Johnson (Waukee)
6’6 SF, 2018
Waukee is one of the more well-balanced teams in the state tourney, so there’s really no one on the team that’s put up gaudy numbers. Despite having less-prolific numbers compared to some others guys on this list, big and bouncy wing Nathan Johnson is certainly able to dominant in his own right. His athleticism is going to be among the best in the 4A field, and when left open, he’ll prove why he led the Warriors in 3s made this season.
Camden Vander Zwaag (Johnston)
6’3 SG, 2018
A big guard who can defend multiple positions, this Air Force-commit is averaging 14.7 points and 4.7 rebounds coming into the tourney. He’s been a key player for the Dragons since his sophomore season, when he showed a propensity to be clutch. As tightly contested as these 4A matchups promise to be, a clutch performer (Boston Grimes, too) for the Dragons will definitely come in handy.
Corvon Seales (North Scott)
6’3 G, 2018
One of the stars of last summer, Seales picked up eight offers (D1, D2, JuCo) while playing with Quad City Elite 17U before committing and eventually signing with D2 Minnesota State. He then went on the lead his Lancers to a state tourney berth, knocking off top-ranked Dubuque, Senior in a Substate final to do so. It’s been a really good last nine months for Seales.
Trayvon Williams (Valley)
6’3 G, 2019
Like Waukee, Valley is as balanced of a team as you’ll find, ergo, you really won’t ever see the big-time numbers from Tigers players. But make no mistake, this extremely athletic guard is one of the state’s most promising prospects. He leads the Tigers, averaging 10.1 points per game. And has done so while shooting 58 percent from the floor and 44 percent from deep. He’s got a D1 offer from South Dakota State, and could pick up many more this summer.
AJ Green (Cedar Falls)
6’3 PG, 2018
Two years ago, Green became a legend as a sophomore when he nearly single-handedly pulled off an upset of Iowa City West at the state tourney. He scored 14 points in the final 3 minutes of that one. Again, he was a sophomore. Now, a senior leader with a promising Northern Iowa career ahead of him, we have a feeling he’s not quite done dazzling at Wells Fargo Arena.
Van Rees (Sioux City East)
6’6 F, 2018
A workmanlike combo-forward, Van Rees has been a double-double machine for the past two seasons, and has his Black Raiders in the state tourney for a second straight year. Rees had committed to D2 Wayne State before re-opening his recruitment, he’s without a doubt one of the best unsigned seniors in Iowa.
Blake Brinkmeyer (Valley)
6’8 PF, 2018
Although his numbers aren’t as plentiful as other on this list, Brinkmeyer is without a doubt one of the 4a field’s best prospects. The Indiana State Sycamores will be getting the very lengthy and bouncy power forward the next four years; but first, he’s going to try and get his red-hot (10 straight wins) Valley Tigers to win yet another 4A title (also, 1993, 2016).
Aidan Vanderloo (Sioux City East)
6′ G, 2019
Perhaps the best shooter in Iowa, Vanderloo has put up ridiculous shooting clips the last two years. This season, he’s connected on 55 percent of his 3-point attempts; last season, he was was also 55 percent. In all, he’s made 97 of his 176 3-point tries the past two seasons. Amazing. But watch out for his ability to make some slick passes and handle the rock, too. Vanderloo has an offer from D2 Wayne State, and a slew of other D2 and D1 interest.