Iowa Dynasty Fall League: Week 4 Notebook
The annual Iowa Dynasty Fall League continued on Sunday with tournament action as players from the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids metro converged on West High School to get some runs in. Below are some takeaways from Week 4’s action.
Jack Wetzel
The Cedar Rapids Kennedy junior wing has been sensational in a number of viewings this fall, whether it’s been at the Dynasty Fall League or at our Top 250 Expo at the end of September. A 6-4 wing who is rapidly developing and improving, he’s proven himself to be one of the state’s best shooters, with a quick, fluid release and “in the gym” range. He’s long, athletic and versatile, equally comfortable scoring in the paint against a smaller defender or shooting it from deep, either off the catch or the dribble. He contributes across the board, rebounding at a high level, using his length to bother people on the defensive end, and if he continues improving his handle and ability to get to the rim, watch out. He’s hearing from a number of Division I programs already, and this is just the start. He’s primed for a massive junior year with the Cougars, who will surprise people this year in the MVC.
Andre Brandon’s continued improvement
The 6-6 junior was Liberty’s leading scorer and rebounder last year in the school’s first year, and he’s getting better. He shot just 26% from behind the arc last year with the Lightning, but if what he showcased on Sunday morning is any indication, that number should skyrocket this year. He displayed improved touch from behind the arc, with a smooth release and follow through. Adding a jumper to his arsenal is nice, but what may be even more impressive is the improvement in his ball handling. He now has the ability to put the ball on the floor from the wing and get to the rim or stop and elevate into a pull-up jumper. He’ll showcase himself as one of the state’s most versatile scoring threats this winter, with the ability to score on the block, get to the rim off the dribble, or pull up and pop a 3.
Some quick hitters
–One of the most impressive players in the pair of weeks I’ve been at Dynasty’s Fall League has been Cedar Rapids Washington senior Mick McCurry. A 6-6 wing, McCurry keeps improving, and the most notable improvement has come with his ball handling, like Andre Brandon. He now has the ability to get his own shot in the halfcourt and get to the rim. He’s a quality shooter who competes on the glass on both ends of the floor. He led the Warriors in scoring and rebounding last year, but I anticipate seeing another spike in his numbers this year, as he’s turned himself into one of the best players in the MVC.
–Another Washington Warrior was a standout on Sunday, junior forward Quincy Underwood. A highly athletic 6-5 combo forward, Underwood showed the ability to score from all three levels, posting up smaller defenders and scoring with either hand around the rim. He can handle the ball a bit and showcased a nice looking jumper. He’s still a bit raw, but there are a lot of tools here and his athleticism stands out.
–A name to keep an eye on moving forward: Colin Shults. Shults is a 6-5 freshman forward from Iowa City Liberty who still has a ways to go, but is a player to monitor. He’s a big, athletic forward with a great frame to build upon. He runs the floor extremely well and has the ability to finish through contact around the rim with either hand. He needs to keep improving his skill level, but he competes on both ends of the floor, rebounds and has quite a bit of potential.