Conference Preview: South Iowa Cedar League (West)
The Teams
BGM (7-14)
Noah Beck is is back after a very strong sophomore season, and he’s been pegged as a preseason first-team all-conference guy. It’s not just him, though. Ulises Felix averaged 11.5 points per game a season ago, and is back for his senior season. Other seniors, Kyle Cadden and Scott Tibbetts will see their roles increase this season.
Colfax-Mingo (15-6)
Last season’s senior-laden squad enjoyed a great deal of success, going for 15 wins, the most dubs in a very long time for the Tigerhawks. It’ll be tough to replicate that success this season, the three leading scores from a season ago are graduated. That leaves a big void to be filled, and guys like Brady Berkey and Holister Koenig are there to try and keep the momentum rolling.
HLV (8-14)
After winning eight games a season ago, there’s some reason to believe the Warriors could eclipse that total this winter. Leading scorer Mitch Thys graduated, bit a core group of key players return, not the least of which is Sam Gensley, who averaged 8.7 points per game last season as a sophomore.
Lynnville-Sully (22-4)
It was a fun ride for Lynnville-Sully the past couple years, they made the state tourney in 2017 and 2018. That core group of guys has moved on, but the Eagles are looking to reload with talent this season. Seniors Rylan James and Tyson Vander Linden are now the guys who will captain the ship, and they have plenty of experience when is comes to winning.
Montezuma (19-4)
Expectations are sky high in Montezuma this season. Sophomore Trey Shearer returns after piecing together one of the finer freshman seasons in Iowa last year. Hunter Ray, Cole Watts and Nolan Reynolds were all key contributors on a 19-win team last season. Our preseason 7th-ranked 1A squad, the Braves have sights set on Wells Fargo Arena this season.
North Mahaska (4-17)
After winning just four games a season ago, it may be another rough go this winter for the Warhawks. The top two scorers from last season are gone, and Logan Shipley returns as the leading scorer, he averaged 6.1 points per game last season. It’ll be a young North Mahaska team, making it a promising 2019-2020 squad.
Projected Order of Finish
1 Montezuma
2 Lynnville-Sully
3 BGM
4 HLV
5 Colfax-Mingo
6 North Mahaska
Analysis
This is a two-horse race, and we think it comes down to which team has the most proven talent returning. Yes, Lynnville-Sully is a program that has proven it can win a ton of games no matter who graduated the season before; but Montezuma nearly racked up 20 wins last season, and has its best four scorers back, including superstar guard Trey Shearer, that’s tough.
Preseason Player of the Year
Trey Shearer, Montezuma — 2021
This Montezuma sophomore is still quite young, but has already started to build a lasting legacy. His freshman season at Montezuma was among the best freshman seasons we’ve seen in five years of Prep Hoops Iowa. He followed that up with a strong offseason, both on the camp circuit and with the Iowa Barnstormers’ 15U squad. Big things are coming for this potential three-time conference player of the year.
Biggest Sleeper
Brady Berkey, Colfax-Mingo — 2020
The Tigerhawks were led by a trio of seniors last season, but then-sophomore Brady Berkey was able to bud into a burgeoning star, still. The 6-foot-1 guard averaged 9.2 points per game for that 15-win team, and is in line to be the main man this winter as a junior. We think his numbers will balloon, and he could be north of 15 points per game this winter.
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