Iowa’s Top Returning Assisters: Class 4A
Tick tock, the season is almost here. Practice started across Iowa on Nov. 12, and games will start across the state on Tuesday, Nov. 27. That gives us just enough time to bring some quantitative lists, counting down the best returners in a given statistical category. The series continues with us bringing you the best returning assisters, from 4A to 1A.
10 LJ Henderson, Clinton — 3.6
Just a sophomore last season, Henderson is the youngest guy to make this 4A list. His River Kings struggled, winning just three games a year ago, but the young guard was a bright spot. An athletic 6-foot-2 guard, Henderson is certainly an intriguing college prospect.
9 Logan Wolf, Cedar Falls — 3.77
He’s going to Northern Iowa next season to play football and basketball, but first he’ll try and lead his Cedar Falls squad to a consecutive state title. AJ Green is no longer at the helm for Cedar Falls, which means Wolf will have to step in to try and fill a play-making void.
8 Logan Burg, Cedar Rapids Prairie — 3.82
Burg stepped up big last season for Cedar Rapids Prairie. We thought he’d be a guy who could come in a make an impact as a junior, and he exceeded our expectations; not only leading the team in assists, but establishing himself as one of the state’s top play-makers in the process.
7 Ross Snitker, Cedar Rapids Washington — 3.83
This 5-foot-10 senior had a sneaky good season last winter. He was his team’s leader in both assists and steals, and he also shot a very decent 50 percent from the floor. After a strong spring and summer with Team Iowa 17U, we expect Snitker to have a big-time senior season.
6 Evan Gauger, Indianola — 4.1
The future Northern Iowa Panthers guard is known more for his offensive skill and scoring than his assisting, but maybe that shouldn’t be the case. The 4.1 assists last season when he was a junior were a big increase from his sophomore season when he dished out 2.5 per game.
5 Kenny Quinn, Des Moines Hoover — 4.3
Widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Iowa, Quinn can get things done on the offensive end, too. He seldom looks to score, but he’s got high-level bucket-getters like Hosea Treadwell and Adam Jackson on his Hoover team who benefit greatly from Quinn’s ability to find the open man.
4 Josh Simmons, Lewis Central — 4.4
A bonafide football star, Simmons was among the state’s elite wide-receivers this season, going for 1,112 yards and 13 touchdowns. Now, it’s basketball season, and the Lewis Central guard will be the one dishing out the dimes, rather than catching them.
3 Noah Hart, Waukee — 5.3
The court-vision Hart possesses is some of the best we’ve seen, and we’ll never forget the 2016 Top 250 Expo in Ames, when he put on an absolute show while showcasing his ability to pass the ball. Long passes, bounce passes, short passes, fancy passes, it doesn’t matter, Hart can make them all.
2 Cliff McCray, Sioux City West — 5.7
Without question one of Iowa’s best all-around basketball talents, the 6-foot-2 McCray is capable of so much on the hardwood. He’s a top-tier leaper, and he gets to the hoop at will. Passing isn’t the first thing we think of when McCray’s game comes to mind, but as the numbers suggest, he’s one of the state’s best at it.
1 Tyreke Locure, Des Moines North — 6.9
Just like the 4A scoring list, Locure is at the top here, and it’s not really close. He certainly benefits from the turbo pace at which the Polar Bears play, but he’s also the reason they’re able to play at that frenetic pace in the first place. He’ll spend one more season terrorizing Iowa comp before heading back to the South (he’s originally from New Orleans), and torching opponents at South Alabama.