The Final Countdown: 20-16
We’ll head out to our first grassroots event of the spring this weekend, where Class of 2022, 2021 and 2020 prospects will be unearthed. First, though, we take one more look at the best from Iowa’s exceptional Class of 2019. …
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Continue ReadingWe’ll head out to our first grassroots event of the spring this weekend, where Class of 2022, 2021 and 2020 prospects will be unearthed. First, though, we take one more look at the best from Iowa’s exceptional Class of 2019.
20 Cliff McCray (Sioux City West)
Perhaps the most under-the-radar player in the Class of 2019, McCray will play at Division II school Southwest Minnesota State next season, he chose the Mustangs over Nebraska D2 Wayne State. With his explosive athleticism, playmaking ability and skill, we thought the 6’2 point guard could have earned some Division I offers. The numbers this past season back it up, McCray went for 20.8 points on outstanding 60/41/84 shooting clips, 7.5 assists and 9.0 rebounds per game.
19 Trayvon Williams (Valley)
This could be said for most any player outside of the top-10, but the fact that Williams — a D1 prospect who had a stellar senior season — is this low on the list is simply a testament to how strong this class of players is. Indian Hills, a high-level JuCo has offered Williams, as well as a slew of other area ones, and we’d expect to see him land with a D1 program after JuCo. His perimeter defense is exceptional, and offensively, he’s one of the best slashing guards in Iowa.
18 Tyrese Nickelson (Waterloo East)
The 6-foot-1 combo-guard was a scoring machine for Waterloo East over the course of his career. As a sophomore, he played in 10 games and averaged 24.8 points. As a junior, the dynamic guard averaged 21.5 points and followed it up with a very strong summer on the adidas Gauntlet with the Iowa Barnstormers. This past season, he averaged 24.1 points, fifth-best in 4A, and picked up some D1 interest and JuCo offers as result.
17 Jake Hilmer (North Linn)
Truly an all-time Iowa high school great, Hilmer has recently been showered with accolades, not the least of them is Co-Iowa Mr. Basketball with Ohio State-bound point guard DJ Carton. Hilmer deserves it all, not only did he finish his illustrious career as the state’s all-time steals and assists leader, but he went out a state champ. Hilmer was named all-tournament team captain after leading his Lynx to a 2A state title last month; it was the program’s first-ever boys’ hoops title. Hilmer will play basketball and baseball at D2 Upper Iowa.
16 Keegan Murray (Cedar Rapids Prairie)
By our rankings, Murray is the state’s third-best unsigned senior (spoiler alert, his twin brother is the second-best remaining). Recently, he and his brother, Kris, took an official visit to Division I program Western Illinois. Other D1s, including UMKC have showed some interest of late, too. D2 programs Truman State, Upper Iowa and St. Cloud State have all offered, but it seems like it’ll either be D1 or JuCo next season for this tall, rangy sharpshooter. Murray was exceptional this past season, going for 20.3 points on 52/40/87 shooting clips, 3.0 assists, 1.7 blocks and 7.2 rebounds per game.