Season Preview: Class 4A Stars to Watch (Part III)
As we continue our march towards the start of the high school season, we take a look at some of the top players to watch in each class. We’ll take a look at 20 of the best players in each…
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Continue ReadingAs we continue our march towards the start of the high school season, we take a look at some of the top players to watch in each class. We’ll take a look at 20 of the best players in each classification to keep an eye on this winter. In Part III of our Class 4A series, we take a look at the final six standouts to monitor.
2023 Omaha Biliew (Dowling Catholic)
Biliew, a 6-8 incoming freshman, is largely regarded as a top five player nationally in the 2023 class, and is the most anticipated freshman in the state in as long as I can remember. He’s already made appearances all over Twitter, putting highly regarded Minnesota big man Chet Holmgren (who we at Prep Hoops have ranked #2 in the 2021 class) on a poster during Team USA tryouts, and he should make an immediate, huge impact with a Maroons team that we have ranked #3 to open the year, but that could be much, much better than that. Enjoy him while you can, Iowa high school hoops fans, because prep schools from all over the country are going to be coming after Biliew in a matter of time.
2021 Reid Grant (Johnston)
We have the Dragons ranked #2 to open the year in 4A, and Grant is part of the reason why. He averaged 9.9 points a game last year, good for second on the team, and led the team with 69 assists. Those may not look like big numbers, but Johnston has a deep and talented roster. He’s a smart guard who should see his numbers go up this year with a loaded Johnston team.
2021 Manny Austin (Des Moines North)
A high-scoring 6-2 guard, Austin averaged 14.6 points a game last year at Hoover, and has transferred over to North now. He does a large majority of his scoring by getting to the rim and scoring or getting to the free throw line. After putting up those big numbers at Hoover, who traditionally plays at one of the slower paces in 4A, he should thrive in a more up-tempo system at North.
2021 Chase Courbat (Cedar Falls)
The 6-9 junior put up pedestrian numbers last year with the state champion Tigers, averaging 5.9 points and 3.8 rebounds off the bench, while leading the team with 36 blocks. He’s a mobile big man who really understands how to play defense, and is a switchable rim protector. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but he shot 66.0% from the field last year, and should have a more prominent role in the offense this year following the graduations of a number of key scorers. Anything you can get out of Courbat on the offensive end is an added bonus, as his defense is what makes him a big-time prospect, and why he’s one of the best players in the state.
2020 Micah Johnson (Ankeny Centennial)
A 6-7 forward, Johnson averaged 10.2 points and 5.8 rebounds last year for the Jaguars, shooting 53.7% from the floor. He runs the floor well and finishes around the rim. While playing on the grassroots circuit, he’s shown the ability to shoot it a bit from the mid-range and arc as well, so look for a bit more of that this year (just 3-21 from 3 last year).
2020 Andre Brandon (Iowa City Liberty)
Brandon tore his Achilles during a workout in late March, but is expected to be back and ready to go for the start of the high school season, which is a big boost for a Liberty team that returns everyone and should be pushing for the school’s first State appearance. He has good footwork and touch around the rim, and is a high-level rebounder on both ends of the floor. He averaged 14.4 points and 8.3 rebounds last season, and if he’s healthy, he should average close to a double-double this year.