Conference Preview: MVC Valley
The Teams Cedar Rapids Jefferson (10-10, 8-8): The J-Hawks were incredibly small last year, with no regular rotation player listed as taller than 6-2, but they were scrappy, and used that lack of size and a lot of quickness to…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Teams
Cedar Rapids Jefferson (10-10, 8-8): The J-Hawks were incredibly small last year, with no regular rotation player listed as taller than 6-2, but they were scrappy, and used that lack of size and a lot of quickness to win 10 games and be really competitive in the others (six losses by less than 10 points). Ozzie Meiborg (12.9) is the team’s leading returnee, a talented scoring guard who could average close to 20 a game this year. He’s a great shooter off the dribble, and should have plenty of chances to have big scoring nights. Raezjuan Shockley (10.7) is the team’s “big man” at 6-2, but he makes up for being undersized by being incredibly athletic. He routinely skies for putback dunks and should provide plenty of highlights. Look for increased production out of Brayden Kindhart (2.0) this season after a solid freshman year. He’s a big, physical, athletic wing who can score from all three levels and contribute across the board. He had a strong summer on the grassroots circuit and looks like he’s ready to become a key contributor.
Cedar Rapids Kennedy (10-12, 8-11): The Cougars lose a ton of production following the transfers of both Jack Wetzel and Tyler Andrews to out-of-state prep schools. Those two losses dropped the Cougars from 66.7% of their scoring returning, all the way down to just 13.9% now. Caleb Schlaak (7.9) is the only returnee who scored more than 3 points last year, so Kennedy has a lot of production to replace. Schlaak had a really solid freshman campaign before taking a step back last year as a sophomore as Wetzel and Andrews took a large chunk of the shots. Expect this year’s Cougars team to be much more balanced, and coach Jon McKowen is one of the best in the state. He’ll have fun molding this group of newcomers into a contender. We’ll never bet against McKowen, but it’s hard to see this group winning too many games in a division that returns a lot of talent.
Michael Duax
Dubuque Hempstead (10-11, 8-9): Iowa, watch out for Mustangs wing Michael Duax (14.8). Coming off a productive sophomore season, the 6-6 junior is about to become one of the state’s best players. He’s a long, athletic and incredibly talented wing who is coming off a great summer with Martin Brothers, and he’s the reason that the Mustangs crack our top 10 to start the year. He led the ‘Stangs in rebounding, ranked second in assists and steals, and posted 54-50-73 shooting splits last year, and all of those numbers should improve this year. Cameron Davis (5.0) is the other returning starter for Hempstead, a quick, 5-11 junior guard with blazing speed. He needs to improve his efficiency (37.6 FG%), but that should happen this year. Jamari Smith (7.6) is a 6-3 wing who was productive off the bench last year and is also coming off a big summer, his coming with the Barnstormers. Nick Kaesbauer (3.2) is the final key returning piece for Hempstead, a capable perimeter shooter. This is a team that lost seven games by single digits last year, including four by four points or less. So they were close last year, and with another year of development from Duax, Davis and Smith, they should close out a few more of those games this winter.
Jake Schockemoehl
Dubuque Wahlert (10-12, 6-11): Four starters return for the Golden Eagles. Included within those four returnees are the top three scorers from last season, a trio that will give Wahlert one of the best backcourts in the state. They’re led by Jake Schockemoehl (17.6, 57 3PM), a big-time scoring guard who could have a huge senior season if he can improve his efficiency (35.8 FG%, 36.3 3P%). He’s really talented, but can at times have some questionable shot selection. Get that in check, and watch out. He’s joined in the backcourt by Cael Schmitt (13.4, 36 3PM) and Isaac Ripley (10.2, 32 3PM), giving the Eagles plenty of perimeter scoring punch. Schmitt, a 5-11 senior lead guard, took outstanding care of the ball last year, dishing out 96 assists against just 35 turnovers, and also led the team with 68 steals. A quick point guard with good handles and court vision, he emerged as a real scoring threat last season. Ripley is a quality third scoring option alongside Schockemoehl and Schmitt who does a little bit of everything. Lucas Topping (2.8) is the other returning starter, a 6-4 forward who had more offensive rebounds than defensive last season and will need to control the paint for Wahlert. Playing in arguably the best conference in the state, the MVC, with a bunch of 4A schools, Wahlert is probably going to hover around the .500 mark for most of the season, but they will be one of the best teams in 3A when postseason play rolls around. Guard play wins in high school basketball, and few in 3A will have a better trio of guards than Wahlert is going to put on the floor.
Iowa City Liberty (8-13, 6-11): In Liberty’s first two years as a school, the Lightning have won eight games each season. Look for that number to be beaten this year, as every single player from last year’s roster returns, and most of them have been playing varsity basketball for the Lightning for the last two years. They showed a glimpse of what they can be by upsetting Dubuque Senior last season, and if they can play with some more consistency this year, this could be a group that contends for a state tournament berth, given the right draw. They’re led by senior forward Andre Brandon (14.4), a talented 6-6 big man who can do a bit of everything on the floor. He suffered a torn Achilles in early April, but is expected to be ready for the start of the season. If he’s not able to go, that would be a big blow for Liberty’s hopes. Ethan O’Donnell (10.2), Isaac Bender (6.6), Ben Houselog (4.0) and Sam Funke (4.0) are the other returning starters, while Grayson Tyler (5.1), Ira Hazeltine (3.3), Basil Aldoss (3.6), Kelby Telander (1.4) and Bowen Gryp (2.9) all saw plenty of time last year. Two things need to drastically improve this year if this team wants to take a step forward. First, they need to clean up the ball handling and decision making. They had 339 turnovers last year (over 16 a game), compared to 250 assists. That number needs to be much better. They also need to improve a bit on the defensive end. They ranked 29th last year in scoring defense, allowing 58.0 points a game. Not atrocious, but not great, either. And surely, a decent sized chunk of those points can be attributed to the first problem. So clean up the ball handling, and the scoring defense improves, and they win more games. Seems like a pretty simple solution, but can they do it? If they can, they will finish above .500 and be a real threat in the MVC. If they don’t, then expect another 8ish win season. The pieces and experience are here now. It’s time to deliver.
Even Brauns
Iowa City West (17-5, 13-4): The end of the uber-successful run that the Trojans have had over the last 10+ years is nearing an end, but Steve Bergman and company have a chance to set another record this year. If they make another trip to Des Moines, it would be the Trojans’ 10th consecutive State appearance, which would break the record that they currently share with Linn-Mar. And they have the talent to make the run again. Obviously they have a huge piece to replace in the form of Patrick McCaffery, the school’s all-time leading scorer who will play his college ball for his dad at Iowa. But three starters return to a team that fell just short against Dubuque Senior in the quarterfinals last season, and there is yet another Division I player on the roster. They’ll be led by 6-9 senior big man Even Brauns (11.0), the aforementioned Division I player who recently committed to play his college ball at Belmont. After spending his first two high school seasons at Regina, Brauns transferred to West last year, and became a dominant force late in the season after getting off to a bit of a slow start. He’s a talented big man with good touch and footwork around the rim, a reliable free throw shooter, and if he plays like he did down the stretch last year all season, he’ll put up some huge numbers this year and be one of the best players in the state. Nick Pepin (7.7) and Marcus Morgan (7.4) also return as starters, giving the Trojans a solid backcourt to build around. Pepin shot 53.4% from behind the arc last season. Like Brauns, last year was his first year at West after spending two seasons at Waterloo West. Another year of familiarity with co-head coaches Bergman and Paul Rundquist should help Pepin. Morgan is one of the best all-around athletes in the state, a four-sport standout who will have some decisions to make in the next few years about what sport to pursue at the next level. At the high school level, he’s a strong, athletic, 6-3 guard with the ability to shoot it (39.3 3P%), pass it (66 assists to 33 turnovers) and he became one of the better perimeter defenders in the state last year. Bench players Joey Goodman (2.0), Tate Crane (1.9) and Ben Vander Leest (1.1) each saw a fair amount of time last season and return, and they should get a boost from sophomore guard Christian Barnes, a quick, defensive minded guard who can be a pest on that end of the floor. The talent level at West may not be what it has been in previous years, but this group has the ability to make a 10th straight trip to Des Moines, and if Brauns becomes that dominant force, they’ll have a chance at another state title.
Linn-Mar (15-6, 14-5): The Lions were really good last season, but lose their top three scorers from that group, and five of the top six. The lone returnee, however, is a good piece to start building around in guard John Steffen (9.2), a solid lead guard who takes care of the ball and can fill it up. He should have a chance to really showcase his scoring abilities this year. The other two returnees who saw time last year, Brady Klahn (2.5) and Will Zahradnik (1.1), play more inside the arc, and should give them some decent size. Look for the Martin twins, Pearson and Evan, sons of Coe coach Bryan Martin, to get some minutes this year. Both are athletic, quick guards who can really handle and pass it. They should allow Steffen to move off the ball a bit and open up his scoring. The Lions have a lot of production to replace, but they’ll always get strong guard play and should be competitive again.
Caleb Haag
Waterloo West (10-10, 7-10): The Wahawks have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the state over the last five or so years, piecing together some great stretches of basketball, followed by some really odd play. For example, a month after beating Linn-Mar last season, they lost to the Lions by 31. Two months after beating Cedar Falls, they lost to the Tigers by 30, scoring just 28 points. Three weeks after that, they played the eventual state champs to just a five point defeat. There can be incredible highs with this group, and some really bad lows. They need to improve in that regard if they want to be considered a serious state tournament threat this year. The good news for them is that all five starters return and they should be one of the most athletic teams in the state. Only 36 points from last year’s roster are gone, and they have loads of experience. They’re led by senior wing Caleb Haag (12.5), an athletic, 6-5 wing with good size and length, and the ability to take over games and score from anywhere. He’s a versatile threat on both ends of the floor. Isaiah Johnson (11.3) is their top perimeter shooter, having made 28 3s last year at a 41.8% clip, and Daquavian Walker (11.1, 29 3PM) is a quick lead guard who can pressure the ball on the defensive end and is at his best when he’s attacking the rim. Perhaps the most important player for this team is Jaden Keller (7.1), a 6-5 point-forward who led the team in rebounding and assists, and was the only player of the regulars to have a positive assist-to-turnover ratio (64-46). His decision making needs to rub off onto his teammates, as the team posted a 257-188 ratio last year. Antonio Alexander (6.1) is the final returning starter, another athletic, slashing wing. Amar Kulijuhovic (5.0) gives the Wahawks some size and aggressiveness on the glass, especially offensively, while Mondre Lagow (2.9) is a solid shooter and Michael Robinson (2.9) provides another quality ball handler off the bench. This team reportedly played really well during the summer, and should be able to overwhelm plenty of teams with their athleticism and talent. But they need to become more consistent with their effort, take better care of the basketball, and get better at the free throw line (just 59.6% as a team last year) if they want to emerge as a serious contender. The pieces are in place for West to make their first state tournament since 1994.
Projected Order of Finish
1. Iowa City West
2. Waterloo West
3. Hempstead
4. Wahlert
5. Liberty
6. Linn-Mar
7. Jefferson
8. Kennedy
Analysis: Honestly, outside of West at the top of the league, you could probably put teams 2-7 in a hat and draw them randomly and come just as close to predicting how it’ll finish. This is the stronger of the two MVC divisions this year, and each game should be a battle.
Preseason Player of the Year
2021 Michael Duax, Hempstead: 14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.8 steals, 54.0 FG%
My pick to lead 4A in scoring this year, this 6-5 wing has a little bit of everything in his offensive arsenal, with the ability to score from all three levels, facilitate, crash the glass, and he should get his share of easy ones with his prowess on the defensive end of the floor as well. Look for Duax to be sensational this year for Hempstead.
Biggest Sleeper
2021 Ira Hazeltine, Liberty: A 5-10 junior guard, Hazeltine averaged just 3.3 points a game last year for the Lightning, but should step into a bigger role this year. He’s a knockdown shooter both off the catch and the dribble, and his ability to space the floor is key in today’s game.
Players to Watch
2021 Michael Duax, Hempstead
2021 Jamari Smith, Hempstead
2020 Even Brauns, Iowa City West
2021 Marcus Morgan, Iowa City West
2020 Nick Pepin, Iowa City West
2022 Christian Barnes, Iowa City West
2020 Joey Goodman, Iowa City West
2020 Jake Schockemoehl, Wahlert
2020 Cael Schmitt, Wahlert
2020 Isaac Ripley, Wahlert
2020 Andre Brandon, Liberty
2021 Ethan O’Donnell, Liberty
2021 Grayson Tyler, Liberty
2020 Ozzie Meiborg, Jefferson
2020 Raejzuan Shockley, Jefferson
2020 Caleb Haag, Waterloo West
2020 Isaiah Johnson, Waterloo West
2020 Daquavian Walker, Waterloo West
2020 Jaden Keller, Waterloo West
2020 Antonio Alexander, Waterloo West
2021 Amar Kulijuhovic, Waterloo West
2020 John Steffen, Linn-Mar
2021 Caleb Schlaak, Kennedy