The Iron Range Preview
Today we preview the Iron Range, with our thoughts also on the King of Iron Range Basketball Bob McDonald. Leading the way in the Iron Range Conference this year? Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022…
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Continue ReadingToday we preview the Iron Range, with our thoughts also on the King of Iron Range Basketball Bob McDonald. Leading the way in the Iron Range Conference this year? Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022 State MN of Hibbing, Bob’s grandson!
Conference Commentary
Top Ten in State – Hibbing, Deer River
If we get a state tournament this year – and man do the kids of Minnesota deserve one, at least in some way – Hibbing is a big favorite to be playing in the final four. They return all of their starters plus one of their key bench players. The group of talent includes one of the best players in the state (Ayden), size, and wing shooters/scorers. And it’s team that has put themselves in position to win by playing against top talent in the winter, spring, and summer.
Deer River won 18 games last season and they return most of their line-up including four starters that scored in double figures a season ago. Ty Morrison Ty Morrison 6'4" | SF Deer River | 2022 State MN and Mikhail Wakonabo Mikhail Wakonabo 6'4" | SF Deer River | 2022 State MN are 20 point per game players, and because of that’s back, some feel that Deer River can knock off North Woods in the section AND go compete for a state title at the Class A level. I’m not ready to bet against them in a wide open level of play.
Compete with Most – Virginia, Greenway, International Falls, Eveleth-Gilbert, Mesabi East, Chisholm
Because so many of these teams are returning talent, and so many of them are returning their best players, it’s hard to file any of them under the term “rebuilding”. Every team in the league won at least eight games last season so they all tasted enough victory to compete with most in the league. A few need to get better defensively as Mesabi East and Chisholm both gave up nearly 80 points a game last season.
Greenway has two all league starters back from a 19 win team. No Dylan Dechampeau means a slip but maybe not as most expect. International Falls shouldn’t slip, in fact with four starters back they should take a big jump forward. They lost their best player but with four starters, they will be better. Eveleth-Gilbert has all of their top talent back including big man William Bittman. Mesabi East is one team that’s in a tough spot losing a number of starters, but with Hunter Hannuksela back at 28 points a game, they’ll be able to compete with teams. Chisholm was the worst team in the league last year, but they have 3-4 starters back including their top weapons.
20-21 Conference Predictions
- Hibbing
- Deer River
- Virginia
- International Falls
- Greenway
- Eveleth-Gilbert
- Chisholm
- Mesabi East
Preseason All Iron Range Conference
First Team
Mayson Brown Mayson Brown 6'1" | SG Hibbing | 2021 State MN of Hibbing (Sr)
Hunter Hannuksela of Mesabi East (Sr)
Parker Maki Parker Maki 6'6" | PF Hibbing | 2021 State MN of Hibbing (Sr)
Ayden McDonald Ayden McDonald 6'4" | PG Omaha Central | 2022 State MN of Hibbing (Jr)
Ty Morrison Ty Morrison 6'4" | SF Deer River | 2022 State MN of Deer River (Jr)
Second Team
William Bittman of Eveleth-Gilbert (Jr)
Eli Erickson Eli Erickson 6'5" | PF Hibbing | 2021 State MN of Hibbing (Sr)
Grant Hansen Grant Hansen 5'10" | PG Rock Ridge | 2023 State MN of Greenway (Soph)
Tre Holmes Tre Holmes 6'2" | SG Hibbing | 2021 State MN of Hibbing (Sr)
Mikhail Wakonabo Mikhail Wakonabo 6'4" | SF Deer River | 2022 State MN of Deer River (Jr)
Third Team
Blake Fox of Deer River (Sr)
JaJuan Hall of Greenway (Sr)
Riley Larson of International Falls (Sr)
Nick Peters of Virginia (Sr)
Cullen Rein of International Falls (Sr)
Jude Sundquist Jude Sundquist 6'4" | SG Chisholm | 2022 State MN of Chisholm (Jr)
Fourth Team
Jack Homan of Virginia (Sr)
Bryant Koenig of International Falls (Sr)
Sam Rahier Sam Rahier 5'10" | PG Deer River | 2023 State MN of Deer River (Soph)
Jett Tomczak Jett Tomczak 6'1" | SG International Falls | 2022 MN of International Falls (Jr)
Hayden Verhel Hayden Verhel 6'0" | SF Hibbing | 2022 MN of Hibbing (Jr)
Bryce Warner of Chisholm (Sr)