Class 1A Leading Returning Shot Blockers
In this article:
1.) 2023 Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA (Grand View Christian) – 107 blocks How dominant was Tobiloba as a rim protector last year? His 107 blocks would’ve tied him for 12th…
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Continue Reading1.) 2023 Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA (Grand View Christian) – 107 blocks
How dominant was Tobiloba as a rim protector last year? His 107 blocks would’ve tied him for 12th in the state…if he were his own team! The 7-0 junior-to-be is hyper-athletic and possesses incredible size and length. Unlike some previous GVC big men, he also tends to stay out of foul trouble as well, showing good timing and the knowledge that his pure size is going to make life difficult for opposing players. He rarely takes chances to block shots.
2.) 2023 Kade Benjamin Kade Benjamin 6'6" | PF New London | 2023 State IA (New London) – 74
A rapidly developing 6-6/6-7 big man, Benjamin pairs with guard Blaise Porter Blaise Porter 6'1" | PG New London | 2023 State #298 Nation IA to give the Tigers arguably the best one-two punch in the class. A mobile big who finishes above the rim, has an improving jumper, and great hands, he impacts the game on both ends of the floor with his versatility and mobility.
3.) 2022 Ben DeMeulenaere Ben DeMeulenaere 6'3" | PF Belle Plaine | 2022 State IA (Belle Plaine) – 57
The 6-4 forward also found himself on the leading returning rebounders list. He’s got great hands and timing and is an incredibly efficient scorer inside the paint. A high motor player who impacts the game on both ends of the floor, he’ll cap off a really strong career with what should be an excellent senior year.
4.) 2022 Wyatt Helming Wyatt Helming 6'6" | SF Lake Mills | 2022 State IA (Lake Mills) – 55
A mobile and versatile player on both ends of the floor, Helming helped lead the Bulldogs to an undefeated regular season last year, averaging 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. He can score from all three levels, defend multiple positions, and he uses his length to do a great job contesting (and blocking) shots.
5.) 2024 Abram Edwards Abram Edwards 6'5" | PF Winfield-Mt. Union | 2024 State IA (Winfield-Mt. Union) – 55
The 6-5 son of former Iowa State player Klay Edwards, Abram is one of the top players in Iowa’s 2024 class with his size, athleticism, and skill set. A versatile forward who can do a little bit of everything, he led the Wolves in rebounding and assists last year while also blocking nearly 3 shots a game.
6.) 2024 Klayton Van Dyke (Lynnville-Sully) – 53
An intriguing young big man who is coming off a very productive freshman season (7.3 points, 8.8 rebounds a game), Van Dyke is a key piece for what should be one of the most improved teams in 1A this year. The 6-5 big is an efficient finisher around the rim and he crashes the offensive glass hard.
7.) 2023 Carson Scroggins Carson Scroggins 6'4" | PF Baxter | 2023 State IA (Baxter) – 51
A physical 6-3 forward, Scroggins is an intimidating presence in the paint who protects the rim well. He uses his length and physicality to dominate the painted area.
8.) 2022 Sawyer Nelson Sawyer Nelson 6'6" | PF Danville Community School | 2022 State IA (Danville) – 51
A 6-5 big, Nelson isn’t much of an offensive threat (the Bears are usually pretty guard-heavy in scoring), but he knows his job (rebounding and rim protection), and he does both things at a high level. He averaged 7.7 rebounds (3.1 offensive) in addition to his shot blocking.
9.) 2022 Kaden Hall Kaden Hall 6'2" | PF English Valleys | 2022 State IA (English Valleys) – 50
A mobile 6-4 big man who stuffs the stat sheet for the Bears, Hall led the team in scoring (19.7 points a game) and rebounding (12.5) in addition to his dominance as a rim protector.
10.) 2022 Trey Kriener Trey Kriener 6'7" | C South Winneshiek | 2022 State IA (South Winneshiek) – 45
The 6-7 forward’s rim protection was one of the key reasons that the Warriors punched the school’s first-ever state tournament ticket last winter. A mobile, switchable big who can also stretch the floor on the offensive end, Kriener is the type of modern big man that small schools should be coveting.