Conference Preview: Top of Iowa West
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The Teams Belmond-Klemme (8-13): The top six scorers from last year’s team graduated, leaving sophomore forward Ty Franklin (1.2) as the top returning scorer. In total, only 4.6% of their scoring output from last season returns, so it will be…
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Continue ReadingThe Teams
Belmond-Klemme (8-13): The top six scorers from last year’s team graduated, leaving sophomore forward Ty Franklin (1.2) as the top returning scorer. In total, only 4.6% of their scoring output from last season returns, so it will be an almost entirely new slew of faces taking the floor this winter for the Broncos.
Bishop Garrigan (15-9): The Golden Bears lose the best player in school history in Angelo Winkel, who put up ridiculous averages of 28.6 points and 13.8 rebounds last season. Also gone are the next three scorers from last year’s team, leaving junior wing Andrew Fogarty (3.2) as the top returnee. Only 8.4% of last year’s scoring production returns, so there will be a largely new group of talent taking the floor in Algona.
Eagle Grove (0-22): The Eagles were winless last season and lose three of their top four from that team, which doesn’t bode well for this season. Sophomore forward Drake Canavan (6.9) led the team in rebounding last year as a freshman and returns, and juniors Orlando Hernandez (3.0) and Jordan Morris (2.9) are the other returnees with significant experience coming back. Consider it a successful year if they can play a handful of games within single digits this season (after having three of them last season).
Forest City (14-10): The Indians have averaged 17.5 wins a year over the last 15 seasons, so expect them to be very competitive again this season despite losing leading scorer Noah Miller. Senior forward Andrew Snyder (10.0, 7.0) led the team in rebounding last season and returns, as does senior guard Carter Bruckhoff (9.4). With that tandem, Forest City has a pair of talented scorers, one inside and one outside. Truman Knudtson (4.1) also returns on the perimeter to give them some more experience. This is always a strong defensive team, and that should be the case again this year. While they won’t have the firepower to compete with Lake Mills at the top of the division, they should compete for a top-3 divisional finish.
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura (14-8): The Cardinals got off to a strong 11-2 start before dropping six of their last nine games. They lose all three double-figure scorers from that team, leaving junior guard Drew Britson Drew Britson 6'1" | SG Garner-Hayfield-Ventura | 2023 State IA (7.7) as the lone returnee who averaged more than 3.0 points a game last year. Britson is a heady lead guard who can really shoot it, and he’s primed to have a very productive junior season, but they’ll need to find a number of new pieces to fill in alongside him. GHV is annually a strong program, and they’ll have some athletes who will step up and contribute, but don’t expect them to challenge Lake Mills at the top of the league this season.
Lake Mills (25-1): The Bulldogs have been absolutely dominant over the last two seasons, compiling a 48-4 record with a pair of state tournament appearances. They lose a pair of big-time producers in Dashawn Linnen and Caleb Bacon, who combined to average 30.9 points and 14.3 rebounds last season, but still bring back more than enough to make them the favorite to win this division again. Wyatt Helming Wyatt Helming 6'6" | SF Lake Mills | 2022 State IA (13.3) is a big, physical combo forward who can score inside and out at 6-6, and he’s a versatile defender who can move his feet or protect the rim. He should be one of the best players in 1A this season. Senior point guard Bennett Berger Bennett Berger 6'2" | PG Lake Mills | 2022 State IA (7.3, 4.8 assists) is the team’s best perimeter scoring threat and a great ball-handler and decision-maker. He posted a 5.3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio last season, valuing possessions and getting others involved at a high level. Role players Denton Kingland (5.6), Kadin Abele (4.2), AJ Ramaker (3.2), and Lance Helming (1.3) all return with experience, and coach Kyle Menke has built this program into a power. They should have their way in this division again.
North Iowa (11-12): The Bison lose leading scorer Dominyk Price but bring back the next three scorers from last year’s team in seniors Logan Sabin (11.7) and Riley Sabin (8.9), and junior Noah Hoffman (7.8). The Sabin brothers combined to pull down 4.5 offensive rebounds a game last season, while Hoffman is the team’s top returning perimeter scoring threat. With the loss of Price, the Bison are losing a dynamic scoring threat, but they may be more balanced this season. They’ll need to find someone to step into a primary ball-handling and playmaking role this year.
North Union (2-19): The Warriors lose their leading scorer and rebounder, but bring back the next four scorers from last year’s team. This is a team that struggled to score last season, averaging just 42.4 points a game, and they turned it over nearly 21 times a game. Both of those numbers obviously need to improve if they want to compete more consistently. Seniors Aiden Fries (6.3) and Nick Schiltz (6.2) are the top returning scorers and expect sophomore point guard Kyan Jones (1.4, 2.6 assists) to be relied upon as the team’s top ball-handler.
West Hancock (12-12): The Eagles won eight of their last 11 games last season and bring back two of their top three scorers from that team, so they’ll be looking to carry some of that momentum into this winter. Junior wing Rylan Barnes (13.1) is a do-it-all wing who stuffs the stat sheet and controls the game on both ends of the floor. Senior Braden Walk (8.6) is the other key returnee for them, while seniors Logan Leerar (3.2) and Ty Peterson (1.7), and junior Rhett Eisenman (2.8) are returning pieces who saw time last season. This team made another deep run in the football playoffs and could get off to another slow start, but they should be more competitive this season.
Projected Order of Finish
1. Lake Mills
2. Forest City
3. West Hancock
4. Garner-Hayfield-Ventura
5. North Iowa
6. Bishop Garrigan
7. Belmond-Klemme
8. North Union
9. Eagle Grove
Analysis: This division will continue to be all about Lake Mills. The Bulldogs are a prohibitive favorite to roll through this division again and will be a threat to make it to Des Moines for the third year in a row.
Preseason Player of the Year
2022 Wyatt Helming Wyatt Helming 6'6" | SF Lake Mills | 2022 State IA , Lake Mills: The Bulldogs have dominated this division for the last few years, and Helming will be looking to keep that domination going. He’s a big, physical combo forward who scores inside and out, rebounds, and protects the rim at a high level.
Players to Watch
2022
Wyatt Helming
Wyatt
Helming
6'6" | SF
Lake Mills | 2022
State
IA
, Lake Mills
2022
Bennett Berger
Bennett
Berger
6'2" | PG
Lake Mills | 2022
State
IA
, Lake Mills
2023 Denton Kingland, Lake Mills
2022 Kaden Abele, Lake Mills
2023 Rylan Barnes, West Hancock
2022 Braden Walk, West Hancock
2022 Andrew Snyder, Forest City
2022 Carter Bruckhoff, Forest City
2022 Logan Sabin, North Iowa
2022 Riley Sabin, North Iowa
2023 Noah Hoffman, North Iowa
2023
Drew Britson
Drew
Britson
6'1" | SG
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura | 2023
State
IA
, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura
2024 Drake Canavan, Eagle Grove
2022 Aidan Fries, North Union
2022 Nick Schiltz, North Union