Summer Preview: Iowa Intensity

17U
Head coach: Trey Shearer

Number	Player	Height	School
2	Jesse Cornelison	5-8	Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
3	Adrian Arifi	5-8	East Marshall
8	Karic Stout	6-6	Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
12	Carsen Wade Carsen Wade 6'5" | SF Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2023 State IA	6-5	Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
14	Lane Harmon Lane Harmon 6'1" | SF North Mahaska | 2023 State IA	6-1	North Mahaska
15	Masin Shearer Masin Shearer 5'8" | PG Montezuma | 2023 State IA	5-8	Montezuma
22	Nash Smith Nash Smith 6'6" | SF North Mahaska | 2023 State IA	6-6	North Mahaska
23	Junior Brown Junior Brown 5'8" | SG East Marshall | 2023 State IA	5-8	East Marshall
35	Landon Hall	5-8	HLV

Program director Chris Hansen on 17U: "Our 17U Iowa Intensity team will feature a real competitive group made up of some talented players from schools in the surrounding areas of our hub in Grinnell. Carsen Wade Carsen Wade 6'5" | SF Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2023 State IA started every game this past winter for a 20-3 EBF team while scoring 9 ppg and snagging 3 rebounds. Jesse Cornelison and Karic Stout at 16U players who will be playing up with our 17U group. Jesse is a quick, athletic guard who was a start this year averaging 7.5 points and 3 assists as a sophomore. Karic came off the bench and provided valuable time as a sophomore. He was second on the team in rebounds with 4.3 a game and was the team’s leading shot blocker. Lane Harmon Lane Harmon 6'1" | SF North Mahaska | 2023 State IA was the starting point guard for a talented North Mahaska team that was able to make a run to the state tournament this past winter. He’s a solid guard who’s able to score it (41% from 3, 14 ppg) and help in other ways as well, averaging 6 RPG and 3.5 apg. Nash Smith Nash Smith 6'6" | SF North Mahaska | 2023 State IA , a 6-6 forward and second-team All-State selection, can really fill it up as well. He averaged 19 ppg while shooting 39% from deep and also grabbed 7 boards a game. From East Marshall, Junior Brown Junior Brown 5'8" | SG East Marshall | 2023 State IA is another quick, athletic guard who led the Mustangs in scoring at 18.5 ppg (45% from 3) while leading the team in assists. His running mate, Adrian Arifi, started every game this past season for EM, scoring 10 a game while shooting 39% from three. Another quick guard from HLV, Landon Hall led his team this past season with 12.6 ppg. Landon is a good on-ball defender, swiping 2.6 spg as well. Although he was injured towards the end of the season, Masin Shearer Masin Shearer 5'8" | PG Montezuma | 2023 State IA of Montezuma started every game he appeared in, scoring 14 ppg, shooting 36% from three, and dishing out 4.5 apg. When Masin gets healthy he will really add to this talented 17U group. Trey Shearer will be the head coach of this group, an alum of the Iowa Intensity program."

Tony’s take: This is an interesting group that we’re looking forward to seeing. The backcourt group of Harmon, Shearer, Brown, Hall, Cornelison, and Arifi gives them a lot of talented ball-handlers and decision-makers. Each of them are capable of playing with the ball in their hands or moving off the ball and knocking down shots. Nash Smith Nash Smith 6'6" | SF North Mahaska | 2023 State IA is the difference-maker for this group, a talented 6-6 wing who can score inside and out, facilitate, control the glass, and impact the game with his ability to defend multiple positions. 

16U Orange

Number	Player	Height	School
2	Isaac Clark	6-1	Gladbrook-Reinbeck
5	Austin Gehring	6-0	Gladbrook-Reinbeck
16	Klayton Van Dyke Klayton Van Dyke 6'5" | PF Lynnville-Sully | 2024 State IA	6-5	Lynnville-Sully
20	Christian Lawson	6-0	Newton
21	Cainan Travis	6-2	Baxter
23	Austin Vaverka	5-11	Gladbrook-Reinbeck
24	Trey Travis	6-1	Baxter
30	Hunter Teague	6-3	Newton
34	Carson Scroggins Carson Scroggins 6'4" | PF Baxter | 2023 State IA	6-4	Baxter

Hansen on 16U Orange: "We split our 16U teams up by school rather than an "A" and "B" team to hopefully help in getting better attendance with practices/tournaments due to carpooling. We should have two really competitive 16U teams. Carson Scroggins Carson Scroggins 6'4" | PF Baxter | 2023 State IA is in 11th grade but is young for his grade, so he’s playing with our 16U group along with a couple of other Baxter players. He was Player of the Year in the Iowa Star Conference, averaging 16 points per game, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. Trey Travis was second on the Baxter team in points, assists, steals, and third in rebounds as a sophomore. His brother Cainina dressed for Baxter as a freshman and appeared in about 2/3 of their games. He will be playing mostly with our 16U Orange team but will also play some on our 15U team. Klayton Van Dyke Klayton Van Dyke 6'5" | PF Lynnville-Sully | 2024 State IA is a big man from Lynnville-Sully who has been with the program for a number of years. He averaged 10.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game last season. Christian Lawson is another returning player for us that I expect to be in Newton’s rotation next year, he can really light it up from the outside. Hunter Teague is a hard-working tweener that does the dirty work for the team. Then we have three kids from Gladbrook-Reinbeck - Austin Vaverka has played with us for a number of years and appeared in games after transferring from GMG. Isaac Clark started all 25 games for the 23-2 G-R team averaging 4.6 points and Austin Gehring is another guard that will be looking to get into their rotation next year."

Tony’s take: This is a group of players that I don’t know much about yet, but is a team that I’m looking forward to seeing. I really like the way that Hansen runs this program and they always play an entertaining, up-tempo style that looks to take advantage of their quickness. Scroggins is the headliner here, but I think that Klayton Van Dyke Klayton Van Dyke 6'5" | PF Lynnville-Sully | 2024 State IA could be in line for a big summer for this group. With his size, length, and athleticism, he could have the type of summer that Zaine Leedom had for Intensity several years ago, which really propelled him into becoming one of the best small-school players in the state as a senior.

16U White

Hansen on 16U White: "Jesse and Karic are playing up on our 17U team as well and are both back for their third season with us. A guy that I wasn’t aware of before and has impressed me the most in our practices is Ethan Walker from Grinnell. He’s strong around the rim and appeared in most of Grinnell’s games this past season. Nolan Andersen was a key player for North Mahaska and their run to state last season averaging 5.4 points and can play down low or step out and shoot. Nate Sampson probably didn’t see as many minutes last year at North Mahaska as he wanted or expected, but he’s always working hard and will likely be their sixth man next year. Cole Blackford has played with the program for a number of years and does a lot of things well. He should figure into Grinnell’s lineup next year after appearing in about 2/3 of the games this year. Carson Penyich appeared in about half the games this past season and he and Drew Stansbury are new to the program so we will see what roles they can fill for this team and for their school teams in the fall."

Tony’s take: I know even less about this group than the Orange team, but I was impressed by Nolan Andersen when I saw North Mahaska play and he’s the type of offensive talent who could carry this team with his ability to score inside and out. They have some decent size on this roster and it’s a group that I’m looking forward to learning more about. 

15U

Hansen on 15U: "Our 15U group will be a little undersized this season but about half of them gained some varsity experience this past winter as freshmen. Half of the players are returning and half are new to the program so we will be working to get them acclimated to playing with each other and finding their roles on the team. Concentration will be on being strong as a team defensively and just working their tails off to improve in order to make impacts next fall and winter with their respective school teams."

Schedule