Grassroots Preview: Iowa Intensity
Our grassroots preview series continues with Iowa Intensity. Chris Hansen directs this program, and coaches the 17U team. Intensity’s 17U team is one of the best under-the-radar teams in the Midwest, loaded with talent from the middle of the state. Below you’ll find rosters, the program’s schedule, Hansen’s thoughts and a few thoughts on each group from myself.
17U
Head coach: Chris Hansen
Name | Height | School |
Cade Crall | 6-1 | Albia |
Tyler DeBondt | 5-11 | East Marshall |
Tanner Foster | 6-6 | Lynnville-Sully |
Brevin Hansen | 5-10 | Lynnville-Sully |
Zane Johnson | 6-4 | East Marshall |
Jarad Kruse | 6-5 | Oskaloosa |
Zaine Leedom | 6-5 | East Marshall |
Ethan Mitchell | 6-0 | Grinnell |
Garrett Sturtz | 6-3 | Newton |
Jesse Van Wyk | 6-4 | Lynnville-Sully |
Hansen says: “This group is the team that all started the Iowa Intensity program, and we have the core team back for their last season together, along with two local additions. Garrett Sturtz should be in consideration for Mr. Basketball next year, he is that good and can do a little of everything in regards to scoring, shooting, rebounding, whatever you need. He finally started getting some notice after Newton’s state tournament appearance. Zaine Leedom is highly athletic and can take it to the rim or shoot the jumper.
We have a number of highly skilled shooters and heady ball players that surround those two and each average double digits in scoring with their respective teams this past winter. That includes Brevin Hansen, Jesse Van Wyk and Tanner Foster from the state appearance team of Lynnville-Sully; Ethan Mitchell from Grinnell; Tyler DeBondt from East Marshall, who had one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the state; and Cade Crall from Albia. Our new guys are Jarad Kruse and Zane Johnson, both bigger guys that should really help us. Jarad led an up-and-coming Oskaloosa team in scoring and was second in rebounding on the team, and Zane Johnson was one of East Marshall’s top scorers and rebounders.
This team was 35-9 overall last year, 17-5 in NCAA certified events, and 15-1 versus other Iowa teams. Our only Iowa program loss was a close, high scoring game against the top team from Martin Brothers. The games that we struggled in were when we ran into other teams that were much bigger and strong than us, so that’s why I’m feeling good about our two additions. I never felt like we played a team that had more basketball skill than us in regards to ball handling or shooting ability. We lost when we were outmuscled. I’ve talked to the team about the defensive end, and that we have to have everyone buy in on that end of the floor to be even more successful.”
Tony’s take: This team has become one of my favorites to watch in the state over the past few years. I first saw them at the Mississippi River Classic back in June of 2015, and they’re appointment viewing whenever I see them in a tournament field now.
Led by two of my favorite players in the state, Garrett Sturtz and Zaine Leedom, this team can score in bunches and despite not having a lot of size, they will fight with you. Sturtz has one of the most crafty games in the state, combining great footwork and shooting ability to become a nearly unstoppable force. And Leedom is a freak athlete who can do a little bit of everything on the floor. He can stretch you out to the arc, take you off the dribble, facilitate, rebound, just everything.
They surround that duo with even more shooting with guys like Ethan Mitchell and Brevin Hansen, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the development that Tyler DeBondt has made. He was one of the top assist men in the state this winter, and if he plays at a high level as a distributor, it helps out the rest of the team immensely. I think the additions of Kruse and Johnson help give them some toughness and a bit of size that they desperately needed to compete with bigger teams.
16U
Head coach: Aamir Walton
Name | Height | School |
Cain Barnum | 5-10 | Grinnell |
Tate Bear | 6-3 | Meskwaki Settlement |
Alex Halter | 6-1 | West Marshall |
Joe Halverson | 6-1 | West Marshall |
Eli Ivanov | 6-1 | Grinnell |
Drew Lehmen | 5-11 | Southeast Polk |
Justin Miller | 6-3 | Southeast Polk |
Brayden Peterson | 5-11 | GMG |
Nolan Reynolds | 6-1 | Montezuma |
Alexander Snook | 6-3 | Grinnell |
Hansen says: “This group is much more inexperienced than our 17U group, but most of them are going to be more heavily relied upon at the varsity level next season for their respective schools. From observing practice and experience, the headliner on the team has to be Tate Bear from the Meskwaki Settlement School. He is long and athletic, and led the his team in scoring this past winter at 20.6 points a game. He also led the team in rebounding and blocked shots.
The other guys that have significant varsity experience and should be leaders on this team include Brayden Peterson from GMG and Joe Halverson from West Marshall. Eli Ivanov is a longer guard that should see his opportunity come at Grinnell next year.”
Tony’s take: I don’t know much about this group yet, so I’m looking forward to learning about them. Tate Bear obviously had a big year for Meskwaki Settlement, scoring over 20 a game. We’ll see how that translates to the grassroots circuit. I would anticipate a fairly up-tempo pace with the lack of size this team has.
15U
Head coach: Nate DeBondt
Name | Height | School |
Tanner Beals | 5-10 | West Marshall |
Keahna DeMarce | 6-0 | Meskwaki Settlement |
Kaleb Dydell | 6-1 | Newton |
Nic Fleming | 5-8 | North Mahaska |
Caleb Keigan | 5-8 | West Marshall |
Trace Markle | 6-6 | West Marshall |
Brian Morrison | 6-2 | West Marshall |
Bray Noun Harder | 5-10 | Lynnville-Sully |
Qwinton Wilder | 5-11 | West Marshall |
Hansen says: “Not a lot of varsity experience on this roster. I believe the only two that saw the floor were Keahna DeMarce and Bray Noun Harder. So a lot of guys trying to improve themselves in order to position for varsity minutes next year. Lots of West Marshall depth coming up for them, and they should be a much improved high school team the next few years. There is some height, some shooters and some athletic players, so a nice mix. Bray Noun Harder dressed near the end of the season for Lynnville-Sully and will likely be more involved next year in the main rotation.”
Tony’s take: Like the 15U roster, I don’t know much about this team yet and am looking forward to seeing them and learning more about them. DeMarce had some varsity success, ranking fourth on Meskwaki’s team in rebounding despite being listed at just 5-9.
Schedule
Dates | Teams | Event | Location |
April 1-2 | ALL | Super 16 | Ames, IA |
April 7-9 | 17U only | The ROCK Spring Classic | Stoughton, WI |
April 21-23 | ALL | Midwest Live! | Des Moines, IA |
April 28-30 | 17U only | NY2LA Extravaganza | Minneapolis, MN |
May 12-14 | 17U only | Prep Hoops Battle at the Lakes | Minneapolis, MN |
May 12-14 | 15U and 16U | Gym Rats Kings of the Court | Des Moines, IA |
May 19-21 | ALL | Prep Hoops Midwest Cup | Ames, IA |
July 12-16 | 17U only | NY2LA Next Level Invite | Mequon, WI |
July 12-16 | 15U and 16U | Midwest Summer Slam | Ames, IA |
July 19-23 | ALL | The Hardwood Classic | Lawrence, KS |
July 27-30 | 17U only | Las Vegas Fab 48 | Las Vegas, NV |