Preseason All-Conference: MVC Mississippi
Player of the Year: 2018 Matt Mims, Cedar Rapids Xavier
You could make a really strong argument for any of the top three players on the first team as the POY. But we’ll give the slightest edge to Xavier’s point guard who has led the Saints to back-to-back 3A titles.
First Team
2018 Matt Mims, Cedar Rapids Xavier (15.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.7 steals, 44.8 FG%)
A future South Dakota State Jackrabbit, Mims led the league in assists last year, while posting a 3.3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. As the catalyst of the two-time defending champions in 3A, he’s a proven winner who always raises his play when the stakes are higher. With lots of talent gone, look for his scoring production to continue to increase.
2019 Patrick McCaffery, Iowa City West (13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.8 blocks, 60.6 FG%)
The recent Iowa commit will be the unquestioned leader of the state’s preeminent program this season following the graduation of standouts Devontae Lane and Connor McCaffery. A nationally ranked wing who is putting everything together now, he’s a menace on both ends of the floor and is destined to have a huge year. It would be no surprise to see him as the conference POY when the season wraps up.
2019 Trey Hutcheson, Linn-Mar (15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 45.6 FG%, 43.6 3P%, 87.4 FT%)
One of McCaffery’s grassroots teammates, Hutcheson is the leading returning rebounder in the division, and has one of the state’s most diverse offensive skill sets. At 6-6, he’s one of the best shooters in the state, plays hard every possession and is super talented. He’ll be looking to lead a proud Linn-Mar program back towards the top of the MVC.
2018 CaRondis Harris-Anderson, Waterloo West (18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 45.0 FG%)
Few players have improved as much as Harris-Anderson has in his four years with the Wahawks. He’s turned himself into one of the most potent scorers not only in the conference, but around the state. An athletic scoring guard, he’s primed to have a huge senior year for West.
2019 Tyrese Nickelson, Waterloo East (24.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.2 steals, 47.3 FG%, 41.8 3P%)
Nickelson was unbelievable for the Trojans in the final ten games of the season, averaging nearly 25 points a game and doing so with some pretty good efficiency numbers. He sat out the first half of the season after transferring from Waterloo West, but was one of the state’s best players upon his return. He should be fully recovered from an off-season stabbing injury, and sources say he was among the best players at the Barnstormers tryouts in August. He’ll have a sensational junior year for an East team that is looking to return it’s storied program to the top.
Second Team
2018 Seybian Sims, Iowa City West
2018 Hakeem Odunsi, Iowa City West
2018 Jackson Joens, Cedar Rapids Xavier
2019 Willie Guy, Cedar Rapids Jefferson
2018 Peter Timmerman, Dubuque Wahlert
Honorable Mention
2018 Evan Flitz, Iowa City West
2018 Kyler Bell, Cedar Rapids Jefferson
2019 Quinn Schulte, Cedar Rapids Xavier
2018 Matt Bandy, Dubuque Wahlert
2018 Will Leytem, Dubuque Wahlert
2018 Nolan Ruff, Linn-Mar
2018 Jacob Robertson, Linn-Mar
2020 Nick Pepin, Waterloo West
2020 Isaiah Johnson, Waterloo West