2018 RANKINGS: The Final Countdown (20-16)
This is first class of players that Prep Hoops Iowa has seen over the course of their high school careers; meaning the 2018 group is one that we’ve observed more than any other. After several tweaks and adjustments, the final prospect rankings have been released — . This is the second in a five part series highlighting the best 25 players in the class.
20 Van Rees (Sioux City East)
Every game, Van Rees brings it, and his consistent, workmanlike approach is the reason he’s been able to average a double-double with points and rebounds the past two seasons for the Black Raiders. In the past two seasons, Rees has played in 49 games for Sioux City East, each of those seasons it’s advanced to the state tourney; he averaged 19.2 points and 10.1 rebounds over that length of time. He did so while making almost 60 percent of his shots. Rees had committed to D2 Wayne State, but has since de-committed. He’s one of the best available players in Iowa’s 2018 class.
19 Hakeem Odunsi (Iowa City West)
An interesting case, Odunsi certainly doesn’t have the numbers that the other guys on this list do, but it’s become quite clear over several viewings of him, that he has just as much skill and potential as his top-20 peers. The 6’5 guard averaged 5.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game for state runners-up Iowa City West; but also, he was the main reason the Trojans won a 4A semifinal game against Waukee. He’ll probably head to a JuCo school, and if he can figure it all out, on and off the court, he could be a D1 talent.
18 Brady Sartorius (Mount Pleasant)
The numbers don’t like here. Sartorius led his Mount Pleasant squad to the state tourney two years in a row, and posted some big-time stats in the process. As a junior, he scored 21.6 points per game on some very efficient shooting; also 4.3 assists and 2.8 steals. As a senior, it was 23.1 points per game, on some more outstanding shooting, to go along with 4.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game. A model of efficiency and consistency, Sartorius will head to Kirkwood next season, and could be in line for several D2 and D1 offers two years from now.
17 Seybian Sims (Iowa City West)
This 6’6 power forward really made his mark this season with Iowa City West. In a program where some guys have the talent but can never quite make the impact expected of them, Sims did. He was integral to the Trojans’ second-place finish in the 4A field, as a rangy and athletic play-maker in the paint and a team-leading shot-blocker on D. His 76 percent field-goal percentage is as good as we can remember, ever, from a 4A player; and we’re guessing a good chuck of those field-goals were dunks. Sims is still unsigned, and even if he does go JuCo, D1s might be calling him a year or two from now.
16 Nate Mohr (Glenwood)
Although his scoring numbers were down a bit this year compared to year’s past, his assist numbers were way up. That was a recipe for success, and it was that strategy that led Mohr and his Rams to a 3A state title earlier this month. The 6’2 guard is one of the best shooters in the state, and his prowess from the free-throw line (90%) was a secret weapon in tight state tourney contests. Mohr has committed to play at Nebraska D2 Wayne State next season. Known as an off-guard earlier in his high school career, it’s clear that Mohr is more than capable of running the point, and we expect him to be a premier sharpshooting point guard for the Wildcats.