Grand View Team Camp: Saturday Game Recaps
8:00: Ankeny 68 vs Norwalk 52
Jaxon Smith and Braxton Bayless put on a show, and the back-court for Ankeny combined for 36 points and 10 steals, providing a glimpse into what Hawks fans can expect the next two seasons on Ankeny’s south-side. Bayless, a transfer from Valley, who played sophomore ball last season, is a top-10 player in Iowa’s 2020 class, and will make a big and immediate impact with the Hawks’ next season. Ankeny’s returning leading scorer Dillon Carlson was out nursing a minor ankle issue. Tyler Johnson was really good for a Norwalk squad which was playing without big-man Tyler Enders, he led the way with 20 points. Bowen Born added 11 for the Warriors.
9:15: Grand View Christian 55 vs Dallas Center-Grimes 49
Grand View Christian big-man Issa Samake might not be “big-man” much longer. The extremely long and extremely athletic rising senior canned five 3-balls in this one, en route to a game-high 24 points. All of his other points came of dunks, a couple of them electrifying. He mentioned after the game that Drake offered him earlier in the week, and Middle Tennessee State has been calling. The Thunder’s other Mali-born D1 prospect Harouna Sissoko was not present today at the camp. Bryce Crabb was really good, he scored 17 points in the win. Six-foot guard Kong Neyail rose up for a big two-hand slam in transition. That was impressive. For DC-G it was rising sophomore Luke Rankin who was most skilled, he scored a team-high 12 points, all from 3-balls. Rankin is small, but has a great feel for the game, he handles it well and is a sniper from deep.
10:30: Pella Christian 74 vs St. Edmond 67 (OT)
This was a really entertaining summer ball game, not just because it was close throughout and went into overtime, but because there were a lot of really good players on the floor. Pella Christian was as balanced of a team as there was in Iowa last season, six guys averaged between five and 10 points. It’s going to be the same way this season. Leading the Eagles’ charge will be junior Dan Jungling. Does that name sound familiar? Ya, he’s the little bro of PC legend Levi Jungling. Dan was really good in this one, he scored a team-high points, including five 3s and some clutch free-throws in overtime. For St. Edmond it was Andrew Gibb and Jackson Kochendorfer that were putting on a show. Gibb poured in 34 points, and Kochendorfer rained in seven 3s. Between the two of them, they scored 55 points and canned 11 3s.
11:45: Chariton 57 vs Grinnell 36
A pair of Nathans stole the show in this one, and Chariton looks like a squad that should improve upon its 9-13 campaign from a season ago. Nathan Weaver is a rising senior who averaged 12.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game last season. He’s the team’s leading returning scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker. Weaver was sensational in this blowout win, relying on his high-motor to come away with 17 points and what must-have been 12 or 13 rebounds. Nathan Blong was sniping for the Chargers, the rising senior scored a game-high 18 points, including four triples in the W. For Grinnell, it was Alex Snook who led the way with 15 points. The Tigers were playing without several of their top guys.
1:00: Ballard 72 vs Roland-Story 50
Chase Winterboer narrowly missed what would have been his eighth 3-ball of the game, but Connor Drew was there to rise up over the Roland-Story would-be rebounders to clean up the miss and tip it in for two. The combo of Winterboer, a rising senior, and Drew, a sophomore-to-be, is going to do a lot of damage next winter. They were dominant against the Norsemen, combining for 46 points in the win. Winterboer was getting it done from deep, he canned seven 3-balls, and he was distributing well. Drew was getting it done from all over the floor. For Roland-Story, there was a trio of guys who impressed. Rising sophomore Sam Skaar, and rising seniors Kade Faga and Carter Greenfield all scored 12 points, and will at the very least make the Norsemen formidable next season.