Best of the Midwest Preview
This weekend, a number of teams from Iowa will make the trip to the Madison, WI area to take part in the Best of the Midwest, presented by IndiHoops. Below, we preview what to expect from the teams making the…
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Continue ReadingThis weekend, a number of teams from Iowa will make the trip to the Madison, WI area to take part in the Best of the Midwest, presented by IndiHoops. Below, we preview what to expect from the teams making the trip to Madison for April’s second live period.
The schedule for the event can be found here.
17U
All-Iowa Attack Red: This is probably the team to beat in the 17U division. Attack is loaded with talent, particularly on the wings with Collin Hill, Connor Kasperbauer, Grant Kramer and Kolby Molinsky leading the charge. They’ve got size on the interior in Max Techau and Austin Roetman, and they’ve got some solid role players who play significant roles in Kyle Lang and Jailen Billings. This team has a little bit of everything and will be a tough out in Madison.
Pool play schedule: Fri., 7:35 p.m. vs. Illinois Attack; Sat., 12:20 p.m. vs. Minnesota Crossfire Weege
Shoot It Academy: This group made up of players solely from Pella and Pella Christian should be considered amongst the favorites in the event. Led by the inside-out duo of point guard Levi Jungling and forward Ryan Van Wyk, this team has lots of versatility on both ends of the floor. Jungling figures to be one of the better point guards in Madison over the weekend, and Van Wyk is an animal on the glass. Wing Donovan Holterhaus is a springy athlete who is capable of making some show-stopping plays.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 9:05 a.m. vs. Minnesota Lace Up; Sat., 1:25 p.m. vs. Real Athletics Rosbie
All-Iowa Attack Black: Attack’s second team, the Black roster only had five players listed on it last weekend for Midwest Live. This group is led by Dowling Catholic guard Joey Kern. Carter Mumm and Brett Kauzlarich add some scoring punch on the wings for this group, and Joseph Lathrum provides some size on the interior.
Pool play schedule: Fri., 7:35 p.m. vs. Minnesota Heat Schwarz; Sat., 12:20 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Academy Buss
Iowa Dynasty: Dynasty’s group will get a big boost if 2016 Iowa City West wing Wali Parks plays with them this weekend. He is listed on the roster but didn’t play last weekend at Midwest Live. This roster is made up of all MVC players and has some real talent on it. Guards Naeem Smith, Ian Thomas and Max Smith-Drahos lead the charge, and wing Donovan Beard is an intriguing 6-7 player with lots of talent. Chuck Johnson, Jake Eilers and Royshawn Webb are also players worth keeping an eye on. This group will make some noise, especially if Parks joins them.
Pool play schedule: Fri., 8:40 p.m. vs. Minnesota Heat Bui; Sat., 2:30 p.m. vs. Real Athletics House
B.A.M.: Headlined by dynamic scoring guard Teion Sales, B.A.M. is a team that could make some unexpected noise in Madison. Sales is a small (5-8) guard, but is capable of putting up a ton of points in a hurry. A pair of Davenport Central wings, Rayshawn Bourrage and Tyrique Vesey, provide some athleticism on the perimeter, and both are solid defenders. If you’re looking for a team to seemingly come out of nowhere and be competitive in this event, this may be the team to watch for.
Pool play schedule: Fri., 8:40 p.m. vs. Sauk Valley Magic Select; Sat., 2:30 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Academy Fermanich
16U
All-Iowa Attack Black: Led by high-scoring guard Jake Anderson, Attack has a chance to do some real damage in Madison. Ben Pappas, Will Woodruff and Marcus Miller were all very good last week at Midwest Live and will be looking to carry that momentum into this event.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 11:15 a.m. vs. Illinois Attack; Sat., 3:35 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Dynasty Eubanks
Iowa Wolves: This is a team that could make some noise, boasting a good amount of talent on their roster. John Herrick and Matt Chitty are both versatile wings who can score at all three levels, Luke Appel is capable of getting hot from deep and the small, but mighty, guard tandem of Marco Balderas (5-7) and Will Turner (5-8) pace the attack. They’ve added 6-6 Caleb Lomica, a shot blocking extraordinaire to their roster, playing up a grade. There is plenty of versatility on this roster, and it’s a group that I’m looking forward to seeing.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 10:10 a.m. vs. Nebraska Express United; Sat., 3:35 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Academy Kostroski
Iowa Pump n Run: This group is led by Jocoa Kerschen, a sharpshooting guard from Iowa City Regina. He’s a good sized guard who moves well off the ball and has a quick release. Jett Tjaden and Logan Hoffman also saw extended playing time during the high school season for smaller schools, Burlington Notre Dame and Tipton, respectively. Hoffman is a big body on the interior with solid footwork and is good on the glass.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 8:00 a.m. vs. Wisconsin Swish; Sat., 10:10 a.m. vs. Minnesota Suns Thurston
Iowa Intensity: The trio of guards Brevin Hansen and Garrett Sturtz, and forward Zaine Leedom, lead Intensity’s attack. This is a team that can score in a hurry, with a number of good shooters on the court. Outside of Leedom they don’t have a ton of size, and they aren’t an overly athletic group, but this is a group of high basketball IQ players who play an entertaining style of basketball. They can do some damage if they get hot from the arc, and Leedom is a potential matchup problem for a number of teams.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 9:05 a.m. vs. Wisconsin Rap; Sat., 11:15 a.m. vs. Wisconsin Academy Huseth
Iowa Dynasty: This group made up primarily of MVC players, they’ve got some really good guard play in Paul McGee, Derrick Diggins, Evan Flitz and Drew Adams. They’ve also got some nice size with a pair of athletic 6-7 forwards, Seybian Sims and Max Campbell. And they might have the best player in the state that no one has heard of in Hakeem Odunsi, a 6-5 playmaking forward who is dynamic with the ball in his hands. This may be the team that I’m personally most looking forward to seeing over the weekend.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 2:30 p.m. vs. Team Getshook; Sat., 4:40 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Playmakers Pointers
15U
All-Iowa Attack Red: This group is led by a pair of guards who saw significant playing time as freshmen in Evan Gauger (Indianola) and Conner Hill (South Hamilton). Quinten Brown provides some good (6-6) size on the interior and the Waterloo West tandem of Tyrese Nickolson and Tyreek Gren provide lots of athleticism and defensive ability on the wings.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 9:05 a.m. vs. Minnesota Crossfire Bellefueille; Sat., 11:15 a.m. vs. Wisconsin Academy Leverson; Sat., 1:25 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Rap
Iowa Pump n Run Black: There is some decent size on this roster, with the 6-4 Carson Crile and 6-3 Rhett Zeglen leading the charge. They’ve got a solid, but tiny (5-6), guard in Zach Peterson who should lead the backcourt. Bryce Barnett is also a solid looking player on the perimeter for this group.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 9:05 a.m. vs. Ray Allen Select Blue; Sat., 11:15 a.m. vs. Sauk Valley Magic Select; Sat., 1:25 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Crusaders Elite
Iowa Pump n Run Gold: This is a group that we don’t know much about yet, but will likely be led by 6-2 forward Cameron Nelson. We’re looking forward to learning more about this group moving forward.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 10:10 a.m. vs. Minnesota Crossfire Bertsch; Sat., 12:20 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Academy Nelson; Sat., 4:40 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Swish
Iowa Dynasty: This is a group that lacks size, but has a very good trio of guards that should lead it in Beau Cornwell, Dae Dae Hickman and Antonio Turner. Hickman and Turner each dazzled at times during the Dynasty Fall League back in October, and Cornwell had a 46-point game with West Branch.
Pool play schedule: Sat., 10:10 a.m. vs. Middleton Bluebirds; Sat., 12:20 p.m. vs. Wisconsin Soldiers; Sat., 5:45 p.m. vs. Sauk Valley Magic Elite