Updated Rankings: 2016
For two years now — since our website’s inception in April of 2014 — we’ve been closely monitoring the prospects from Iowa’s 2016 class. And this is it; the final installment of 2016 rankings. Below we break them down one…
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Continue ReadingFor two years now — since our website’s inception in April of 2014 — we’ve been closely monitoring the prospects from Iowa’s 2016 class. And this is it; the final installment of 2016 rankings. Below we break them down one last time.
Wire-to-Wire at the Top
Our first rankings were released in April of 2014, and even then — before he was an Iowa commit — Cordell Pemsl was identified by us as the class’ best player. And through the highs and lows (mostly highs) of his career since, he’s been able to maintain that status — on top is where he finishes.
2016 vs 2015
Total Division I and Division II commits (walk-on players included)
2015 — 21 (12 D1, nine D2)
2016 — 26 (eight D1, 18 D2)
Though last year’s class has the edge in Division I players with 12 – 14 if you include the two JuCo guys who recently joined D1 squads (DiLeo, Steele) — this year’s class had an inordinate amount of D2 commits. Unique to this year’s class is the fact that two guys (Levi Jansen, Ted Brown) declined D1 offers and elected to accept D2 offers instead. Other top 2016s like Carlo Marble and Shammond Ivory are taking the JuCo route, and will likely end up at D1 schools before too long. So which class had more success? We’ll let you decide.
New to Top 5
No. 4 Levi Jansen — The MOC-Floyd Valley shooting guard has been jaw-dropping good on several occasions in the past year. And his one game performance at the state tournament in March – 43 points in a quarterfinal loss — was the final push he needed to nudge his way into the top 5. He turned down multiple Division I offers and will star at D2 power Augustana next season instead.
No. 5 Will Carius — Like Jansen, it was an amazing March that catapulted the 6-foot-6 small forward into the top 5. He had a superb regular season while leading Pleasant Valley to a 22-1 record. He then torched other top players and teams at the state tournament, leading the Spartans to a third-place finish down at Wells Fargo Arena. We’re still asking though – how was there no D1 offer for this kid?
Martin Brothers Glory
The renowned Iowa program already had the top three players in the class on their roster with Cordell Pemsl, Ryan Kriener, and Jordan Bohannon. And with Levi Jansen checking in a No.4 in the final installment, the Martin Brothers now boast the top four in 2016. Another Martin Bro to make a jump is Billy Brown, who entered the top 10 in the final rankings – Augustana-commit Luke Eastman also made a considerable jump up to No.33. In all the Martin Brothers finished with nine guys ranked in the top 33.
Top 50 Grassroots Breakdown
Martin Brothers — 9
Barnstormers — 7
Kingdom Hoops — 7
Cornsharks — 4
All Iowa Attack — 3
Eastern Iowa Flight — 2
Mavericks — 2
Iowa Prep — 1
Quad City Elite — 1
Howard Pulley — 1
Tryon Gym — 1
Iowa Elite — 1
SW Iowa Select — 1
Showtime Hoops — 1
Pump ‘N Run — 1
AEFS — 1
Battlers — 1
N/A — 6