Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The season opened for girls basketball teams across the state last week with the first day of official practice.

Games start for area teams next week with the schedule picking up steam after Thanksgiving.

Solon and Clear Creek kick off the season for area teams next Tuesday with West High opening play on Saturday.

As we close in on the start of a new season here are seven area players to keep an eye on this winter.

Karsyn Stratton

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

Stratton followed up a strong freshman season with a breakthrough campaign in which she ranked third in Class 4A in scoring at 21.9 points per game.

The 5-foot-8 guard earned second-team all-state honors after leading the Clippers in scoring, rebounding (7.5) while ranking second in both assists (1.9) and steals (1.6).

Stratton shot 41 percent from 3-point range and 69 percent from the free throw line while attempting 140 free throws, seventh most in 4A.

Lauren Zacharias

Senior, West High

Zacharias will look to pick up where she left off last season when she averaged 11.3 points and four rebounds per game at the state tournament to help West High claim the 5A title.

The strong state tournament showing capped a breakthrough junior season for Zacharias who led West High with 4 assists and three steals per game while averaging 9.7 points.

Already a three-year starter the 5-foot-5 point guard shot is expected to take on even more of a role in the West High offense this season after shooting 36 percent from 3-point range last season.

A Wayne State recruit, Zacharias ranked fifth in Class 5A with 103 assists as a junior.

Aubrey Joens

Junior, City High

A double-digit scorer each of her first two seasons Joens will look to step into a bigger role this season with the departure of older sister and last year’s Miss Basketball pick Ashley Joens.

Aubrey Joens averaged 12.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game last season despite dealing with a knee injury that sidelined her for five games.

The 5-foot-9 sharpshooter led City High with 54 3-pointers, shooting 36 percent from beyond the arc and scored in double digits 13 times in 21 games.

An Iowa State commit, Joens was a third-team Class 5A all-state pick last season.

Alex Wiese

Senior, Regina

Wiese averaged a double-double with 15.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game last season on her way to earning Class 2A first-team all-state honors.

The 6-foot post missed the Regals’ state quarterfinal with a torn ACL but is on pace to return and end her career on a high note.

Wiese eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career last season when she shot 58 percent from the floor and 70 percent from the line.   

A Truman State recruit, Wiese ranked sixth in 2A in rebounding last season and led Regina with 18 blocked shot.

Sasha Koenig

Sophomore, West Branch

Koenig will look to take a big step forward as a sophomore after bursting onto the scene last year in her varsity debut season.

The 5-foot-3 guard scored 21 points in her first varsity game last season and went on to average 11.2 points, 3.2 assists, 3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.

With older sister and last year’s leading scoring Tatum Koenig off to Bradley the younger Koenig will need to take on a bigger role in every phase for the Bears this season.

Cailyn Morgan

Senior, West High

Morgan will look to pick up where she left off last season after playing her best basketball of the season down the stretch.

The 5-foot-9 Morgan scored in double figures in each of the final four games last season averaging 14.7 points in three state tournament games to help West High claim the 5A title.

Morgan ranked third on the team with 9.8 points, third with 1.4 steals and fourth with 3.3 rebounds per game last season.

A Northern Iowa recruit, Morgan was second on the team with 32 3-pointers and shot 33 percent from 3-point range.

Rose Nkumu

Junior, City High

Among the top uncommitted prospects in the state Nkumu is coming off a huge sophomore season that cemented her status as one of the state’s top point guards.

Nkumu averaged 13.2 points and a team-high 3.1 assists per game last season while helping City High to a 25-1 record and a 5A runner-up finish.

The 5-foot-8 Nkumu tied for the team lead with 3.2 steals per game and added 2.6 rebounds per contest on her way to earning second team Class 5A all-state honors.