Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Basketball season is here.

Practice opened for boys teams across the state on Monday and the season openers for most area squads are just two weeks away.

The schedule heats up quickly for area teams next month. 

Before things really get rolling here is a list of seven area players to make sure to watch this season.

Patrick McCaffery

Senior, West High

Rated the No. 49 senior in the country by ESPN the 6-foot-9 McCaffery is a dominant force on both ends of the court.

McCaffery averaged a career-high 19.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season on his way to earning first-team all-state honors.  

A versatile threat on both offense and defense McCaffery shot 52 percent from the floor and averaged 2.3 assists per game and had 27 blocks last season.

Antonio Turner

Senior, City High

A three-year varsity starter the slippery senior point guard emerged as one of the top playmakers at his position in the Mississippi Valley Conference last season.

Turner led City High with 13.7 points per game last season and ranked second on the team with 2 assists per game to go with 2.2 rebounds.

The 5-foot-9 floor general will be a key component this season as the Little Hawks attempt to improve on a 5-17 record from last year.

Andre Brandon

Junior, Liberty High

Brandon burst onto the scene a year ago leading Liberty High in scoring, rebounding steals and blocks in his varsity debut season.

The springy 6-foot-5 forward averaged 14.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field as Liberty High posted an 8-14 record in its first varsity season.

Brandon added 1.8 steals and a team-high 22 blocks last season and will be a key building block for the Lightning in year number two.

TJ Bollers

Sophomore, Clear Creek Amana

A standout football player, Bollers will look to build on a strong debut season on the basketball court.

Bollers ranked second on the team with 8 points and led Clear Creek Amana with 7.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game as a freshman.

The 6-foot-4 Bollers shot 47 percent from the floor a year ago and will attempt to help the Clippers improve on a 9-13 mark from last season.

AJ Coons

Junior, Solon

Coons had a breakthrough as a sophomore averaging a team-high 17.5 points per game while helping Solon reach the substate finals.

A 6-foot-4 guard Coons is a matchup nightmare for defenders.

Coons shot 45 percent from 3-point range and attempted 120 free throws, shooting 77 percent from the line.

He ranked second on the team with 4.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists a year ago.

Beau Cornwell

Senior, West Branch

Coming off a senior football season in which he ranked among the most prolific passers in the state Cornwell will look to pick up where he left off on the hardwood after a monster junior season.

Cornwell led Class 2A in scoring last season as a junior averaging a career-high 23.3 points per game while helping West Branch to a 13-10 record.

The 6-foot-2 point guard led the Bears in rebounds (7.4), assists (2.6) and steals (2.8) last season on his way to earning third-team all-state honors.

Masen Miller

Junior, Regina

Already a two-year starter Miller is in for a breakthrough season after a strong sophomore campaign.

Miller averaged a career-high 11.9 points while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range last season.

The 6-foot point guard led Regina with 3 assists and was third with 3.5 rebounds per game on his way to being named to the River Valley Conference South Team.

Miller got better as the season went on, scoring in double figures in each of Regina’s final eight games.

Expect Miller to have an even bigger offensive role this season as the only returning Regal that averaged more than four points per game last season.