Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

City High

Coach: Derek Roberts (3rd season, 9-35)

Assistant coaches: Randy Larson, Brennan Swayzer, Fred Newell

Last season: 5-17

Returning starters: Ry Threlkeld-Weigand, 6-4, Sr., F; Antonio Turner, 5-10, Sr., G; Keshawn Christian, 6-2, Jr., G; Carter Westlake, 6-4, Sr., F.

Other returning letterwinners: Luke Young, 5-11, Sr., G; DeAngelo McNeil, 5-11, Sr., F; Jason Allen, 6-2, Sr., F

Newcomers to watch: Sam Abdalla, 5-10, Jr., G; Wyatt Streeby, 6-5, Sr., F; Liam McComas, 6-3, Sr., F

Headliner: Antonio Turner is a three-year starter at point guard and is coming off the best season of his career when he averaged a team-high 13.7 points per game.

Keep an eye on: Junior Keshawn Christian ranked second on the team in both scoring (12.1) and rebounding (5) last season and led the Little Hawks with 32 steals.

Circle the date: December 7 vs. West High. The home opener for the Little Hawks is a date with cross-town rival and defending 4A runner-up West High.

Breakdown: Since going 13-10 in 2015-2016 City High has won just nine games the past two seasons combined but has enough talent returning for a breakthrough in year three under head coach Derek Roberts.

The top four scorers from last year’s team return with starting experience and the Little Hawks also return five of their top six rebounders and their assist leader from a year ago.

Joining Turner and Christian as returning starters are a pair of 6-foot-4 senior guards in Ry Threlkeld-Weigand (8 ppg) and Carter Westlake (5.8).

Threlkeld-Weigand and Westlake combined to make 82 3-pointers while shooting 44 percent from behind the arc last season.

Seniors Luke Young (2.3 assists) and DeAngelo McNeil (5.3 ppg) should step into bigger roles after coming off the bench last season.

West High

Coaches: Steve Bergman (29th season, 565-186), Paul Rundquist (1st season)

Last season: 21-5 (Class 4A runner-up)

Returning starters: Patrick McCaffery, 6-8, Sr., F.

Other returning letterwinners: Brayden Adcock, 6-1, Sr., G; Jacob Klein, 5-9, Sr., G; Ben Vanderleest, 6-4, Jr., F; Tait Crane, 6-3, Jr., F.

Newcomers to watch: Even Brauns, 6-8, Jr., C; Marcus Morgan, 6-2, Soph., G; Nick Pepin, 5-11, Jr., G.

Headliner: Iowa signee Patrick McCaffery is a top-50 national recruit, one of the top players in the state and is coming off a monster junior season in which he averaged 19.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Keep an eye on: Even Brauns, a 6-foot-8 junior, averaged 10.3 points per game at Regina last season and joins McCaffery in an imposing Trojan front court. 

Circle the date: December 1 vs. Grandview Christian. West High hosts defending 1A champion Grandview Christian in a rare big school vs. small school matchup.

Breakdown: The defending 4A runner-up, West High is seeking a fourth consecutive trip to the 4A title game after falling to Mississippi Valley Conference rival Cedar Falls in the 2018 championship game.

West High has the star power led by McCaffery but will need to replace four starters and doesn’t return a player outside of McCaffery that averaged more than 1.1 points on last years team.

The Trojans should get a boost from a pair of transfers in Brauns and 5-foot-11 junior guard Nick Pepin who averaged 8.5 points and shot 39 percent from 3-point range last season at Waterloo West.

Senior guard Brayden Adcock is poised for a bigger role after seeing limited time a year ago and the same goes for senior guard Jacob Klein.

Liberty High

Coach: Stu Ordman (2nd season, 8-14)

Assistant coaches: Ryan Kelly, Mark Lowe

Last season: 8-14

Returning starters: Andre Brandon, 6-5, Jr.; Sam Funke, 6-2, Jr.; Ethan O’Donnell, 6-3, Soph.; Bowen Gryp, 5-11, Soph.

Other returning letterwinners: Grayson Tyler, 6-0, Soph.; Iziah Paulsen, 5-10, Sr.; Isaac Bender, 5-10, Jr.

Newcomers to watch: Ronnie Williams, Corey Baldwin, Ben Houselog, Dawson Zimmerman, Kelby Telander, Basil Aldoss, Ira Hazeltine

Headliner: Andre Brandon should only build on a strong debut season that saw the 6-foot-5 forward lead Liberty High in scoring (14.3), rebounding (5.7), blocked shots and steals.

Keep an eye on: Senior Iziah Paulsen (9.9 ppg) showed flashes of being a dynamic playmaker a year ago including a 33-point performance against Washington.

Circle the date: December 14 at City High. The first meeting between these two Iowa City rivals last season was a classic, won by City High 65-63.

Breakdown: Liberty High will look to build off an eight-win performance in its first season as a varsity program as it embarks on its first year in the rugged Mississippi Valley Conference.

After operating with a roster of almost entirely underclassmen a year ago the Lightning have experience on its side this season with four returning starters.

Brandon headlines the list of returning starters that includes junior Sam Funke (5 ppg) and sophomores Bowen Gryp (7.6 ppg) and Ethan O’Donnell (6.8 ppg).

Grayson Tyler (4.4 ppg) Paulsen both return with experience along with junior Isaac Bender who averaged 9.5 points in two games before an injury.

Regina

Coach: Jared Galpin (2nd season, 18-4)

Assistant coaches: Barry Lehman, Tanner Jacobsen, Jeremy Brooks

Last season: 18-4

Returning starters: Masen Miller, 6-1, Jr., G

Other returning letterwinners: Luke Stein, 6-2, Sr., F; Bryce Barnett, 6-2, Sr., G; Ashton Cook, 6-5, Soph., F; Nick Wagner, 6-5, Soph., C.

Headliner: Junior guard Masen Miller averaged 11.9 points and 3 assists per game last season while shooting 44 percent from 3-point range to cement his status as one of the top players in the River Valley Conference.

Keep an eye on: Senior guard Bryce Barnett is a prime candidate for a breakthrough season after averaging 2.5 points per game last season.

Circle the date: December 18 vs. Cascade. The Regals host defending 2A champion Cougars in a rematch of last years district final.

Breakdown: Despite returning just one starter from a team that advanced to the district title game Regina enters the season with high expectations.

Miller returns as one of the top guards in Class 2A while the Regals expect a big boost from up and coming sophomores Ashton Cook and Nick Wagner.

Cook a 6-foot-4 guard and Wagner a 6-foot-5 center both got their feet wet last season as freshman.

Seniors Barnett and Luke Stein should be in for bigger roles after coming off the bench last season.

Stein averaged 3.3 points per game a year ago.

Solon

Coach: Jason Pershing (5th season, 49-45)

Last season: 16-8

Returning starters: AJ Coons, 6-4, Jr., G; Cam Miller 6-2, Jr., G

Other returning letterwinners: Carson Yakish, 6-1, Sr., G

Newcomers to watch: Carson Shive, 6-1, Soph., G; David Bluder 6-3, Soph., G

Headliner: Junior AJ Coons established himself as one of the premier players in Class 3A last season averaging 17.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Keep an eye on: Cam Miller averaged 5.6 points per game as a sophomore starter but will need to take on a bigger offensive role this season as one of two returning starters.

Circle the date: January 19 vs. Dyersville Beckman. Solon faces WAMAC East rival Beckman at the US Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids as part of the Wells Fargo Advisors Shootout.

Breakdown: The Spartans must replace a trio of starters from a squad that went 16-8 a year ago but bring back a talented backcourt duo in Miller and Coons.

The 6-foot-4 Coons proved to be a matchup problem for opponents last season shooting 45 percent from 3-point range while attempting 120 free throws.

Miller shot 37 percent from 3-point range as a first-year starter and averaged 3.3 rebounds per game.

Senior Carson Yakish expects to take on a bigger role this season after seeing limited time of the bench a year ago.

Head coach Jason Pershing also plans on big contributions from sophomore Carson Shive and David Bluder.

Clear Creek Amana

Coach: Brandon Clubb (3rd season, 11-33)

Assistant coaches: Mark Stern

Last season: 9-13

Returning starters: TJ Bollers, 6-4, Soph., F; Tyler Schrepfer, 5-10, Jr., G; Nolan Schwarting, 6-5, Sr., F; Nick O’Connor, 6-3, Jr., G.

Other returning letterwinners: Kaden McAreavy, 6-1, Sr., G

Newcomers to watch: Mike Potter, 6-0, Soph., G; CC Withrow, 6-3, Soph., F.

Headliner:6-foot-4 forward TJ Bollers averaged 7.5 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds per game last season as a freshman.

Keep an eye on: Junior Tyler Schrepfer is due for a breakthrough after averaging 8.2 points while shooting 86 percent from the free throw line a year ago.

Circle the date: December 7 vs. Marion. The Clippers host 2018 state tournament qualifier and WAMAC West Division newcomer Marion in a key pre-holiday conference contest.

Breakdown: Clear Creek Amana went from two wins two seasons ago to nine last season and with four returning starters should be in for another jump this season.

The Clippers must replace its top scorer from a year ago in Darius Moore but bring back three players that averaged better than 7.5 points per game from a team that won nine games.

Bollers and Schrepfer headline the list of returning starters that also includes Nolan Schwarting and Nick O’Connor.

The 6-foot-5 Schwarting is a breakthrough candidate average averaging 8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game a year ago.

West Branch

Coach: Jason Kern (1st season)

Assistant coaches: Kaleb Duwa, Connor Saad, Butch Pedersen

Last season: 13-11

Returning starters: Beau Cornwell, 6-2, Sr., G; Tanner Lukavsky, 6-2, Jr., F; Brady Lukavsky, 5-11, Sr. G.

Other returning letterwinners: Ted Bridges, 6-1, Sr.; Brett Schiele, 5-10, Sr.; Jack Dragovich, 6-3, Sr.; Jeff Bowie, 6-4, Soph.; Trey Eagle, 6-1, Jr.; Zach Thompson, 5-10, Sr.; Matt Whaley, 5-9, Jr.; Matt Paulsen, 6-0, Jr.

Headliner: Senior guard Beau Cornwell led Class 2A in scoring with 23.3 points per game last season on his way to being named to the River Valley Conference Elite Team.

Keep an eye on: Already a two-year starter junior Tanner Lukavsky is coming off his best season after averaging 10.9 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Circle the date: February 5 vs. Regina. The Bears close the regular season by hosting River Valley Conference South Division rival Regina.

Breakdown: First-year head coach Jason Kern takes over a West Branch team poised to push for a River Valley Conference South Division title.

Three starters return from a team that won 13 games last season including three of the Bears’ top four scorers from last season.

Cornwell and Lukavsky were the top two scorers from West Branch last season while senior Brady Lukavsky returns with starting experience after averaging 5.1 points per game.

The Bears won’t lack for depth with seniors Ted Bridges, Brett Schiele and Jack Dragovich all returning with varsity experience.

Sophomore Jeff Bowie and juniors Matt Whaley, Trey Eagle and Matt Paulsen and senior Zach Thompson will all be in for bigger roles.