Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

There are still a few days left in 2020 but for prep basketball teams in the state of Iowa the 2020 portion of the schedule is history.

The most important games of the season are yet to be played. Conference championships are still up for grabs along with berths at the state tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines in March.

With area teams starting up competition again in the coming days it’s easy to focus on what lies ahead but first Your Prep Sports takes a look at what 2020 has shown us about each of the seven boys basketball teams.

Solon is Digging in on Defense

Since taking over the Solon program head coach Jared Galpin has told anyone that would listen that his teams were going to be built around defense.

It appears the Spartans were among those that were listening to their first-year coach.

3A Ninth-ranked sSolon (6-1) is a win away from matching its total from last season and enters 2021 riding a six-game winning streak thanks in large part to its work on the defensive end.

The Spartans are holding opponents to 46.7 points per game, its lowest defensive average in nearly a decade and just shy of 13 points lower than last year’s per game average.

Solon hasn’t allowed less than 53 points per game for an entire season since 2012-2013.

Since allowing 61 to Central DeWitt in a season-opening loss Solon hasn’t given up more than 56 in a game and hasn’t allowed more than 48 points in any of its previous five games.

Solon isn’t loaded with offensive firepower but has a steady scorer in senior guard David Bluder (15.9 points per game) and an offensive post presence in junior Kinnick Pusteoska (10.3 ppg).

What the Spartans do have is experience, toughness and some swagger after holding six straight opponents under their season scoring average.

Regina is Revving up at the Right Time

Regina had most of the ingredients in the recipe for a slow start to the season.

A trip to the football title game cut into preseason practice time and left a few key players playing catchup or out of the lineup to start the season.

Combine that with a new coach and a mostly new lineup and the 1-3 start for Regina is somewhat predictable.

What has been equally predictable is the quick progression the Regals have made under veteran coach Gary Belger.

Regina (4-3) rattled off three consecutive wins to close a busy December and more importantly appears to be getting the pieces put together for a strong 2021.

Senior Ashton Cook (21.3 points, 6.9 rebounds) has been outstanding but as his 49 percent free throw shooting suggests even Cook will be much better coming out of break.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect during the three-game win streak to close 2020 was the offensive balance for Regina.

After leaning heavily on Cook during the first two weeks of the season Regina got a career-high 18 points from Jack Tierney and 17 from Coltrae Kerschen in a 60-50 win over Bellevue.

Kerschen has scored in double figures in three straight games and Tierney scored in double figures twice during the three-game winning streak.

West Branch is a State Tournament Team

Prior to the season West Branch was a state tournament type team on paper.

West Branch has backed up the expectations by playing like a 2A tournament team to open the season.

The Bears have won seven straight games by an average of nearly 16 points per game to open the season while rising to No. 10 in the 2A rankings.

West Branch closed the 2020 portion of its schedule with its best win to date, a 55-50 road win over Camanche that was its first win over the Indians as a member of the River Valley Conference.

The Bears haven’t shot the ball especially well to start the season making the 7-0 record even more impressive.

The combination of senior forwards Simon Palmer (16.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Jeff Bowie (15 ppg, 7.4 rpg) give West Branch one of the best interior duos in 2A.

Senior guard Gavin Hierseman (8.6 ppg) is shooting 42 percent from 3-point range, junior Thomas Gould (11.7 ppg) has emerged after limited varsity action the past two years and freshman point guard Holden Arnaman (4 ppg, 3.9 apg) is only going to improve with more floor time.

There are Plenty of New Faces at West High 

Many sporting events have halted the handing out of roster during the pandemic but you will need to have something nearby to keep track of all the fresh faces at West High.

With senior Marcus Morgan out with an injury junior point guard Christian Barnes is the lone player returning with extensive experience from the Trojans’ state tournament team from a year ago.

Experience may be lacking but there is talent across the roster starting with 6-foot-9 junior forward Pete Moe.

The son of former Iowa player Jeff Moe joined the program this season and had 42 points and 10 rebounds in his debut against City High.

Sophomore Savion Taylor and freshman Kareem Earl are new to the program and seniors Grahm Goering and Andrew Tauchen are seeing the first extended varsity playing time of their careers.

West High lost back-to-back games to open the season to City High and Linn-Mar by a combined eight points but expect the Trojans to be a tough team to beat after the break.

The City High Backcourt is Electric

This is another one of those things that everyone thought they knew before the season but definitely has seen through a brief three-game window to start the season.

Jamari Newson and Byron Benton can flat out go on both ends of the court and the Little Hawk duo has shown that early this season while leading City High to a 2-1 start.

Newson and Benton are both averaging a team-high 14 points per game but its everything else the backcourt duo does that really makes City High exciting this season.

They both defend, push tempo, create scoring opportunities for others and together have the ability to control the tempo of a game.

Newson leads City High with 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 3 assists per game. Benton is averaging 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals.

Second-year coach Brennan Swayzer likes a deep rotation and has played at least 11 players in all three games.
However, for City High to reach its potential this season Newson and Benton need to lead the way.

Liberty High Has Found Its Footing in Year Four

In its first three season Liberty High has been solid, posting a near .500 record (27-39) over that span.

The Lightning look a little different in year four.

Yes, Liberty High is off to a 2-0 start with Mississippi Valley Conference wins over Cedar Rapids Prairie and Cedar Rapids Jefferson but the Lightning have been in this spot before.

Liberty opened 4-1 two seasons ago and won four in a row to start last season.

What stands out this season is how Liberty High has gotten to 2-0.

Liberty High trailed at halftime of both games before rallying for six and 17-point wins.

The Lightning have outscored opponents 91-50 in the second half including a 41-22 edge in the fourth quarter.

Numbers like that come with experience and the Lightning are finally loaded with it after playing loads of underclassmen the past three seasons.

The top four scorers for the Lightning are all seniors led by Kelby Telander (21 ppg, 10 rpg) and Ethan O’Donnell (16 ppg, 3 apg) who have been outstanding early.

The senior backcourt of Ira Hazeltine (13 ppg), Grayson Tyler (7 ppg) and Basil Aldoss (6 ppg) is as deep and as talented as the program has had.

Clear Creek Amana Isn’t Going Anywhere

It took Brandon Clubb a few years to get the Clear Creek Amana boys basketball program to where he wanted it – at the top of the WAMAC West Division standings at playing at the state tournament.

Clubb got Clear Creek Amana to that point last season and the Clippers don’t look like they are moving from that spot any time soon.

Following a 1-2 start to the season Clear Creek Amana (5-2) has won four consecutive games while bolting to the top of the West Division standings.

Clear Creek Amana finished third at the 3A state tournament last season thanks largely to a free-flowing, balanced offensive approach that helped the Clippers average 66.5 points per game.

After averaging 60 points per game during its 1-2 start this season Clear Creek Amana is scoring 75 points per game during its current-four game winning streak and is playing with some of the same offensive swagger of a year ago.

Six Clippers average at least 6.3 points per game led by senior all-state Christian Withrow (20.7 ppg) and senior Ryan Navara (11.7 ppg).

The x-factor for the Clippers this season is senior guard Mike Potter who is averaging 10.5 points, nine rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

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