Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Basketball teams return to action across the state on Tuesday after a nearly two-week break for the holiday season.

Before games get rolling in the Your Prep Sports area in 2023 we take a quick moment to reset where boys basketball teams stand.

Where are teams currently sitting, how did they get there and what waits ahead in 2023.

We take a look here.

West High

Record: 5-1

Ranking: Class 4A, No. 10

How’d it get here: West High opened the season with three consecutive wins over Clear Creek Amana, Davenport West and Liberty High. The Trojans bounced back from their only loss, a 67-53 setback at Dubuque Wahlert with lopsided wins over Linn-Mar and Cedar Rapids Jefferson to close out December.

Who is standing out: Sophomore Jack McCaffery is playing at an extremely high level to start the season averaging 17 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 43 percent from the floor and 71 percent from the free throw line.

Who’s stepped up: Junior Kareem Earl has taken his overall game and production up a notch this season averaging 13.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2 assists per game.

Stat that stands out: The 6.3 points and 6.2 rebounds that JuJu Manson are averaging are not normal freshman numbers then again Manson doesn’t play like a regular freshman.

Best Win: The two best victories for West High have each come away from home. West High earned a 55-51 win at Davenport West (4-3) and outscored Liberty High 39-18 in the second half of a 68-51 win in North Liberty.

Next game: Tuesday against Burlington (8-1).

Toughest Remaining Game: West High travels to second-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy (6-0) on February 7.

What’s Next: West High is off to a strong start but has plenty of tests waiting over the next six weeks. The Trojans have four games remaining against ranked teams, three matchups with rivals City High and Liberty High and opens 2023 against 8-1 Burlington that knocked West High out of the postseason a year ago.

City High

Record: 2-3

Ranking: Unranked

How’d it get here: City High started the season 1-3 with a one-point win over Muscatine and losses to teams with a combined 17-3 record before ending 2022 with a 35-33 win over Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Who is standing out: Sophomore point guard Trey Wright is off to a nice start averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Who’s stepped up: Freshman Samuel Mbingazo, a 6-foot-10 forward, has already made an impact averaging 8 points, 6 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots per game.

Stat that stands out: City High has had four different leading scorers and four different leading rebounders in five games.

Best Win: The 35-33 win over Cedar Rapids Prairie was critical for City High for several reasons, most notably that it sent the Little Hawks into the holiday break on a high note.

Next game: Tuesday at Marion (6-2).

Toughest Remaining Game: City High hosts top-ranked and unbeaten Waukee Northwest (7-0) in a non-conference game on January 14.

What’s Next: It’s a busy start to the new year for City High as the Little Hawks play six games in 12 days to open 2023.

City High closes its busy stretch with four games in eight days starting with a matchup against West High on Sunday at Xtream Arena and ending with a home game against top-ranked Waukee Northwest on January 14.

That stretch also features road games as Western Dubuque and Class 4A top-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Liberty High

Record: 3-2

Ranking: Unranked

How’d it get here: It’s been a very solid start for Liberty High which has wins over Pleasant Valley, Western Dubuque and City High.

The lone losses for the Lightning have come to ranked opponents, in No. 10 West High and second-ranked Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

Who is standing out: Senior Da’Shon Fisher has continued to establish himself as one of the most exciting players in the state while leading the Lightning with 17.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4 assists per game.

Who’s stepped up: Junior Trey Hughes has emerged as another scoring option for the Lightning averaging 12.6 points per game while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range.

Stat that stands out: Hughes and senior Luke Ramsey are both shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range combining to go 26-of-61 from 3-point range.

Best Win: Liberty High scored 40 second-half points in a 56-53 come-from-behind win over Pleasant Valley (4-3) in the season opener.

Next game: Tuesday at Class 4A top-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier (7-0).

Toughest Remaining Game: Take your pick, Liberty High has plenty of challenges remaining including two games with 4A top-ranked Xavier, a rematch with cross-town rival West High and a road trip to 4A ninth-ranked Cedar Falls. However, the toughest game may just be a trip to 4A eighth-ranked Dubuque Senior (6-0) on January 10 which is the second road trip in as many games for the Lightning after a trip to Waterloo East.

What’s Next: After playing three of five games before break at home Liberty High opens January with five consecutive trips away from home.

The five-game stretch starts with a trip toCedar Rapids Xavier and includes road games at Waterloo East (3-4), No. 8 Dubuque Senior (6-0) and Waterloo West (4-2) and a game against Fairfield (3-4) at Coe College.

Solon

Record: 4-2

Ranking: Unranked

How’d it get here: Solon posted back-to-back wins over West Branch and Vinton-Shellsburg to open the season before splitting its final four games before break.

The Spartans defeated Clear Creek Amana and Mid-Prairie and dropped games to Center Point Urbana and Marion.

Who is standing out: Junior Jake Benzing has been as good as nearly any player in Class 3A to start the season averaging 20.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor.

Who’s stepped up: Senior guard Sean Stahle saw extensive varsity action this season but has raised his production level significantly this year averaging 7.7 points while leading the Spartans with 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals per game.

Stat that stands out: First year varsity player Rylen Stiegelmeyer is tied for the team lead with 11 3-pointers and is shooting a team-best 48 percent from beyond the arc.

Best Win: The December 19 win at Mid-Prairie (5-3) wasn’t just the best win of the season for the Spartans it was the most complete effort of the season for Solon which shot 55 percent from the floor, including 11-of-19 from 3-point range, had just 11 turnovers and 21 assists on 27 field goals.

Next game: Solon hosts Williamsburg (4-1) on Tuesday.

Toughest Remaining Game: Solon has two games remaining with Highway 1 rival Mount Vernon (6-1) and an away game at Marion which defeated the Spartans 70-52 in December. The toughest remaining game comes on January 21 at home against 3A third-ranked North Polk (6-0).

What’s Next: Solon opens 2023 with games against Williamsburg (4-1), Benton Community (1-7) and South Tama (1-6).

Then things really heat up as seven of the next eight games for the Spartans come against teams that are 5-3 or better.

Included in that stretch that spans from January 13 to February 3 are two games each against Mount Vernon and West Delaware (6-2), the home game with North Polk and road games at Marion (6-2) and Regina (5-3).

Clear Creek Amana

Record: 1-5

Ranking: Unranked

How’d it get here: Clear Creek Amana opened the season with four straight losses to West High, Independence, Grinnell and Solon before getting into the win column with a victory over Vinton-Shellsburg. The Clippers dropped a four-point loss to Benton Community in the final game before break.

Who is standing out: Sophomore Cale Berry has emerged as a go-to scorer for the Clippers averaging a team-high 14.3 points on 51 percent shooting to go with 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 assists per game.

Who’s stepped up: Freshman Ethan Vice has made an immediate impact in his debut season putting up 10 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 47 percent from the field.

Stat that stands out: Underclassmen are accounting for 98 percent of the scoring and 88 percent of the rebounding for Clear Creek Amana.

Best Win: The Clippers snapped a four-game losing skid to open the season with a 63-58 road win over Vinton-Shellsburg.

Next game: Friday at West Delaware (6-2).

Toughest Remaining Game: Rivalry games are always tough on the road and Williamsburg is off to a strong start making the Clippers’ February 7 trip to Williamsburg (4-1) a big challenge.

What’s Next: The schedule doesn’t get a whole lot easier going forward as Clear Creek Amana opens 2023 with three consecutive games against opponents with winning records.

The Clippers face West Delaware (6-2), Mount Vernon (6-1) and Center Point-Urbana (6-3) to open the January schedule and have two games remaining with rival Williamsburg, a non-conference game with Indianola (6-0) another game with Center Point-Urbana and a home game with Marion (6-2).

West Branch

Record: 4-4

Ranking: Unranked

How’d it get here: West Branch closed 2022 by winning four of its final five games after an 0-3 start to the season.

The three consecutive losses to open the season came against RVC North contenders Dyersville Beckman (4-3) and Monticello (5-2) and 3A Solon (4-2).

West Branch got things rolling with a win over Mid-Prairie and closed January with consecutive wins over West Liberty, Burlington Notre Dame and Tipton.

Who is standing out: Junior point guard Holden Arnaman continues to stake his claim as one of the best players in the River Valley Conference averaging 19.1 points, 5.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game.

Who’s stepped up: Senior Jack McCullough has emerged as another scoring option for the Bears averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 42 percent from 3-point range.

Stat that stands out: Junior Reese Trepanier has been impressive nearly averaging a double-double with 15.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game.

Best Win: The 64-56 win by West Branch over Mid-Prairie on December 9 ended a two-game losing skid to the Golden Hawks in what has become one of the better RVC South rivalries.

Next game: Tuesday against 2A No. 9 Camanche (5-2)

Toughest Remaining Game: January 10 at Class 2A sixth-ranked Wilton (6-1)

What’s Next: West Branch needs to be ready to go right out of the gate in 2023 as the Bears face a tough opening week to the new year with four games in seven days all against quality opponents.

The challenging stretch starts Tuesday at home against ninth-ranked Camanche and includes a Friday home game against Cascade (4-3) a matchup with Bellevue (8-1) Saturday at the RVC Shootout at Kirkwood followed by a trip to sixth-ranked Wilton on January 10.

West Branch also has home games remaining against Wilton and Regina and trip to Mid-Prairie.

Regina

Record: 5-3

Ranking: Unranked

How’d it get here: Regina opened the season 2-3 with a home loss to Maquoketa in its opener and road losses to ranked 2A opponents Wilton and Camanche. The Regals got rolling late in December, closing 2022 with consecutive wins over RVC South foes West Branch, Tipton and West Liberty.

Who is standing out: One of the keys to the early-season success for the Regals has been the emergence of Martin as a scorer as the junior guard is averaging a team-high 13.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Who’s stepped up: Drew Streb has become a solid post option for the Regals averaging 9.9 points and 7 rebounds per game while shooting 46 percent from the floor.

Stat that stands out: Regina is 4-0 in games decided by single digits and has victories by one points, two points and four points.

Best Win: Regina’s 59-52 win over rival West Branch (4-4) looks good now but could look even better at the end of the season as the Bears appear to be playing their best basketball heading into the new year.

Next game: Tuesday at Burlington Notre Dame (6-2).

Toughest Remaining Game: Regina has a gauntlet of a January schedule but the toughest might just be a matchup with Monticello (5-2) at the River Valley Conference shootout on Saturday at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids.

What’s Next: Regina has been one of the bigger surprises in the RVC this season and enters January 4-1 in RVC South play.

January will present a major challenge for the Regals both with conference and non-conference games. Regina opens 2023 with three consecutive non-conference games against Burlington Notre Dame, Lisbon and Monticello.

The Regals then have a stretch where it plays perennial RVC South power Mid-Prairie (5-5), 1A second-ranked North Linn (8-0) and 2A sixth-ranked Wilton (6-1).

Regina also has January road trips to West Branch and Durant and home games with 3A teams Solon (4-2) and Mount Pleasant (6-3).

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