Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The official start of the girls basketball season is right around the corner.

Friday marks the first day of competition for the 2024-2025 season with every team seeking to end the season in the same spot – the state tournament.

The 2025 state tournament is scheduled for March 3-8 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Before games get underway this week Your Prep Sports takes a look at some area players to watch this season.

Averie Lower

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

One of the best shooters and top overall returning players in the state Lower will look to follow up a stellar sophomore season that was capped with a 4A state title.

Lower earned first-team all-state honors from both the Iowa Girls Coaches Association and Iowa Print Sports Writers Association after leading Clear Creek Amana in scoring at 17.7 points per game last season.

The 5-foot-11 Lower shot 58 percent from the field last season and led Class 4A and ranked third in the state in 3-point percentage at 50 percent (89-of-179).

The reigning WAMAC West Division player of the year, Lower averaged 5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.2 assists per game last season and is capable of affecting the game in every aspect.

Natalie Ramsey

Junior, Liberty High

Ramsey burst onto the scene last year with a breakthrough sophomore season in which she led Liberty High in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocked shots in her first season of extended action.

The 5-foot-11 Ramsey emerged as a versatile offensive threat during her breakout year showing an ability to score from the perimeter and in the paint while averaging 14.2 on 50 percent field goal shooting.

A South Dakota commit, Ramsey shot 37 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line while leading Liberty High in both free throw makes (71) and attempts (89).

Ramsey averaged 7.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and .6 blocked shots per game while being named to the Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division first team.

Morgan Miller

Senior, Regina

One of the top point guards in the state and among the best players in Class 2A, Miller is coming off the best season of her career when she led Regina in scoring, assists and steals while directing the Regals to a 19-5 record and a spot in a 2A regional title game.

Miller averaged career-highs of 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game and led the Regals with 3.9 assists per contest last season on her way to earning first-team all-state honors.

The reigning being named River Valley Conference South Division player of the year, Miller has already surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career and is coming off a junior season in which she shot 49 percent from the floor including 33 percent from 3-point range while making a team-high 64 3-pointers.

Grace Fincham

Junior, West High

Fincham emerged as one of the top players in the state last season with a monster sophomore season in which she led West High in points, rebounds and steals while earning third-team Class 5A all-state honors from the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association.

A versatile 5-foot-11 guard, Fincham averaged career highs of 15.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game last season helping the Trojans to a 13-10 record and a spot in a regional title game.

Fincham was a first-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-division pick after shooting 53 percent from the floor and 65 percent from the free throw line while leading West High in made free throws (45) and free throw attempts (72).

August Palmer

Senior, City High

One of the best stat sheet fillers in the state Palmer enters her final prep season with more than 1,000 career points, 338 career rebounds and 186 career assists.

Palmer is coming off a stellar junior season in which she earned first team all-Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division honors after leading City High in scoring, assists and steals.

A Minnesota State signee, Palmer averaged 14.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game last season while shooting 36 percent from the field and 65 percent from the free throw line.

Look for a big season from Palmer as City High looks to improve on an eight-win season from last year.

Kobi Lietz

Senior, Solon

A three-year starter Lietz was a key piece of back-to-back state tournament teams for the Spartans including last year’s 3A state championship squad.

The lone returning starter from last season’s championship team and the only senior on the Solon roster Lietz will take on a leadership role for a young Spartan team this winter.

Lietz averaged 6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2 steals per game last season and has made 63 3-pointers over the past two seasons.

Addi Schultes

Junior, West Branch

The lone returning starter for West Branch Schultes will be a captain and a leader for a West Branch squad looking to improve on its three wins from a year ago in year two under head coach Justin Liddle.

In her first season as a starter last season Schultes led West Branch in rebounding with 5.6 per game and added 4.6 points and 1.6 assists per game.

The 5-foot-5 Schultes isn’t big but she plays extremely hard and should be in for an even bigger role this season with a year of experience under her belt.

Tessa Driscoll

Junior, City High

Already a two-year starter Driscoll will look to take another step forward this season after upping her production across the board last season as a sophomore.

Driscoll averaged career-highs in nearly every statistical category last season on her way to earning second-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-divisional honors.

The 5-foot-6 Driscoll averaged 12.9 points, 3.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game last season while helping City High to an 8-15 record.

Driscoll shot a career-best 37 percent from the field last season including 36 percent from 3-point range as she led the Little Hawks with 63 made 3-pointers.

A career 78 percent free throw shooter, Driscoll shot 81 percent from the line last season while making a career-high 48 free throws.

Lena Evans

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

If you are looking for a player ready for a big time breakthrough this season look no further than Evans who came on strong last year while helping Clear Creek Amana claim the Class 4A title.

After playing sparingly two seasons ago as a freshman Evans found a role as a sparkplug off the bench last season ranking third on the team with 8.5 points per game.

Evans shot 45 percent from the floor including 38 percent from 3-point range (36-of-94) last season and was a 75 percent free throw shooter.

The 5-foot-5 Evans earned honorable mention all-WAMAC West Division honors last season when she averaged 1.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.1 assists per game.

Look for the production from Evans to soar this season as she becomes an even bigger piece of the puzzle for the Clippers.

Ella McLaughlin

Senior, Regina

A key piece of a strong Regina backcourt, McLaughlin is a three-year starter that is coming off a breakthrough junior season that saw her named to the River Valley Conference South Division second team.

After averaging 6 points while starting 23 games as a sophomore two seasons ago McLaughlin made a big leap last season averaging a career-high 10.8 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field including 34 percent from 3-point range.

The 5-foot-7 McLaughlin averaged 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game during her breakout junior season and ranked second on the team with 36 made 3-pointers.

Maddie Casey

Senior, Liberty High

A stalwart in the Liberty High lineup since her freshman season Casey has already started 60 games in her career and is coming off her best season last winter.

Since jumping into the Lightning starting lineup as a freshman Casey has increased her scoring and rebounding production each of the past two seasons.
The 5-foot-7 sharpshooter averaged career-bests of 11.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season to go with 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Among the most prolific shooters in the state over the course of her career, the 5-foot-7 Casey has made 136 3-pointers in her career and has led the Lightning in made 3-pointers each of the past three seasons.

Sasha Baldwin

Sophomore, West High

Baldwin was among the most productive freshman in Class 5A last season ranking second on the team in scoring, rebounding and assists while helping West High reach a 5A regional title game.

In her varsity debut season Baldwin averaged 11 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game on her way to earning second-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-division honors.

A smooth 5-foot-6 point guard, Baldwin shot 39 percent from the floor including 35 percent from 3-point range as a freshman and led the Trojans with 46 made 3-pointers.

Baldwin was also a 73 percent free throw shooter.

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