Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The boys basketball season is here.

Games get underway for teams across the state on Monday with every team aiming for the same thing – a spot at the state tournament scheduled for March 10-14 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Before the season officially gets underway this week Your Prep Sports teak a look at some area players to watch this season.

Jack McCaffery

Senior, West High

One of the top overall players in the state McCaffery is seeking a strong finish to what has already been an impressive prep career.

A Butler recruit, McCaffery is coming off a junior season in which he led West High in scoring, rebounding assists and blocked shots.

The 6-foot-8 McCaffery ranked in the top 25 in Class 4A in points (16.2), rebounds (6.7), assists (3.5) and blocked shots (1.9) per game on his way to being a unanimous first-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-division and second team Class 4A all-state pick.

McCaffery shot 48.7 percent from the field and 80.5 percent from the free throw line while leading West High in both free throw makes (70) and attempts (87) and was second on the team with 31 made 3-pointers.

Andrew Rotzoll

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

Rotzoll will look to build on a breakthrough junior season in which he led the Clippers in scoring on his way to being a unanimous all-WAMAC West Division selection.

The 6-foot-3 Rotzoll led Clear Creek Amana with 16.5 points per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the free throw line.

Among the top shooters in Class 3A, Rotzoll shot an impressive 43 percent from 3-point range while hitting on a team-high 59 3-pointers.

Rotzoll also averaged career bests in rebounds (2.7) and assists (2.1) while helping Clear Creek Amana to a 16-7 record.

Tate Wallace

Sophomore, Regina

Wallace made an immediate splash last season as a freshman putting up impressive numbers while helping Regina to a 17-7 record and a Class 2A state tournament berth.

Among the most productive freshman in the state last season, Wallace averaged 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1 steal per game last season.

The 6-foot-2 Wallace shot 54 percent from the floor and 60 percent from the free throw line during his impressive debut season on his way to being named to the River Valley Conference South Division second team.

Parker Sutherland

Senior, City High

Coming off a breakthrough fall on the football field Sutherland will look for a similar stellar senior season on the hardwood.

The lone returning starter for the Little Hawks, the 6-foot-6 Sutherland averaged 4.3 points and ranked second on the team with 5.9 rebounds per game while starting 18 games last season.

Look for Sutherland to take on a much bigger role on both ends of the court after shooting 42 percent from the field and averaging 1 assist and 1.1 steals per game last season.

Maddoc Coapstick

Senior, Liberty High

A three-year varsity player Coapstick will look to take on a bigger role as a leader and as a scorer as Liberty High must replace three of its top four scorers from last season.

Coapstick has showed over the past two seasons he is capable of filling the state sheet.

The 5-foot-9 guard averaged 7 points per game on 39 percent shooting from the floor last season including 38 percent from 3-point range.

Coapstick was an honorable mention Mississippi Valley Conference all-division pick after averaging 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game a year ago.

Caleb Bock

Senior, Solon

Solon must replace its top four starters from a 21-win team last season and Bock will be one of several Spartans looked upon to pick up the scoring slack from the departed seniors.

Bock played in 12 games and made two starts last season while battling injuries as a junior but flashed impressive potential during his time on the court.
The 6-foot Bock averaged 6.1 points and 2.5 rebounds per game while shooting 63 percent from the field last season.

An impressive athlete, Bock has the ability to be a game changer on both ends of the court for Solon this season.

Julian Manson

Junior, West High

Already a two-year starter Manson has established himself as a versatile weapon known for his tendency to fill the stat sheet.

Manson averaged a career-high 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game last season as a sophomore on his way to earning honorable mention Mississippi Valley Conference all-divisional honors.

The 6-foot-4 Manson shot 53 percent from the floor and 61 percent from the free throw line last season and has ranked second on the team in rebounding each of the past two seasons.

Jerimiah Washpun

Sophomore, Liberty High

A rising star, Washpun appears poised for a breakthrough season following an impressive debut season a year ago.

The 5-foot-11 Washpun averaged 7.6 points per game last season as a freshman while shooting 42 percent from the floor including 34 percent from 3-point range.

Washpun averaged 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game last season and should see all of those numbers soar this winter with a year of experience under his belt.

Brennen Dale

Junior, West Branch

Dale had a major impact in his first season in a West Branch uniform helping the Bears to a 17-7 record and a spot in the Class 2A substate semifinal.

The 6-foot Dale ranked third on the team with 6.3 points per game and shot 50 percent from the floor including 37 percent from beyond the 3-point line

Dale averaged 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a team-high 2.2 steals per game last season on his way to earning second-team all-RVC South Division honors.

Brody Clubb

Senior, Clear Creek Amana

A four-year starter Clubb is seeking a strong finish to his career with a big senior season after missing the start of last season while recovering from an injury.

Clubb returned from injury to average 7.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and a career-best 1.6 assists per game in the final 10 games last season.

The 6-foot-4 Clubb started 45 games in his first two varsity seasons averaging 9.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1 assist per game as a sophomore.

Clubb shot 49 percent from the floor and 58 percent from the free throw line last season.

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