The 2026 Your Prep Sports Area Boys Basketball Team
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
It was a memorable 2025-2026 boys basketball season in the Your Prep Sports area.
It was a historic season for a pair of area teams.
Regina reached the state semifinals for the first time since 2015 in its second state tournament appearance in the past three seasons while Solon returned to the state tournament for the first time since 2016.
The annual Your Prep Sports all-area boys basketball team honors some of the players responsible for that team success this season.
This year’s 12-member team features all-state and all-conference players as well as school record holders.
There are four repeat selections this this year’s squad as Regina junior Will Litton, Liberty High junior Jerimiah Washpun, West Branch senior Jayden Harris and City High senior Christopher Watkins are all on the Your Prep Sports all-area team for the second consecutive season.
Solon junior Tate McCollum is the captain of the 2026 Your Prep Sports all-area team after leading the Spartans in scoring while helping Solon to a 23-3 record and a Class 3A state quarterfinal appearance.
*Tate McCollum
5-10, Jr., Solon
In his first season in a Solon uniform McCollum helped lead the Spartans to a 23-3 record, a WAMAC Conference title and the program’s first state tournament appearance since 2016.
McCollum led Solon with 18.9 points per game while emerging as one of the state’s top 3-pointer shooters.
The 5-foot-10 point guard ranked second in the state with 101 made 3-pointers and ranked third state wide with 3.9 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc.
McCollum scored in double figures in 23 of 26 games this season and had 20 or more points 13 times.
A unanimous WAMAC East Division first-team selection and first team Class 3A all-state selection by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association, McCollum shot 41 percent from the floor and 79 percent from the free throw line while leading Solon in both free throws made (77) and attempted (79).
McCollum also averaged 2.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
Chris Watkins
6-6, Sr., City High
Watkins emerged as one of the top big men in the state this season with a standout senior season in which he led City High in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage.
A unanimous MVC all-Valley Division first team pick, Watkins ranked second in Class 4A in rebounding and was one of only two players in 4A to average a double-double posting career highs with 15.8 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Watkins was as efficient as he was productive, shooting 53 percent from the floor, including 25 percent from 3-point range.
The 6-foot-6 forward shot 56 percent from the free throw line and led the Little Hawks with 51 made free throws in a team-high 78 trips to the line.
Watkins was consistent, scoring in double figures 19 times in 23 games and had six games with 20 or more points.
Watkins had 13 double-doubles in 23 games and had a double-double in nine of the final 13 games of the season.
An improved defender this season Watkins ranked seventh in 4A with 2 blocked shots per game to go with 1 steal and a career-high 1.6 assists per contest.
Jerimiah Washpun
5-11, Jr., Liberty High
Washpun continued to build a resume as one of the state’s most explosive scorers with a stellar junior season in which he ranked fourth in Class 4A in scoring.
The 5-foot-11 point guard averaged a career-high 22.2 points per game while shooting better than 50 percent from the floor to help Liberty High to an 8-15 record.
Washpun was a unanimous MVC all-Mississippi Division first team selection and earned second-team Class 4A all-state honors from the IPSWA following the best season of his three-year varsity career.
A dynamic scorer from all three levels, Washpun scored in double figures in 18 of 19 games in which he played this season, had 20 or more points 13 times including five games with at least 30 points.
Washpun shot 50 percent from the floor, including an impressive 45 percent from 3-point range and 67 percent from the free throw line while posting career highs in free throw makes (60) and attempts (90).
Washpun also averaged career best in assists (2.9) and steals (1.2) per game to go with 3.5 rebounds per contest.
Tate Wallace
6-3, Jr., Regina
Wallace continued to cement his status as one of the top players in Class 2A with a stellar junior season in which he led Regina in scoring while helping the Regals to their second state tournament appearance in three seasons.
The River Valley Conference South Division player of the year, Wallace shot 66 percent from the field while leading the Regals with 16.2 points per game.
Wallace scored in double figures in 20 of 22 games this season and had seven games with 20 or more points while helping Regina to a 23-2 record and its first 2A state semifinal appearance since 2015.
A Class 2A first team all-state selection by the IPSWA, Wallace led Regina in free throw makes (68) and attempts (122) and also averaged 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
In his first three prep seasons Wallace has amassed 1,008 career points and 349 career rebounds.
Ethan Headings
6-2, Sr., West High
Headings enjoyed a breakthrough season as a senior leading West High in scoring while helping the Trojans to a 13-9 record.
The 6-foot-2 forward averaged a team-high 13.5 points per game on 53 percent shooting from the field on his way to earning second team MVC all-Mississippi Division honors.
Headings shot 69 percent from the free throw line while leading the Trojans in both free throw makes (49) and attempts (71) and shot 25 percent from the 3-point line on his way to averaging a career-best 13.5 points per game.
A North Dakota football recruit, Headings was a consistent offensive producer, scoring in double figures 17 times in 22 games.
Headings also averaged 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Beckett Boeset
6-3, Jr., Clear Creek Amana
Among the top breakthrough players in the state this season Boeset emerged as one of the top scorers in Class 3A with a stellar sophomore season in which he was named WAMAC West Division player of the year.
Boeset ranked 16th in 3A in scoring with 19.3 points per game and led Clear Creek Amana in rebounds, assists and steals while helping the Clippers to a 15-8 record.
The 6-foot-3 guard scored in double figures in 20 of 23 games this season and had 12 games with 20 or more points including 37 and 38-point outings.
Boeset wasn’t just productive he was efficient shooting 48 percent from the floor including 41 percent from 3-point range while ranking second on the team with 34 made 3-pointers.
Boeset also shot 78 percent from the free throw line and led the Clippers with 90 made free throws and 116 free throw attempts.
A unanimous WAMAC West Division first team pick, Boeset had four double-doubles and averaged 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Jayden Harris
5-10, Sr., West Branch
A dynamic scoring point guard, Harris capped a stellar career with a strong senior season in which he led West Branch in scoring and steals.
Harris was a first team all-River Valley Conference South Division selection after leading West Branch with 16.8 points and 2.3 steals per game.
The 5-foot-10 point guard scored in double figures in 21 of 24 games this season and had seven games with 20 or more points.
Harris shot 48 percent from the floor, including 30 percent from beyond the 3-point line, and ranked second on the team with 33 made 3-pointers.
A repeat Your Prep Sports all-area selection, Harris led West Branch in free throw makes (41) and attempts (73) as a senior and also averaged 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while helping the Bears to a 14-10 record.
Maddox Kelley
5-10, Jr., Solon
A key component in the most successful season for Solon in more than a decade, Kelley ranked second on the team in scoring and led the Spartans in rebounding, assists and steals while helping Solon to a 23-3 record and a WAMAC Conference title.
Kelley averaged 10.6 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 53 percent from the floor.
A first team all-WAMAC East Division selection, Kelley led Class 3A and ranked seventh in the state with 4 steals per game.
Kelley was at his best down the stretch scoring in double figures in the final eight games as Solon advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2016.
The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game over the last 13 games of the season including a 14.5 point, 6.5 rebound and 4 assist average in four postseason games.
Will Litton
6-5, Jr., Regina
Part of a dominant Regina frontcourt, Litton put together another impressive season in which he ranked second on the team in, scoring, rebounding, steals and assists.
Litton averaged 13.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while helping the Regals to a 23-2 record and its first 2A state semifinal appearance since 2015.
A third team Class 2A all-state pick by the IPSWA and a second team River Valley Conference all-South Division selection, Litton shot 55 percent from the floor and 64 percent from the free throw line as a junior.
Litton scored in double figures in 17 of 24 games this season including all five postseason games and averaged 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the postseason.
The 6-foot-5 three-sport standout, also averaged 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals per contest.
In three varsity seasons Litton has racked up 900 points and 462 rebounds.
Grant Gordon
6-2, Jr., Solon
Another player that keyed a strong season for Solon, Gordon ranked third on the team in scoring and second in rebounding while helping the Spartans to a 23-3 record, a WAMAC Conference title and a Class 3A state quarterfinal appearance.
Gordon averaged 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 48 percent from the floor including 38 percent from 3-point range.
A second team all-WAMAC East Division pick, Gordon shot 76 percent from the free throw line and ranked second on the team with 25 made 3-pointers.
The 6-foot-2 junior guard also averaged 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Chase Goodheart
5-10, Soph., Liberty High
Goodheart makes his debut on the Your Prep Sports all-area team following a breakthrough sophomore season in which he ranked second on the team in scoring assists and steals.
A MVC all-Mississippi Division second-team pick, Goodheart averaged a career-high 15.2 points per game while shooting 38 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
Goodheart scored in double figures in 19 of 22 games this season and had six games with 20 or more points while helping the Lightning to an 8-15 record.
The 5-foot-10 guard shot 44 percent from the floor and led Liberty High and ranked 14th in Class 4A with 57 made 3-pointers.
Goodheart ranked second on the team with 2.3 assists and 1 steal per game and added 2.9 rebounds per contest.
Carson Meskimen
6-1, Soph., Clear Creek Amana
In his first varsity season Meskimen made an immediate impact ranking second on the team in scoring while leading the Clippers in 3-pointers.
Meskimen averaged 14 points per game in his varsity debut season shooting 40 percent from the field including 33 percent from 3-point range while leading the Clippers with 51 made 3-pointers.
The 6-foot-1 guard scored in double figures 17 of 23 games and 18 or more points nine times.
Meskimen shot 77 percent from the free throw line and ranked second on the team in both free throw makes (58) and attempts (75).
A unanimous WAMAC West Division first team pick, Meskimen averaged 2.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1 steal per game.
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