Here are 12 of the area’s top boys’ basketball players heading into the 2023-24 season:
Holden Arnaman, 6-2, senior, West Branch — Not too many four-year starters out there, but Arnaman is one of them. The outstanding lead guard averaged 21.8 points and 5.7 assists per game last season. Second-team all-stater in Class 2A by the Iowa Professional Sportswriters Association.
Joe Bean, 6-3, senior, Cedar Rapids Kennedy — The junior guard helped Cedar Rapids Xavier to the Class 3A state championship game last season but decided to make the move down 42nd Street to Kennedy this season. First-team all-stater in 3A averaged 14.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 2022-23.
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Jake Benzing, 6-3, senior, Solon — Averaged 17.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game last season, en route to earning second-team all-state honors in 3A. Shot 52 percent from the field and a stellar 84.6 percent from the free-throw line.
Benjamin Bockman, 6-4, senior, Decorah — Swingman averaged 22.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game last season. That was good enough for second-team all-state in Class 3A.
Zach Driscoll, 6-1, junior, Decorah — Helped MFL MarMac to the state tournament in Class 2A last season and was a second-team all-stater. Decided to transfer this season to Decorah, where he will be part of a very good 3A team. Averaged 20.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 4.2 steals per game in 2022-23.
Caleb Haack, 6-7, junior, Iowa Valley — A relative of former Cedar Rapids Jefferson all-stater and Iowa Hawkeyes star Jarrod Uthoff, so the bloodlines are there. Averaged just under 20 points per game last season, as well as 9.3 rebounds and 3.9 blocked shots. Rather unheralded kid to keep an eye on.
Davis Kern, 6-8, junior, Linn-Mar — He’ll play D-I college ball somewhere in a couple of years. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 19.5 points and 7.3 rebounds last season for the Lions and was a third-team all-state selection in Class 4A.
Jack McCaffery, 6-8, junior, Iowa City West — The youngest son of Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery averaged 16 points and 7.4 rebounds for West last season. Considered one of the 100 juniors in the country.
Jack Miller, 6-1, senior, Jesup — A fine guard who has signed with Upper Iowa University, Miller averaged 26 points per game last season and made 64 3-pointers. He was third-team all-state in Class 2A.
Ty Pflughaupt, 6-4, senior, North Linn — One of the tallest Lynx but can also shoot it. Averaged 15.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game last season for a team that was state runner-up in 1A. A second-team all-stater. Also has signed with Upper Iowa.
Preston Ries, 6-2, senior, Monticello — University of Iowa football signee is an Energizer bunny on the court, too. Averaged a double-double of 23.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for a state tournament team last season. That was good enough to earn him first-team all-state in Class 2A.
Derek Weisskopf, 6-4, senior, Williamsburg — Two years in a row as a Wamac Conference divisional player of the year is pretty good, right? Averaged 19.2 points per game last season as a first-team all-stater. Also averaged 8.5 rebounds and over three assists. Has signed to play football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
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