25 midseason candidates for Iowa Player of the Year
The midway point of the Iowa high school boys basketball season has come and gone, and some players have spent the last two months separating themselves from the crowd.
Here are 25 athletes who are currently in the running for the Des Moines Register's boys basketball Player of the Year award — and remember, this list could change by the end of the season. Players are listed in alphabetical order. Stats and records are based on what was input to GoBound as of Jan. 17 at 1 p.m.
Emiliano Barrantes, Jr., Grand View Christian
The Thunder are 5-5 since winning the Class 1A state title last season, but Barrantes is a bright spot. He has averaged 27.4 points, 15.3 rebounds and four blocks per game, landing him in the top five statewide in several statistical categories.
Redek Born, Sr., Norwalk
The UNI men's basketball signee has helped the Warriors to a 7-2 record with 17.9 points, five rebounds and four assists per game. He's a sharpshooter, with a 49.5% success rate from the field and 41% from 3-point range.
Mason Costello, Sr., Waukee
The Warriors are the top team in the CIML with a 9-4 record, and Costello has been consistent. He has averaged 17.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game — and even won a game with an incredible half-court shot.
Fitzgerald Grant, Sr., Sioux City East
Better known as “Fitzy,” Grant has averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 64.5% from the field and 71.1% from the charity stripe. He has added 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and helped the Black Raiders to a 9-2 record.
Lucas Frohwein, Sr., Colo-Nesco
The Royals are 8-3 this season, and Frohwein is having himself a year. He's shooting 61.8% from the field for 23.3 points per game and has added 10.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contest.
Carson Hoogeveen, Jr., West Lyon
The Wildcats sit on a solid 12-0 record thanks to Hoogeveen's consistency. He has shot 46% from the field and 42.5% from 3-point range. West Lyon's star junior has also added four assists and 3.3 steals per game.
Carson Johnson, Sr., Ankeny
The Hawks guard's 25.2 points per game are the most in Class 4A. He helped Ankeny out to an 8-4 record with that scoring success and an additional 3.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and one steal per game.
Davis Kern, Jr., Linn-Mar
The Lions dropped a few games this season, but they all came against some of the top teams in the state. But Kern continued to play well, averaging 21.5 points per game — while shooting 62.9% from the field — and adding 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.5 blocks per contest.
Owen Larson, Sr., Estherville Lincoln Central
The Estherville Lincoln Central senior leads all players statewide with 28.7 points per game. He has added 10.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.7 steals per game while helping his team to an 8-3 overall record.
Michael Martin, Sr., Regina
Martin led the charge during Regina's 10-game winning streak. He has shot 45.3% from the field and 45.2% from 3point range. He has averaged 18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and two steals per game.
Jack McCaffery, Jr., Iowa City West
The Trojans are 8-1 so far, and McCaffery leads the team in scoring. He has averaged 16.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.4 blocks per game.
Trey McKowen, Jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
The Cougars are 10-0 and McKowen is a big reason why. He has averaged 14.8 points per game while shooting 54.4% from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc. He has added 4.3 assists and 3.3 steals per game.
Thomas Meyer, Jr., Clear Lake
The 10-0 Lions are led by one of the top football recruits in the state. Meyer has a 59.4% success rate from the field and has averaged 12.7 points per game, in addition to eight rebounds, 3.9 assists and a block.
Jack Miller, Sr., Jesup
The Eagles have a real threat on the court in Miller. He has averaged 26.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.8 steals per game. His scoring average is the fifth-most in a stacked Class 2A group.
Matthew Noll, Sr., Bishop Heelan
The senior forward's 24.1 points per game are the fifth-most in Class 3A. The Crusaders are 7-3 with Noll leading in several areas, with 10.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game and a 59.3% success rate from the field.
Ty Pflughaupt, Sr., North Linn
The Lynx have started the season with a perfect 13-0 record. Their leading senior has shot 65.9% from the field and averaged 21.3 points per game. He has added 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.8 steals per game on top of his scoring success.
Colton Rasmussen, Sr., Atlantic
The 3-9 Trojans have struggled this season, but Rasmussen has not. He leads all Class 3A shooters with 27.4 points per game, and he has added 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
Zay Robinson, Jr., Valley
There are two Tigers players on this list, and both have dealt with injuries. Still, Robinson has averaged 20 points per game, seven rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 51.2% from the field since returning from an injury. He could get better as the season continues.
Curtis Stinson Jr., Jr., Valley
Stinson spent the last few games on the bench because of an injury, but he still made an impact for the reigning Class 4A state champions. He has averaged 19.9 points, eight rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Reece Vander Zee, Sr., Central Lyon
The Iowa football commit is talented in other sports, as well. His 28.4 points per game is the third-highest in Iowa, and he has averaged 10 rebounds and three steals on top of the scoring success.
Kaden Van Regenmorter, Jr., Western Christian
The Wolfpack's leading scorer has averaged 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He has shot 54.1% from the field, 43.4% from beyond the arc and 86.5% from the free throw line.
Drew Wagner, Sr., Waterloo Christian
The state's second-leading scorer averaged 28.5 points per game as Waterloo Christian's leading man. He has added 12 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.4 blocks per game as a true do-it-all senior.
Jonovan Wilkinson, Sr., Roland-Story
Wilkinson has helped the Norsemen out to a 9-1 record so far this season. He has averaged 26.5 points — while shooting 55.4% from the field — and added 9.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals on average each night.
Jacob Williams, Sr., Dubuque Senior
The 9-1 Rams are led by Williams, who has averaged 18.8 points per game while shooting 67.6% from the field. He has added 8.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals on top of his scoring success.
Luke Winkel, Sr., Ankeny Centennial
The St. Cloud State commit is second in Class 4A with 22.4 points per game, while shooting 49% from the field and 44.3% from 3-point range. He has added 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game and has helped Centennial to an 8-3 start of the season.