March 29, 2024

Sturtz, Gholson earn INA 4A state honors

Leading Newton High’s boys to the program’s first state basketball tournament appearance in 25 years, junior guard Garrett Sturtz and senior guard Connor Gholson received recognition for their roles for the Cardinals.

Sturtz was named to the Iowa Newspaper Association’s 2017 All-State Class 4A first team and Gholson was selected to the All-4A state second team. The INA boys’ all-state teams, which were selected Saturday, were released Tuesday.

Sturtz, a 6-foot-3 inch point guard, earned a spot on the 4A first team as a utility player. The INA selects three back court players, three front line players and two utility players for first team, second team and third team in each classification.

Gholson, another 6-3 guard for Newton, was slotted as a back-court player on the 4A third team. Gholson earned INA 3A second-team honors as a junior.

The two guards were the 1-2 scoring and rebounding punch for the Cardinals, who recorded the program’s best season, 19-6, since the 1964 state championship team’s 23-3 run. They guided Newton to its ninth state tournament appearance in the school’s history and the first one since 1992.

In the 4A state tournament opener, Newton came up short in an upset bid of top-seeded and eventual 2017 champion Iowa City West. The Cardinals lost by six points, 57-51, which was the closest margin of victory the Trojans had in the state tournament.

Sturtz scored 20 points, had five rebounds, three assists, two steals and blocked three shots in the state tournament game. Gholson ended up with a game-high 24 points, which included three 3-pointers, and had five rebounds.

Sturtz led the Cardinals in six of eight statistical categories in the 2016-17 season. Sturtz was Newton’s leading field goal shooter, hitting 49 percent overall, 167-of-340, which put him sixth in Class 4A in field goals made.

At the free-throw line, Sturtz shot 87 percent, 134-of-154, which was tops for Newton and fifth in Class 4A for free throws made. He led the Cardinals with 71 assists, which was 25th in 4A, in steals with 48, which was 18th in 4A, and in rebounds with 158, which was 17th. His 122 defensive rebounds ranked him 13th among 4A players.

Sturtz blocked a team-high 27 shots, which put him in a four-way tie for 16th in Class 4A. Sturtz was Newton’s second-leading scorer with 495 points this season, which ranked sixth in 4A. He averaged 19.8 points a game. He was Newton’s third-best 3-pointer shooter, hitting 27-of-72 for 37.5 percent.

Sturtz climbed to the No. 4 spot on the NHS career scoring list with 982 points. Sturtz’s 495 points is fourth in season scoring. Sturtz moved to the No. 1 spot on most free throws made in a career, 297-of-350.

Gholson became only the third Newton player to score more than 1,000 points in his career. He is atop the NHS boys’ career scoring list with 1,395 points. Gholson’s 513 points put him third in best season scoring.

Gholson’s proficiency in shooting from beyond the 3-point arc put him atop the Class 4A 3-point field goals made list for the 2016-17 season. He drained 79 of 204 3-point field goal attempts for the season for 38.7 percent.

Gholson is second in 3-point field goals made in a career with 229 on the NHS list. He became No. 1 in most 3-point field goals made in a season at 79.

Gholson led Newton in scoring with 513 points, which was third-best in 3A as he averaged 20.5 points a game. He went 188-of-423 from the field overall for 44 percent. Gholson was third in 4A in field goals made.

Gholson was second on the team in free throw shooting at 83 percent, 92-of-111, which put him 13th on the free throws made list in 4A. He grabbed 127 rebounds, which was second for the team. Gholson’s 104 defensive rebounds was 22nd best in 4A. He finished third on the Cardinals’ team in steals with 21.

Gholson is second in 3-point field goals made in a career with 229 on the NHS list. He became No. 1 in most 3-point field goals made in a season at 79.

INA Class 4A All-State

Boys’ Basketball Team

First Team

Joe Wieskamp, Jr., Muscatine

Van Rees, Jr., Sioux City East

Douglas Wilson, Sr. Des Moines Hoover

A.J. Green, Jr., Cedar Falls

Tyreke Locure, So., Des Moines North

Devontae Lane, Sr. Iowa City West

Connor McCaffery, Sr., Iowa City West

Garrett Sturtz, Jr., Newton

Second Team

Jacob Rau, Sr., Waukee

Noah Carter, So., Dubuque Senior

Patrick McCaffery, So., Iowa City West

Sam Ingoli, Jr., Dowling Catholic

Ray Miller, Sr., Davenport Central

Kyle Lang, Sr., Mason City

Drew Maschoff, Sr., Ankeny

Bailey Basala, Sr., North Scott

Third Team

Quinton Curry, Sr., Valley

Joe Evans, Jr., Ames

Jal Bijiek, Sr., Des Moines North

Max Smith-Drahos, Sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie

Aidan Vanderloo, So., Sioux City East

Connor Gholson, Sr., Newton

Connor Kasperbauer, Sr., Ankeny Centennial

Chad Moran, Sr., Council Bluffs Lewis Central

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com