Area hoops teams making progress

If anyone follows the high school basketball scene in Jasper County, they might already know that several teams in the area have shown much improvement at the start of the 2019-20 season.

Both Newton squads have surpassed last year's win totals already. The Cardinal girls, under first-year head coach Eric Vander Velden, were 4-3 at the holiday after going 3-18 last year. The Newton boys, under first-year head coach Jason Carter, took a 2-3 record into the break after finishing 0-20 last season.

Leading the Newton girls is Chassidy Henwood, who is averaging 12 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a Class 4A-best 5.1 steals per game. The team's highest scorer last year put in 8.6 points per game. This year's third best scorer is averaging 8.5.

The Newton boys had one player who averaged more than 10 points per game last year. This year, Noah Allen (15 points per game), Adam Mattes (13.2) and Kyle Long (11) are all over that mark.

Colfax-Mingo's basketball teams struggled last season. The boys won only four games in head coach Mark Rague's first season, but the Tigerhawks are 5-1 so far this season.

On the girls' side, first-year head coach Blake Warrick has led the team to a 2-5 mark at the holiday break. The Tigerhawks won only three games last season.

The Tigerhawk boys are led by Brady Berkey, who is averaging 18 points, 7.8 rebounds and six assists per game this season.

The C-M girls are very young as the top three scorers are freshmen and sophomores and most of this year's roster will be back next season.

Baxter's hoops teams also are improved. The girls were 8-12 last year but have already begun 5-3. The boys finished 11-10 last year but are 5-2 so far this season.

The boys are headlined by Cole Damman, who ranks eighth in scoring in 1A at 23.4 points per game. He also averages 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and three steals per contest.

The Baxter girls did not have a player average more than 10 points per game last year but two Bolts — Caitlyn Bruntz (13.1) and McKenzie Eslinger (10.6) — are scoring in double-figures so far this season.

PCM's girls basketball team is currently 4-4. The Mustangs were 9-12 last season. Regan Freland looks like a first-team all-stater so far this season. She is fourth in 3A in scoring at 21 points per game and also averages eight rebounds and 3.25 assists per game.

Freland's 20 made 3-pointers ranks tied for fifth in 3A and her 37 steals is tied for third.

On the boys' side, Derek Brown is averaging a career-best 15 points per game and also 5.6 rebounds per contest for the Mustangs, who have started the season 4-3.

Lynnville-Sully's girls started the season ranked in the top 10 of 1A. The Hawks are 6-3 overall and Krystal Van Dyke is leading the way. Van Dyke is averaging 16 points per game and leads all of 1A in rebounds at 13.3 per contest.

The improvements are noticeable. But it's easy to expect some tough nights for most of these teams.

The South Iowa Cedar League is loaded on the girls' side. Lynnville-Sully is no longer ranked, but Montezuma is ranked No. 1, North Mahaska sits No. 4 and Sigourney is No. 7.

The Heart of Iowa Conference has the No. 1 team in 3A on the girls' side in North Polk. Roland-Story is ranked seventh in 3A and Gilbert is ranked fifth in 4A.

Some of these teams will have a hard time coming all the way up the ladder this season, but it is clear that a lot of the area programs are getting better.

Players get better, more experience and learn how to win from year to year. The programs which struggled last year are clearly better this season. That is all you can ask from one year to the next.

Contact Troy Hyde at thyde@newtondailynews.com