3 For 3: Week 1 Preview

The high school girls’ basketball season is underway and we want to take a look at the week ahead. Each week we will be doing a “3 For 3” which is for us to take a look at three players, three teams, and three games that will peak our interest for the upcoming week. Below you can find our “3 For 3” for Week 1 of the Iowa Girls Basketball season!

3 Players

Lydia Olejnicazk – 5’8 SF – 2023 – Perry: It is safe to say that Lydia Olejnicazk had a big part in the Perry win over Des Moines Hoover last weekend. She scored 28 points and grabbed seven offensive rebounds in a 12 rebound performance. She is going to be the main reason behind Perry’s wins this year as she can score the ball at a very high level. Olejnicazk also will have no problem passing the ball off to teammates either. Look for her to come ready to play and she should have another huge game as Perry takes on St. Edmond.

Jasmine Barney Jasmine Barney 5'7" | PG Cedar Falls | 2023 State IA – 5’8 SG – 2023 – Iowa City Liberty: Iowa City Liberty has struggled in years past but it looks like they will be a force this season. Some of that will be in part to them maturing over the past few years and some of it will be that Jasmine Barney Jasmine Barney 5'7" | PG Cedar Falls | 2023 State IA , a Cedar Falls transfer, is now on the floor for them. Barney came off the bench in their game last week and scored 18 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished off four steals. If Liberty is going to make strides this year then Barney will be impactful in that. They play North Scott this week which is a game to keep a close eye on.

Lindsey Davis Lindsey Davis 5'8" | SG Nodaway Valley | 2024 State IA – 5’7 SF – 2024 – Nodaway Valley: Nodaway Valley opens their season this week with a pair of tough games. They first visit ACGC and then on Saturday take on Springville at Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids. Davis is going to be a key player for Nodaway Valley this year as they look to get back to state. She’ll be tasked with taking some of the pressure off of Maddax DeVault Maddax DeVault 5'8" | SF Nodaway Valley | 2022 State IA and will need to be a solid second scorer. Look to see how Davis plays in these first two games to really get a grasp of the strengths of Nodaway Valley this season.

3 Teams

Cedar Rapids Jefferson (5A):  I highlighted Cedar Rapids Jefferson as a team to most likely improve this year and they got off to a great start taking down a formidable Davenport Central squad, 61-58. Juniors Emma Slings Emma Slings 5'9" | PG Jefferson | 2023 State IA , Aubrey Luvan Aubrey Luvan 5'3" | PG Cedar Rapids Jefferson | 2023 State IA , and Jariah Harris Jariah Harris 5'11" | SF Cedar Rapids Jefferson | 2023 State IA led them to the win but they also got very meaningful contributions from sophomore Madison Mercil and senior Jada Platt. They have already matched their win total from a season ago and will look to extend that this week. They take on Clinton on Monday evening and then face Bettendorf on the road Saturday. If Jefferson can make it through the week 3-0, that will set up a very tough stretch of games for them where they will really be able to prove themselves.

St. Albert (1A): St. Albert is one of those teams that play a really tough conference schedule which always sets them up for the postseason. This year, they are going to be really intriguing. I have absolutely no idea if they are going to be good or bad, which won’t even be indicated by their record, but they are a team that I will follow closely. Why? I want to keep tabs on the duo of 6’3 forward Lena Rosloniec Lena Rosloniec 6'1" St. Albert Catholic | 2023 IA and 6’4 center Missy Evezic. They both attended the PGH Iowa Top 250 back in the fall and I came away extremely impressed. St. Albert is going to be a fun team to watch this year and that starts with a date with Tri-Center this week.

Solon (4A): Solon is going to be a contender this year in 4A after moving up a class this year. They will rely on the play of Callie Levin Callie Levin 5'10" | PG Solon | 2024 State IA , an Iowa commit, to lead them but their team is not just predicated on one player. Seniors Kaia Holtkamp Kaia Holtkamp 5'7" | PG Solon | 2022 State IA and Makinley Levin Makinley Levin 5'9" | SF Solon | 2022 State IA along with junior Claire Ladage Claire Ladage 5'8" | SG Solon | 2023 IA are going to be important players if Solon wants to meet their goals. Solon starts out the week with a bit of a gauntlet of a schedule taking on Center Point-Urbana and then facing Xavier this weekend. If Solon goes 2-0 this week then they are in great shape as they hit December. They have the potential to do so and their game on Saturday will be extremely tough.

3 Matchups 

Ballard at Clear Lake – Nov. 23rd, 7:30pm: Ballard is 0-1 on the year after falling to a very good Dallas Center-Grimes team while this will be Clear Lake’s first contest. Ballard lost a lot of contributors due to graduations last season and Clear Lake is in the same realm after they lost a ton of really good seniors. Look for this to be a battle between teams that are going to be trying to find their identities early on in the season.

Assumption at Xavier – Nov. 23rd, 7:30 pm: Assumption is going to be really solid this year as they have a nice piece of their core back from a year ago. Xavier had a bit of a down year last season but have some really nice pieces. Xavier, I believe, is a little under-the-radar as they have a very good freshman class coming in that will likely find some minutes on the floor. Assumption always seems to play games tight and if they are going to make their run this year they will need to be competitive in games like this one.

Bishop Garrigan vs Iowa City West – Nov. 27th, 2:00 pm: Bishop Garrigan is either the #1 or #2 team in 1A depending on which polls you look at. Iowa City West will be adjusting to life after their senior class but still have quite a bit of talent on the floor. Molly Joyce Molly Joyce 5'7" | PG Bishop Garrigan | 2023 State IA and Audi Crooks Audi Crooks 6'3" | C Bishop Garrigan | 2023 State #42 Nation IA will be looking to knock off a 5A team in Iowa City West. While Emma Ingersoll-Weng Emma Ingersoll-Weng 5'6" | PG Iowa City West | 2022 State IA and Meena Tate Meena Tate 5'11" | SG Iowa City West | 2023 State IA will be looking to attack the guards of Bishop Garrigan. This should be a fantastic Saturday afternoon game.