Start Of The Season: Protecting The Paint
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The start of the season is always a hectic time. New players are emerging, teams are figuring out how their players fit together from a team aspect, and there is just a lot of factors that need to be accounted…
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Continue ReadingThe start of the season is always a hectic time. New players are emerging, teams are figuring out how their players fit together from a team aspect, and there is just a lot of factors that need to be accounted for but something that is un-deniable is the production of players. In the article below we are going to cover some athletes that have posted big BPG numbers this winter throughout their first few contests. In these efforts, most of the players perspective teams have been victorious at the end of their games because of these performances.
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Des Moines East hasn’t started their season off the way that they would have imagined but a positive takeaway from the situation is that Asia Thompson Asia Thompson 6’1″ | C Des Moines East | 2024 IA is stepping up at her Center position in a big way and doing what she can to help. Thompson stands at 6’1 and leads the state in blocks throughout all grade levels. She is working as hard as she can inside the paint, while trying to produce in every which way for her perspective team. This is Thompson’s last go around for high school ball and I’m sure that it drives all the upperclassmen crazy that this is how their season has begun but it’s still very early on in the year. There are a lot of games left and a lot of opportunities to prove themselves to anyone that is watching.
Brooke Krogmann
Brooke Krogmann
Brooke Krogmann and her West Delaware High School team has started off this season with a 2-2 record. In their first four games, Krogmann is averaging 13.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 5.5 BPG. Their two losses have come at the hands of ranked teams in some close contests. Averaging more then 1 BPG in a season is impressive at any level, to average 5.5 at any point is pretty wild. If any opponents have film ahead of their matchup with West Delaware this season, I’m sure the message to the players will be to understand where Krogmann is, at all times. Even when she isn’t the primary defender, you have to know or else the ball is going to end up in the stands before you can blink because of a major block. I’m expecting Krogmann to have this constant production throughout the rest of the season but I’m not sure if the amount of blocks will continue. I have hope, as it would be an incredible feat but I’m not holding my breath.
Addison Brauns Addison Brauns 5’8″ | SF Van Buren County | 2025 IA is having one of the more interesting starts to her season throughout the state. The Junior competes for Van Buren County High School and is recording a ton of blocks. I’m not saying she doesn’t do other great things but in her situation, for her current team and their roster, Brauns seems to be their presence in the middle and because of that, she is set up in the position to record a lot of blocks against her competition. In her first few games of this season, Brauns is averaging 1.8 PPG, 1 RPG, and 5.4 BPG. As you can tell, she isn’t the type to beat you offensively with a crazy skill move but she is very good at staying down defensively and creating havoc because of it. Like I said, this is one of the more interesting stat lines for a Post player at 5’8 but I’m hoping she can keep this momentum moving forward.
One of the most underrated Post players throughout the state comes in the form of Junior Rebecca Aagard Rebecca Aagard 6’2″ | PF North Polk | 2025 State IA of North Polk. Aagard is 6’2 and she can move between the Power Forward and Center positions on the floor. In the past six months, she has been producing at a consistent rate on the road, playing AAU ball. Coming into this winter, she has picked up right where she left off and that is dominating anyone who stands in her way. To start this year, North Polk is doing their thing and handling business per usual. Aagard is averaging 6 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, and 4.3 BPG on the way to an overall 3-1 record, with their only loss coming to the hands of the #1 team in the 4A Class. North Polk is going to be in the conversation come State Playoff time this season, they just need to stay locked in. If Aagard is playing with this type of production and their other star Guards are doing their thing, this group will be very tough to beat at the end of this season.
Highland High School has jumped into this season in a dead sprint, starting off their year with a 5-1 record. The contests that they have competed in are not the highest in scoring but at the end of the day, that’s okay as long as they come out with the victory and all the players on the floor are better because of it. One of the main reasons that opposing teams can’t score on the Huskies is because of players like Sarah Burton Sarah Burton 5’10” | SF Highland | 2024 IA in the middle. Burton, a 5’9 combo guard/forward, imposes her Will on her opponents and that leads to a lot of success for herself on both sides of the floor. Offensively, she scored a decent amount of buckets because she isn’t afraid of contact and more-so welcomes it. While on defense, Burton is always flying all over the floor, in attempts to help her team get an important stop or turnover. As of right now, throughout their first six games, Burton is averaging 3.2 BPG. A high number for a player that works around the perimeter at times but I think it speaks for her ability on the defensive side of things. If this Huskies team continues to play at this rate, they are going to put together one memorable winter.