Start Of The Season: Top Facilitators
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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 things 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 things 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 assist numbers this winter throughout their first few games of the season. 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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Usually known for her impressive scoring ability, Haylee Stokes Haylee Stokes 5’6″ | PG Estherville Lincoln Central | 2025 State IA has kicked off her Junior season not only scoring the ball but more-so creating and facilitating for the teammates around her. Stokes, a Minnesota State Women’s basketball commit, has led the charge of her Midgets team this season on the way to a 4-1 record throughout their first 5 games. During this 5 game stretch, Stokes is averaging 24.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 7.4 APG. All pretty impressive numbers but nothing crazy for a player like Stokes, who has been producing like this for the past 2 years now. It’s never an easy task to make the State Tournament but looking at this teams schedule moving forward, it’s hard to imagine Stokes and company not making it to Des Moines. If she keeps up this production and keeps creating at such a high level, this team will continue to win and at the end of the year, they will have a shot at another State Title.
Laynee Hogan Laynee Hogan 5’9″ | PG East Buchanan | 2025 State IA is an individual that is underrated in several aspects of the game. When you first see her play, you can tell that she is skilled offensively with the ball in her hands at the point position. A majority of the time that is because she is very good at picking her spots as to when she should shoot the ball as a jumper, compared to taking her defender off of the dribble. This season has started off a little different than some might have expected for Hogan though. Other than taking care of her usually offensive duties, she is creating and distributing at a high rate. Higher than normal. A part of this is due to her off-season work. Hogan played up for her AAU program at the 17U level on their top team and held her own on most occasions. The experience and knowledge she learned from playing with these better players, definitely helped her become more productive on the high school floor. Looking toward the future, Hogan does have a college level skill-set, she just needs to figure out what she wants to do. There are a handle of schools in Iowa that I’m sure would be interested but again, it’ll all come down to what she wants out of her college experience, more-so then anything else.
Highlights
Kamryn Kurt Kamryn Kurt 5’6″ | PG North Linn | 2024 State IA competes for one of the best 1A programs in the state of Iowa and is their leader in all facets of the game. She is the skilled player on both sides of the ball, she is a relentless defender, and she displays a high motor throughout each contest. Kurt has started this 2023 season right where she left off from last year. She is putting up big numbers, her team is winning some close games, and everyone is playing fundamental basketball. As a coach, there isn’t much more you can ask for. To start this season, North Linn is 4-1, while Kurt is averaging 16 PPG on 42% shooting and nearly 7 APG. The hardest part of the Lynx’s schedule is still yet to come but for the start of a new season, you can work with these numbers. For a team that is currently averaging around 55-60 PPG, their attack is balanced and they play for one another. Two important factors needed if they want to take this thing all the way come Playoff time. I’ve been able to see the Lynx’s play 3 games this season and let me say, they look as good as I would have imagined, if not better.
When you can find a Post player that can pass like a point guard, you make sure that player touches the ball on every possession. That is the best way that I could describe Kate Shafer Kate Shafer 6’0″ | SF Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2025 State IA ‘s game right now. Shafer is a 6’0 Post, that is athletic and physical. Not only is she athletic and physical, she is also coordinated, has a high-energitic motor, and is pretty skilled with the ball in her hands. To start off this season, Shafer is averaging 6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 6.8 APG. Good numbers accounting for the fact that she is her teams 3rd or 4th offensive option. This Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Rockets group is going to have a good season. They are 5-0 and have a path to the State Playoff’s in their sights. They can’t look to far ahead and stumble on the way but if they are locked in, they are going to be a tough matchup for anyone out of the 2A Class. As for Shafer, if she continues to do her thing, she is going to have one of the best seasons of her life on the hardwood.
The Pella Christian Eagles haven’t had the start they were hoping for to kick-off this season but that’s alright. It’s early on in the year and a lot of these first few games are about figuring out where the “pieces” fit, to what is your “team” puzzle. In five contests that have been close, the Eagles have put up some pretty good numbers. They are back and forth, competing in every contest and the outcomes are just not falling their way. If they keep working hard and focus on the right things, that should all turn around. A player that has been a positive to the start of their season is Faith Kacmarynski Faith Kacmarynski 5’6″ | PG Pella Christian | 2025 State IA . Kacmarynski has been a beast at creating and distributing to the teammates around her. Throughout these first five contest, she is averaging 11 PPG and 5.6 APG. Some solid numbers that hopefully she can continue to produce as their season goes on. This team is going to find themselves throughout this season and a big part of that is because of the passing of Kacmarynski. This ability should get everyone involved and make everyone feel like they are a part of the team. When everyone buys into that, that’s when teams become dangerous.