The AGWSR basketball teams will host Wapsie Valley in NICL crossover action Tuesday. It’ll be the first doubleheader of the season and the season opener for the boys team.
The AGWSR boys are coming off a three-win season last year, and will look for continued development with numerous players with varsity experience. Bo Starr is back for his junior season after leading the team with 14.6 points per game last year, and four others played regular varsity minutes last year. But Head Coach Ryley Schipper says the bench players will provide needed depth.
“Will Hofmeister, who’s a junior, Tristen Dennis, who’s a junior, Chayton Smith who’s a 6’4″ freshman, it’s those guys that are really going to help us,” Schipper says. “Tristen has put in the work over two years. He’s a five to ten minute guy. Will Hofmeister is one of those same guys, five to ten minutes. Chayton Smith is a freshman at 6’4, super athletic. I could see him in our starting lineup and that’s a lot of where he’s worked. He rebounds the ball really, really well and the need that we have needed over the last couple of years. Those guys have worked hard. I would feel comfortable putting 10 different guys on the floor, but what those minutes are for those guys, they just gotta be ready to go and called upon.”
It’ll be the season opener for Wapsie Valley, which also won just three games last year. The two returning starters were last year’s leading scorers, including 14 points per game by Briggs Boehme.
At 2-0, the Cougar girls will look to continue a hot start after a blowout of Madrid and a close win over BCLUW before Thanksgiving. Josie Kuper has scored 19 points per game on 56 percent shooting, and Trevyn Smith has scored 16.5 and recorded a team-high nine rebounds per game.
Wapsie Valley (1-0) defeated New Hampton 54-52 in last week’s season opener, overcoming a 28 percent shooting performance by giving themselves extra chances with 19 steals.
The girls game will tip off at 6:15 p.m., followed by the boys game.
