Two Trojans named unanimous all-NICL
The NICL West Division boys basketball all-conference teams were announced on Thursday and West Marshall junior Peyton Pope and senior Cameron Bannister were both named unanimous first-team selections for the conference-champion Trojans.
Pope, who earned his second unanimous first-team honor, averaged 18.7 points and 2.6 rebounds during NICL West play, while Bannister, who made his first all-conference team, had 13.9 points per game and a league-high 8.3 rebounds per contest.
Joining the two first teamers for West Marshall were senior Joe Halverson on the second team and junoir Gabe Jones as an honorable mention. This was the second-straight second-team honor for Halverson and the first all-conference pick for Jones.
West Marshall head coach Paul deNeui was also selected as the NICL West Coach of the Year.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck, who finished fourth in the conference standings, had two first-team selections in Jackson Kiburis and Tyler Tscherter. Kiburis was a unanimous honoree and earned his first all-conference nod by averaging 17.6 points per game while leading the conference in total points with 211. Tscherter, who is also a first-time honoree, had 14.6 points per game in NICL West play and he had a conference-high 56 assists.
Also representing the Rebels were junior Eli Thede on the second team and sophomore Dylan Riffey as an honorable mention. This is the first selection for both boys and Riffey is the only sophomore to appear on the all-conference teams.
BCLUW netted two selections on the second team in seniors Jonny Neff and Jack Garber, while Comets junior Mason Yantis was an honorable mention. Neff was a second-team selection a year ago and Garber was an honorable metion.
East Marshall had one representative in junior Austin Elliott as an honorable mention.
AGWSR senior Alex Hames was the Most Outstanding Player and he was the fourth unanimous pick for the first team.
NICL West Division All-Conference Boys Basketball Teams
Most Outstanding Player — Alex Hames, sr., AGWSR
Coach of the Year — Paul deNeui, West Marshall
FIRST TEAM
*Cameron Bannister SR West Marshall
*Alex Hames SR AGWSR
*Jackson Kiburis SR Gladbrook-R’beck
*Peyton Pope JR West Marshall
Cade Spieker SR South Hardin
Luke Starr JR AGWSR
Tyler Tscherter JR Gladbrook-R’beck
(* — unanimous selection)
SECOND TEAM
Tanner Appel SR Grundy Center
Jack Garber SR BCLUW
Joe Halverson SR West Marshall
Joe Johnson SR Grundy Center
Jonny Neff SR BCLUW
Eli Thede JR Gladbrook-R’beck
Jacob VanderWilt SR South Hardin
HONORABLE MENTION
Austin Elliott, jr., East Marshall; Travis Kuester, sr., Grundy Center; Gabe Jones, jr., West Marshall, Christian Penning, sr., South Hardin; Dylan Riffey, so., Gladbrook-Reinbeck; Tanner Weichers, jr., AGWSR; Mason Yantis, jr., BCLUW.
Final Conference Standings
West Marshall 10 2
AGWSR 8 3
South Hardin 8 3
Gladbrook-Reinbeck 8 4
Grundy Center 4 8
BCLUW 2 9
East Marshall 0 11