T-R FILE PHOTO - Gladbrook-Reinbeck sophomore guard William Kiburis (11) shoots over South Winneshiek defender Keagan Streeter (30) during the second half of their Class 1A Substate 3 basketball game Feb. 27 in Manchester.

After an unexpected season in which the Rebels were eight minutes away from making it to the Class 1A state tournament, the Gladbrook-Reinbeck boys’ basketball team was well-represented on the NICL West Division’s all-conference teams.

At the top of the list was sophomore guard William Kiburis, who was named the conference’s Outstanding Player. Kiburis averaged 19 points per game this season, but the point guard excelled in nearly every statistical category. Kiburis averaged 7.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 3.3 steals per contest. He’s the first G-R player to win the honor since Caden Kickbush in 2018.

The Rebels went 17-4 with a young squad and claimed a share of the NICL West title at 8-2. Kiburis wasn’t the only G-R player to make the first team, as he was joined by Tristen Sanford-Anders. Sanford-Anders averaged 10.2 points and eight rebounds a contest, helping control the paint defensively for the Rebels.

On the second team, senior Dylan Riffey and sophomore Caleb Egesdal were honored for their strong performances in 2021. Riffey, a 3-point marksman, scored 12.2 points per game and shot 42.6 percent from beyond the arc. Egesdal scored 9.1 per game and hit 43 percent of his 3-pointers.

Riffey’s younger brother Luke was an honorable mention, averaging 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and three assists per game as a sophomore.

BCLUW’s Evan Janssen was named Coach of the Year after taking the Comets to a 10-win season for the first time since the 2011-2012 season. The Comets went 10-13 and played tough defensively, making them a difficult team to beat.

The Comets had Jesse Moore honored as an All-NICL West first team selection after a senior season in which he averaged 12.5 points, 3.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game. Fellow senior Noah Gallentine was an honorable mention. Gallentine averaged nine points, four rebounds and two assists per game.

East Marshall had a frustrating season that ended against Dike-New Hartford in the second round of Class 2A district play, but the Mustangs still had a first-team selection in senior Logan Bowie. Bowie, who started the year on the sidelines and had to work his way back from an ankle injury suffered during football, averaged 18.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and one steal per game.

Drew Runner was named to the second team thanks to a senior season in which he averaged nearly a double-double per game — 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds a contest. The third starting senior, Ethan Espenscheid, scored 10.5 points, grabbed 4.4 rebounds and dished out 4.3 assists per game to earn an honorable mention.

All-NICL West Division Boys Basketball Teams

Outstanding Player — William Kiburis, so., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Coach of the Year — Evan Janssen, BCLUW

FIRST TEAM

Kael Carr, SR, South Hardin

Beau Butler, SR, South Hardin

William Kiburis, SO, Glad-Rein

Tristen Sanford-Anders, JR, Glad-Rein

Brayden Sawyer, JR, Grundy Center

Jesse Moore, SR, BCLUW

Logan Bowie, SR, East Marshall

SECOND TEAM

Ryan Walters, SR, South Hardin

Dylan Riffey, SR, Glad-Rein

Caleb Egesdal, SO, Glad-Rein

Dayne Zinkula, JR, Grundy Center

Wes Willis, SR, Grundy Center

Drew Runner, SR, East Marshall

Jaden Penning, SR, AGWSR

HONORABLE MENTION

Ben Macy, SR, AGWSR

Noah Gallentine, SR, BCLUW

Ethan Espenscheid, SR, East Marshall

Luke Riffey, SO, Glad-Rein

Zach Opheim, SR, Grundy Center

Mason Sheldahl, JR, South Hardin

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Final Conference Standings

W L

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 8-2

Grundy Center 8-2

South Hardin 8-2

BCLUW 3-7

East Marshall 2-8

AGWSR 1-9