Boys basketball preview: Ranking the 5A SIC’s top teams, contenders and dark horses
Powerhouses are supposed to take time to build.
But don’t tell that to Owyhee.
The third-year program enters the season as the overwhelming favorite to win the 5A SIC for the third straight time. The Storm bring back the state’s top recruit, field at least one more Division I prospect and added two transfers expected to make an immediate impact.
But Owyhee shouldn’t expect a cakewalk. Those sky-high expectations come with a massive target on its back. And the league remains full of challengers looking to end the Storm’s reign.
We polled every coach in the 5A SIC, and these were the top challengers and players to watch they identified this season.
1. OWYHEE
Last season: 21-6, 11-1 5A SIC
Coach: Andy Harrington, third season
Players to watch: Liam Campbell, sr., G; Jackson Rasmussen, jr., F; Boden Howell, jr., G; Logan Haustveit, so., PG
The two-time defending district champs return all five starters and added two impact transfers, making the Storm the overwhelming favorite to capture another district crown.
Campbell remains the team’s only senior. The USC signee led 5A last season with 20.1 points per game to make the All-Idaho first team for the second time. And the Storm’s deep lineup prevents opponents from creating defenses focused solely on him.
Haustveit (16.0 ppg, 3.7 assists) transferred from Mountain View after making the all-state first team as a freshman. Howell moved in from South Medford, Oregon, where he broke Kyle Singler’s single-game school scoring record with 56 points. And Rasmussen (10.3 ppg) adds a 6-7, Division I prospect and another all-state selection on the wing.
Harrington said Owyhee’s elite length and athleticism allow the Storm to pressure opponents into playing at their preferred speed. But with so much talent, he’ll have to find a way to keep everyone involved.
T-2. EAGLE
Last season: 17-11, 8-4 5A SIC
Coach: Cody Pickett, fourth season
Players to watch: Russell Gibson, sr., PG; Cole Pugh, sr., F; Hudson Van Alfen, sr., SG; Miguel Taylor, sr., F
The Mustangs may not have as much experience as Owyhee, but Eagle returns loads of veterans with three returning starters.
Make it four starters if you count the return of Van Alfen, who started as a sophomore before a knee injury cost him his junior year. And that’s before getting to Taylor, an athletic 6-7 forward who made the team as a freshman before spending the past two years in Oregon.
All that returning talent creates the deepest Eagle roster in years, one with loads of chemistry. Pickett said the Mustangs will need to find a way to share the ball. But that’s where Gibson (10.3 ppg, 5.8 assists), the reigning 5A leader in assists, comes in.
T-2. MERIDIAN
Last season: 16-12, 8-4 5A SIC
Coach: Jeff Sanor, seventh season
Players to watch: Ryan Baker, sr., SG; TJ Sanor, jr., SG; Duncan Pearce, sr., PF
Last year’s state tournament Cinderella, the Warriors won’t sneak up on anyone this winter. Meridian brings back only two starters, but those two, Baker and Sanor, are just the tip of the iceberg on a team of shooters who can play all over the floor.
Baker (13.7 ppg) stepped into a starring role at state that earned him a spot on the All-Idaho second team. The 6-5 TJ Sanor (11.8 ppg) alters shots at the rim and his athleticism poses headaches for opponents. And Pearce (6.3 ppg) returns after an injury sidelined him for eight weeks last season.
Varsity experience remains in short supply after those three, presenting the possibility of another slow start. But few want to run into Meridian in February and March.
4. TIMBERLINE
Last season: 17-10, 8-4 5A SIC
Coach: Travis Noble, sixth season
Players to watch: Alex Ko, jr., G; Bryce Heinz, jr., F; Sol Stands, sr., PG; Ryan Buehler, sr., SG
The Wolves return just one starter from a state qualifier, but Timberline remains a favorite to make it back to the Idaho Center with a bevy of shooters Noble called the best in his tenure.
Ko (12.1 ppg) provides the lone veteran hand and a threat from all over the floor. He can shoot from range, finish at the basket and break pressure. The Wolves will rely on him as a group of role players step into starting roles.
Height remains in short supply as the 7-foot Alex LaBeau graduated and now plays for Washington State. Noble said Timberline will need to redouble its efforts on the glass to contend with 5A’s tougher front courts.
5. MOUNTAIN VIEW
Last season: 21-6, 11-1 5A SIC
Coach: Jon Nettleton, 19th season
Players to watch: Owen McBride, sr., PG; Braden Sherrill, sr., W; Brevin Binder, sr., W; McKoy Thompson, jr., G
The Mavericks lost first-team All-Idaho point guard Logan Haustveit to Owyhee. But the reigning third-place finisher at state still brings back two starters and experienced bench players looking to make it back to the Idaho Center.
McBride (8 ppg, 4 rebounds, 2.1 assists) takes over at the point and as Mountain View’s leader. He’ll have plenty of weapons to work with. Sherrill is poised for a breakout season as a big shooter who can also defend in the paint, and Binder (4.7 ppg) remains one of the state’s true above-the-rim players.
Nettleton said the Mavericks will hang their hat on an athletic, full-court defense. But size remains in short supply, so Mountain View will have to rebound as a unit to avoid getting overpowered.
6. CAPITAL
Last season: 7-14, 3-9 5A SIC
Coach: Blas Telleria, third season
Players to watch: Ibrahim Talaso, sr., F; Mekhi Dorrell, sr., F; Marcellus Clay, jr., PG; David McNamara, jr., PG
The Eagles start the season as a trendy sleeper pick in the 5A SIC. And it’s not hard to see why, with five returning starters and eight varsity players back.
That bounty of experience comes after Capital started a youth movement two years ago. Once wide-eyed freshmen and sophomores, Talaso (10.5 ppg, 6.4 rebounds), Dorrell (7.6 ppg), Clay (11.8 ppg, 3.6 assists) and McNamara (12.4 ppg) are now all seasoned veterans looking to restore Capital into a contender.
A winning habit remains an elusive one, though, after six straight losing seasons. Capital will have to learn how to win and how to handle expectations if it expects to upset the league’s pecking order.
7. CENTENNIAL
Last season: 12-14, 5-7 5A SIC
Coach: Josh Aipperspach, 10th season
Players to watch: Gabe Eddins, so., SG; Payton Knudson, jr., SG; Edward Seme, sr., SF
The Patriots return three starters and loads of scoring options after falling one win short of making the state tournament last winter. But Centennial still remains a young team growing into roles.
Eddins (9.9 ppg) leads that youth movement after starting as a freshman. He brings a physical presence while also serving as a threat to score in the paint, in the mid-range and from outside.
He and Knudson (10.5 ppg) will shoulder the offensive load as versatile weapons. But Aipperspach said the Patriots will need to prove they can get stops, battle in the paint and rebound to contend again.
8. BOISE
Last season: 9-12, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Manny Varela, ninth season
Players to watch: Michael Nance, jr., W; Gus Arriola, sr., G; Duncan Thompson, sr., W; Stive Ndabarishe, sr., G
After back-to-back two-win seasons, the Brave climbed back into contention last year. Boise looks to build off that success with two returning starters and several role players back.
Nance (6 ppg, 3 rebounds) provides leadership, an inside-outside threat and length at 6-7 to protect the rim. He’ll team with a heady guard (Arriola), a lights-out shooter (Thompson) and a multi-talented weapon (Ndabarishe) as Boise features a more balanced lineup that will make it tougher for defenses to pick one option to shut down.
But Varela said contending in the 5A SIC again will depend on Boise’s trademark, hard-nosed defense. The Brave gave up 59.8 points per game last season, a number that will have to drop.
9. ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Last season: 8-14, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Ivory Miles Williams, first season
Players to watch: Mac Savedra, jr., PG; Carter Coppieters, sr., F; Mason Turpin, so., C
The Grizzlies elevated Miles Williams last year after a midseason coaching change. Now he brings back four starters after his first full offseason in charge of the program.
Savedra (12.9 ppg) headlines that group as Rocky Mountain’s leading scorer from a year ago. He’ll serve as the go-to point guard, taking on a leadership role. Coppieters (4.6 ppg, 2.6 rebounds) mans the glass and provides a dangerous scoring option with his midrange game. And Turpin (3.7 ppg, 3.6 rebounds) returns healthy in the paint after a broken foot limited him to 13 games last year.
Miles Williams said he wants Rocky Mountain to become one of the state’s toughest defenses. But earning that reputation will need to come with consistently high effort.
10. MIDDLETON
Last season: 10-12, 3-9 5A SIC
Coach: Josh Downey, first season
Players to watch: Ryker Apple, sr., G; Truman Stucki, sr., G; Parker Lambert, jr., G; Blake Bishop, jr., F
The Vikings struggled in their first season at the state’s top level, finishing tied for last in the 5A SIC and failing in the district play-in round. They’ll look to prove they belong with one returning starter and a new coach.
But Middleton owns one trait most of the league lacks — size. Apple (9.8, 5 rebounds) stands as the most versatile option as a 6-5 guard, while Stucki and Lambert add two more big-bodied guards at 6-4. All that size in the backcourt will pose mismatches and create a long, athletic defense.
A new coach means a new system, though. Downey said Middleton will need to become more efficient offensively while learning new plays, which could take time.
11. KUNA
Last season: 8-14, 5-7 5A SIC
Coach: Paul Egwuonwu, first season
Players to watch: Gannon Ysais, jr., G; Colten Deatherage, jr., G; Jarrett Duren, sr., G; Emmanuel Chabuka, fr., F
Long overlooked at the 5A level, the Kavemen clawed their way into the district tournament last year. But Kuna hits the reset button with a new coach and just two returning starters.
Ysais (14.8 ppg, 2.5 steals) remains a bona fide scorer Kuna can build around after taking the league by storm as a sophomore. He and Duren (4 ppg) will lead a young group as they adjust to the varsity level. But watch out for Chabuka, who will make an immediate impact as a freshman.
Egwuonwu described his team as a tough, blue-collar group that lacks size. So it will have to find other ways to contend for rebounds.
12. BORAH
Last season: 10-13, 5-7 5A SIC
Coach: Jeremy Dennis, eighth season
Players to watch: Jacob Detwiler, sr., G; Ayden Melendez, jr., G; Dylan Luekenga, jr., F
The former powerhouse finds itself near the bottom of the preseason predictions again after three straight losing seasons. But Dennis said the Lions are itching to prove themselves this year.
Only two starters return. Detwiler (4.6 ppg) provides a deadly shooting touch and leadership, and Melendez (3.5) remains the defensive ace who will add a larger offensive role.
Luekenga (3.9 ppg) moved in from Kuna, providing an athletic forward to the lineup. But varsity experience remains in short supply, so expect some early growing pains.
13. NAMPA
Last season: 6-16, 3-9 5A SIC
Coach: Brad Adolfson, third season
Players to watch: Ryan Radford, sr., F; Briggs Waite, sr., F; Hudson Young, sr., G; Dominick Almaraz, so., G
The Bulldogs start the year picked to finish last for the second straight season. But Nampa brings back three proven weapons looking to prove everyone wrong.
Radford (10.1 ppg, 7.6 rebounds) established himself as one of the league’s top big men last season, one who can score from anywhere on the floor. He’ll draw the focus of most defenses, opening the door for Waite (7.7 ppg) and Alamaraz (6.7 ppg).
Adolfson said Nampa’s outside shooting has improved. But the Bulldogs will need to eliminate careless turnovers to climb the standings.
This story was originally published November 28, 2023 at 12:09 PM.
