Boys basketball preview: Ranking the top small-school teams from the Boise region
The boys basketball 2024-25 high school season tipped off last Saturday with a handful of contests.
As it kicks into full gear this week, we surveyed all of the coaches in Southwest Idaho’s 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A conferences, asking them for the teams to beat and players to watch.
Here’s what they had to say.
TEAMS TO WATCH
MCCALL-DONNELLY: Led by Lewis-Clark State commit Sam Penny, a senior shooting guard, the Vandals are favored to win the 4A Snake River Valley, receiving four of a possible six first-place votes in the preseason coaches’ poll. Penny averaged 21.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game last season on his way to SRV Player of the Year and second team All-Idaho honors. Fellow senior starters Michael Foster (10.8 ppg, 8 rebounds) and Maddox Arnold (3.3 ppg, 2.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists) add experience to McCall-Donnelly’s lineup as the Vandals aim for a third district championship in the past four seasons.
HOMEDALE: The Trojans have played in the district title game four times in five seasons, winning in 2020 and 2023. While Homedale lost to McCall-Donnelly in last year’s district championship, the Trojans turned the tables by eliminating the Vandals from the state tournament. Seven players are back from that team, including four starters, led by senior guard Luke Henry (second team all-conference) and senior post McCoy Swallow (honorable mention). All but two of the Trojans’ varsity players also play football, which advanced to the 4A title game, meaning Homedale may start slow as the team transitions from one sport to another.
AMBROSE: The reigning 2A state champions haven’t lost any respect with the move to the 3A WIC, where they were tabbed the favorite in a preseason poll of the league’s coaches. Three returning starters in senior point guard Lincoln Mathis (10 ppg, 7 rebounds), senior shooting guard Tristen Trevino (10 ppg) and junior power forward Mark Yenor (5 rebounds) will form the backbone of the Archers’ roster. First-year coach Jordan Whittenburg says Ambrose won’t abandon its defensive identity, as the Archers are known for a pressure-cooker D that thrives on turnovers.
LIBERTY CHARTER: Having won three straight district championships and gone unbeaten in league play the past two years, the Patriots received top billing in the 2A WIC despite the return of just one starter from last year’s state-qualifying team. Senior guard/wing Stephen Roskum is Liberty Charter’s top returning scorer at 7 points per game, but the Patriots will need to find more weapons after graduating 85% of their scoring from a year ago. Senior wing Aidyn Camarillo, freshman point guard Tyden Blacker and senior guard Owen Henrickson should pick up some of that slack, coach Seth Stallcop said.
GARDEN VALLEY: The Wolverines have consistently finished at the top of the league standings, having won four district championships in six seasons. Garden Valley edged rival Cascade by two points for the top spot in a preseason poll of 1A Long Pin coaches, and it will benefit from the return of three starters from a team that lost in the third-place game at state last season. The trio of guards Madix Miller (11.1 ppg), Maxon Yearsley (10.5 ppg) and Trevor Corn headline the Wolverines’ aggressive full-court press, and all three were all-conference honorees last season.
TEAM CAPSULES
Teams are listed in order of their predicted finish from the preseason coaches’ polls.
4A SRV
1. MCCALL-DONNELLY
Last season: 19-3, 10-0 3A SRV
Coach: Jason Tinney, 13th season
Players to watch: Sam Penny, sr., SG; Michael Foster, sr., PF; Maddox Arnold, sr., PG; Sam Scott, jr., SG
2. HOMEDALE
Last season: 10-15, 7-3 3A SRV
Coach: Cam Long, sixth season
Players to watch: Luke Henry, sr., G; Alex Sotelo, sr., PG; Angel Contreras, sr., G; McCoy Swallow, sr., P
3. COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN
Last season: 25-3, 14-0 2A WIC
Coach: Leif Karlberg, first season
Players to watch: Isaiah Holsinger, jr., PG; Adam Ashmead, sr., SG; Kaden Krogh, jr., F
4. WEISER
Last season: 14-9, 6-4 3A SRV
Coach: Ron Shirts, second season
Players to watch: Kolin Cook, sr., G; Josh Mizar, sr., G/F; Isai Herrera, sr., P
5. FRUITLAND
Last season: 9-16, 4-6 3A SRV
Coach: Darren Van Hofwegen, second season
Players to watch: Titus Vidlak, so., G; Zeke Van Hofwegen, jr., G; Konnor Clarich, jr., P
6. PAYETTE
Last season: 1-21, 0-9 3A SRV
Coach: Chris Schultz, first season
Players to watch: Michael Ocampo, jr., G/W; Nathan Cisneros, sr., G/W; Josh Rodriguez, sr., SG; Dusk Brooks, sr., G
3A WIC
1. AMBROSE
Last season: 21-6, 10-4 2A WIC
Coach: Jordan Whittenburg, first season
Players to watch: Lincoln Mathis, sr., PG; Tristen Trevino, sr., SG; Mark Yenor, jr., PF; Zane Gammon, so., G
T-2. MELBA
Last season: 15-10, 9-5 2A WIC
Coach: David Lenz, first season
Players to watch: Rylan Frank, sr., PG; Carsten Volkers, sr., F; Wyatt Hansen, sr., G
T-2. NAMPA CHRISTIAN
Last season: 17-8, 8-6 2A WIC
Coach: Matthew Gregory, fourth season
Did not respond to the Statesman’s preseason survey.
4. MARSING
Last season: 9-14, 3-11 2A WIC
Coach: Lamon Loucks, first season
Players to watch: Teagan Kinney, sr., G; Jace Chadez, sr., G; Juan Ponce, jr., G
5. NEW PLYMOUTH
Last season: 17-7, 9-5 2A WIC
Did not respond to the Statesman’s preseason survey.
6. PARMA
Last season: 7-15, 2-7 3A SRV
Coach: Tanner Kramer, second season
Players to watch: Nathan Compas, jr., PG; Trevor Mann, jr., SF; Jeb Hansen, jr., PF
7. VISION CHARTER
Last season: 11-12, 6-4 1A WIC
Coach: Jason George, fourth season
Players to watch: Kamden Stoker, sr., W/PF; Dakota Williams, sr., W/G; Payton Williams, jr., G; Jace Duffel, jr., G
2A WIC
1. LIBERTY CHARTER
Last season: 19-7, 10-0 1A WIC
Coach: Seth Stallcop, 18th season
Players to watch: Stephen Roskum, sr, G/W; Aidyn Camarillo, sr., W; Tyden Blacker, fr., PG; Owen Henrickson, sr., G
2. VICTORY CHARTER
Last season: 20-7, 9-1 1A WIC
Coach: David C. Weaver, third season
Players to watch: Cody Luce, sr., G; Jett Wood, sr., G
3. COMPASS CHARTER
Last season: 6-16, 2-12 2A WIC
Coach: Shane Tolman, second season
Players to watch: Kellen Walbuck, sr., G; Mason Bennett, sr., G; Jayden Horn, sr., F; Beau Bristol, sr., C/PF
4. NORTH STAR CHARTER
Last season: 2-20, 1-13 2A WIC
Coach: Kevin Hutchens, first season
Players to watch: Kyle Wheeler, sr., W; Logan Ellis, so., PF/C; Timothy Baros, so., W
5. RIVERSTONE
Last season: 17-8, 7-2 1A WIC
Coach: Nicholas Kitnikone, first season
Players to watch: Amer Sangha, sr., PG; Emerson Bava, jr., PF; Conrad Ness, sr., SF
6. NOTUS
Last season: 13-8, 6-4 1A WIC
Coach: Brad Huter, first season
Players to watch: Luis Vargas, sr., W; Benny Guevara, sr., W; Derrick Huter, jr., G; Caleb Cudaback, jr., W
7. RIMROCK
Last season: 9-14, 5-5 1A WIC
Coach: Wylee Aquiso, second season
Did not respond to the Statesman’s preseason survey.
8. WILDER
Last season: 3-18, 2-8 1A WIC
Coach: Rudy Cortez, first season
Players to watch: Kyevan Gephart, sr., PG; Julian Neri, sr., SG; Brandon Perez, sr., F
9. IDAHO CITY
Last season: 10-11, 5-4 1A WIC
Coach: Al Hansen, third season
Players to watch: Trey Martini, sr., W; Michael Kazmeric, jr., P; Sean Rossett, so., G
10. GEM STATE
Last season: 3-12, 1-9 1A WIC
Coach: Benjamin White, first season
Players to watch: Jakob Evenson, fr., PG; Rowan Hendricks, sr., C; Orion Chavez, sr., PG
11. CENTENNIAL BAPTIST
Last season: 1-18, 0-10 1A WIC
Coach: Brent Mai, seventh season
Players to watch: Cameron Tilzey, sr., G; Karson Sams, so., P; Caleb West, jr., G
1A LONG PIN
1. GARDEN VALLEY
Last season: 22-4, 9-1 1A Long Pin
Coach: Heather Kelly, fourth season
Players to watch: Madix Miller, jr., G; Maxon Yearsley, jr., G; Trevor Corn, sr., G
2. CASCADE
Last season: 19-7, 9-1 1A Long Pin
Coach: Josh Hurley, fourth season
Did not respond to the Statesman’s preseason survey.
3. COUNCIL
Last season: 8-14, 4-6 1A Long Pin
Coach: JC Tucker, second season
Players to watch: Tucker Laine, sr., G; Decker McLinn, sr., G; Garrison Zielinski, jr., PG; Wade Vinning, sr., P
4. TRI-VALLEY
Last season: 7-12, 3-7 1A Long Pin
Coach: Lee Nichols
Did not respond to the Statesman’s preseason survey.
T-5. GREENLEAF
Last season: 5-19, 3-7 1A WIC
Coach: Eric Christianson, fourth season
Players to watch: Not provided
T-5. SALMON RIVER
Last season: 2-18, 0-10 1A Long Pin
Coach: Mike Shepherd, fourth season
Players to watch: Aaron Markley, jr., F; Kingston Pyle, so., F; Blake Shepherd, so., G; Gage Crump, fr., G
7. HORSESHOE BEND
Last season: 13-12, 5-5 1A Long Pin
Coach: Terrik Foote, first season
Players to watch: Trey Bauer, sr., PG; Colby Swan, sr., C; Lukken March, jr., SG
