Boys’ basketball notebook: MFL MarMac’s Eric Dettbarn picks up 400th victory

CEDAR RAPIDS — He still remembers his first win. It was a beauty.

Let Eric Dettbarn tell you about it.

'We were 0-44, hadn't won a game the previous two years,' the MFL MarMac head coach said. 'We beat Garnavillo, and the reaction was like we were going to the state tournament. The place went nuts.'

That was 29 years ago, and Dettbarn has won a few more games since then. He celebrated his 400th victory last week.

It has been a successful career, by any measurement.

'Kind of hard to describe,' said Dettbarn, who has a 401-258 career record. 'It just means I've been doing this a long period of time. I have had a lot of great assistant coaches and players along the way.'

Raef LaFrentz, of course, being the most notable. He went on to star at the University of Kansas and enjoyed a long career in the NBA.

This MFL MM team was 10-3 going into its game Thursday night against Postville. It had won nine of its last 10 games.

Success was expected, with all five starters from a year ago back. Point guard and leading scorer Tristen Kautman missed the back half of last season with a knee injury but is no worse for wear, leading the Bulldogs with a 22.1 scoring average.

Shooting guard Ty Hefner missed MFL's first game this season with a knee injury but has returned. Center Cade Kuenster (6-foot-6) is second on the team in scoring (13.8) and leads in rebounds (8.2 per game).

Forward Bryar Ruff and guard Mason Hertrampf are the other experienced hands.

'The kids are coming along and starting to believe,' Dettbarn said. 'The big thing for us is the defensive end of the floor.'

The Iowa High School Athletic Association certainly did MFL MarMac zero favors when it comes to the postseason. The Bulldogs are in a district with ranked teams from Dyersville Beckman and Cascade.

The corresponding district includes high-quality clubs from Dike-New Hartford, Jesup and Aplington-Parkersburg.

'When I first saw it, I got a sick feeling in my stomach,' Dettbarn said. 'I know it'll be a bear to get through, but I believe in my kids.'

AROUND THE HOOP

• Lone Tree's Tom Squiers recently recorded his 400th-career victory as well. His son, Jovonte, recently surpassed the 1,000-point mark for his four-year varsity career.

• Cedar Rapids Jefferson will be honoring its 1967 state championship team in a ceremony between the girls' and boys' games against Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Friday. The school will have a meet-and-greet with four players from that team at the school cafeteria from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m.

• Postseason pods for Class 3A and 4A will released by the IHSAA on Friday. Pods for 1A and 2A were released last week. Coaches in each district/substate will gather for meetings Wednesday, Feb. 1 (1A-2A) and Feb. 8 (3A-4A) to determine seedings.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com