Boys' basketball 2013-14: Teams To Watch

CASCADE: Won their first 23 games last season before falling to MFL/Mar-Mac in a Class 2A substate final. Veteran coach Al Marshall's 2-3 zone defense gives opponents absolute fits. The Cougars led the state with a defensive average of 30.9 points. Haris Takes is a three-year starter and last season's leading scorer. He'll partner with 6-foot-5 sophomore Devin Green and Mitchell Oberbroeckling for an experienced trio offensively. Part of the new River Valley Conference that will provide significantly tougher competition than what it saw in the Tri-Rivers.

CEDAR RAPIDS XAVIER: Saints are dropping down to Class 3A, which will make them a tough out come tournament time. Calvin Winker and Adam McDermott both started as sophomores. Don't forget that 6-foot-8 Iowa football recruit Matt Nelson had Division I basketball offers, too. Second season for head coach Ryan Luehrsmann, a former Hawkeye hoopster.

CLAYTON RIDGE: Coming off a good football season, the Eagles should be plenty good in hoops this winter, too. Three of top five scorers from last season's 18-5 team return. That includes the Connelly brothers: Colten (16 points per game) and Colin (10.3 ppg). Will be a factor in the Upper Iowa Conference.

IOWA CITY WEST: Duh. Any team that has won back-to-back Class 4A state championships and 52 games in a row bears watching. Senior guard Wyatt Lohaus is a Northern Iowa signee who led last year's Trojans in scoring (13.7 points). There is a lot of high-end talent behind him, but it's young (freshmen Devonte Lane and Connor McCaffery), sophomore Tanner Lohaus and junior David DiLeo. Coach Steve Bergman is as good a coach as there is in the state. A three-peat isn't necessarily out of the question.

KEOTA: Another school that is perennially strong. Eagles went 18-5 last season and bring back four of five starters. That includes leading scorer and rebounder Luke Lyle (15.3 points per game, 10.2 rebounds per game). Kolton Greiner (13.3 ppg) and Nate Owen (11.8) also averaged double figures in points.

NORTH CEDAR: How about North Cedar-Cascade in a season opener Tuesday night? Nice. Knights were 21-4 last season and return four of five starters. Jayden Johnson averaged 12.5 points and 5.5 rebounds last season, Jacob Hay 10.6 ppg. Veteran coach Scott Jackson always has his boys in a position to battle for a state tournament berth. This season will be no exception.

PREDICTED CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS:

Mississippi Valley (Mississippi): Iowa City West

Mississippi Valley (Valley): Linn-Mar

Wamac: Western Dubuque

River Valley (North): North Cedar

River Valley (South): West Liberty

Tri-Rivers (East): Easton Valley

Tri-Rivers (West): Springville

Northeast Iowa: Waverly-Shell Rock

South Iowa Cedar: Keota

Upper Iowa: Clayton Ridge