Iowa's Ryan Kriener playing 'angry' while breaking out in Prime Time League

NORTH LIBERTY — One of the best compliments a basketball player can get is to be difficult or no fun to guard.

Every member of the Iowa men's basketball team can make it difficult on a defender, but through last season and into this summer in the Prime Time League, a few Hawkeyes pointed out Ryan Kriener as a guy who's no fun at all to guard.

His aggressiveness this summer in PTL games isn't really a departure from who Kriener always has been as a player — it's just been on prominent display.

To ask his teammates, Kriener plays angry. He plays with an edge. It's served him well.

'Angry is the word to use,' forward Tyler Cook said. 'Ryan takes it seriously. He works really hard, and so when he gets on the floor, he's giving everything he has. He has the right to be a little angry.

'Ryan is the kind of guy you hate to guard. He's physical without fouling. He's a problem defensively. Nobody wants to have to stay in front of Ryan. That in and of itself is a skill. I think people overlook that a lot.'

Whatever chip Kriener has on his shoulder has roots from his Spirit Lake days, he said. His dad, Rich, was an assistant coach under Dr. David Smith, and Kriener said during his sophomore year, when he was playing at the level of a starter, his dad told him, 'You're going to have to go out there and earn it. People on the team know it's your spot, but play with a chip on your shoulder. Come out with an edge every single game or you'll get beat.'

Having to prove himself in that way set the stage for the demeanor Kriener plays with now.

It's only intensified by the fact that he has to play that way if he's going to find his way onto the floor more this year than last year. Kriener averaged 3.1 points and 2.2 rebounds while playing 8.4 minutes per game in 28 games of action in his freshman season for the Hawkeyes.

'I never want to play back on my heels, I always want to be aggressive and go at people,' Kriener said. 'I think it really helps me all the time because it never ends. You have to come at people all the time. You have to have that edge. It's what sets the tone between different people.

'You have to be ready to go battle.'

The amount of talent at his position specifically has only gotten deeper headed into next season with the addition of freshmen Jack Nunge and Luka Garza.

Cook, Cordell Pemsl, Ahmad Wagner, Dom Uhl and Nicholas Baer all are supportive of each other, despite competing against each other every day, and Wagner said it's lifted the level of play in PTL generally. Games haven't always been the most intense affairs in the past, but there's been more of an edge to them this summer.

'I think everybody is trying to show Coach (Fran McCaffery) what they're capable of and what they've worked on this summer,' Wagner said. '(Kriener) plays hard. He plays smart. He gets what he wants. He's a player that doesn't stop and that's always a good player to have on your team.'

Kriener has never lacked confidence, and both he and his teammates would say so without hesitation.

He reiterated as much when discussing his game's progression this summer. Kriener has averaged 29 points, shot 59.2 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from 3-point range during six games of PTL play — and has stood out as a breakout player in those games.

Confident in that or not, he doesn't expect a change in his style any time soon.

'Since the season ended until now, I feel like my game has grown leaps and bounds,' Kriener said. 'Some other guys are making jumps, but I feel like mine has been a small explosion.

'What it was for me, I was just so internally motivated to play more this year and be a better player this year.'

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