Three players earn first team selections, four players land on second-team list
By Mark Schafer | The News-Review
Another winter in the South Iowa Cedar League proved to be a success for all three area teams.
All three teams that play in the league were able to finish with a winning record. On top of that, a total of seven players were named to either the first or second team All-Conference list.
On the first-team All-Conference list there were two Sigourney players named as seniors John Berg and Solon Yates were both honored. Keota senior Chase Haifley was also named to the first-team All-Conference list.
Making the second team All-Conference list was Keota senior Jackson Vittetoe. English Valleys juniors Everett Bender and Kane Axmear were also on the second-team All-Conference list. Sigourney senior Brayden Wood was also a second-team All-Conference member.
Throughout the season the Sigourney boys basketball team was one of the best in the SICL and the area. They finished the year with an 18-5 overall record, as their season was disrupted by a district semifinal game against Montezuma.
In his senior year Berg was, simply put, a menace on the floor. Not only did he lead his team with 323 points scored this winter, he had the sixth-most points scored in all of the SICL. Berg seemed to be unable to miss this year as he shot 65 percent from the field. Amazingly, Berg was perfect in his three point shooting this year, not missing a single three pointer (he also only attempted one). Berg made 32 of his 47 free throws to finish the season with a free throw percentage of 68.
Berg was the conference leader in rebounds this season with 211. He didn’t favor one side of the glass either. The senior had 104 offensive rebounds and 107 rebounds on defense. He would add 37 blocks, 36 steals and six assists to his totals this year.
The second part of the first-team All-Conference selections for the Savages was senior Solon Yates. Once again, Yates proved to be an all-around player for the Savages. He finished the season with 297 total points. Overall he shot 42 percent from the field. Known as a long-range shooter, Yates proved that again this year. He made 42 percent of the threes he took. At the free throw line he made five of his nine attempts.
Yates was able to do much more than shoot the ball. He also had 66 rebounds, 31 assists, 21 steals and 16 blocks this season.
As the season went on Chase Haifley, the senior for Keota, seemed to just continue to get better and better.
Overall, Haifley would finish with 333 total points, leading his team, and finishing with the fifth-most points scored in conference play. Haifley finished the season shooting 36 percent from the floor. He made 50 three pointers this year. From the free throw line Haifley made 27 o his 41 attempts, to finish with a free throw percentage of 66.
Haifley was a solid, all-around player for the Eagles. He had 118 rebounds with 87 of those coming on the defensive end. Overall, he had 109 assists, which was the second-most in conference play, 57 steals, 23 total blocks.
After a breakout season as a sophomore, English Valleys junior Everett Bender seemed to have an even better junior campaign. Bender was able to lead his team in points this year with 306. He shot 45 percent from the floor and was able to knock down 50 of his 75 free throws to finish the year with a free throw percentage of 68 percent.
Bender was an all-around player for the Bears. He led his team with 66 assists. He had 34 steals, 20 blocks and 106 total rebounds with 72 of those coming on the defensive side of the glass.
Another junior second-teamer for the Bears was Kane Axmear. Axmear was able to score 242 total points this season. He was also a leader on his team with 132 total rebounds, that included 76 rebounds on the defensive end of the floor and 56 on offense.
Throughout the winter Axmear was able to add 28 assists, 18 steals and nine blocks, which all helped the Bears finish with double-digit wins for the first time since the 2021-2022 basketball season.
Jackson Vittetoe finished his senior season for the Eagles as a part of the second-team All-Conference list. The senior wrapped up the year with 294 total points. Vittetoe was able to shoot 49 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three point line.
The senior had 156 rebounds with 113 of those coming on the defensive side of the board. He had 107 assists, 36 steals and 22 total blocks.
Sigourney senior Brayden Wood was named to the second team All-Conference list. In his senior year Wood finished with 242 total points scored. Wood was a threat to score from anywhere on the floor. He shot 48 percent from the field and made 20 of his 65 attempted three pointers. Overall he shot 77 percent from the free throw line this year.
Wood also was an all-around player. He finished with 105 rebounds, 66 assists, 25 steals and nine total blocks.
Making the honorable mention list for English Valleys were Ben Axmear and Christian Tripses.
As a junior, Ben Axmear finished with 154 points. He had 157 rebounds, to lead his team. He also had 41 assists, 37 steals and 27 blocks.
Tripses had a successful sophomore year. Overall he scored 225 points, with 92 assists, 71 rebounds, 40 steals and a block.
Keota named two players to the honorable mention list as well. For the Eagles Porter Cave and Ayden Galindo were both honorable mention selections.
Cave was able to score 239 total points this year. HGe had 49 rebounds, 42 assists and 47 steals.
Galindo finished the season with 193 points scored. He had a team-leading 187 rebounds. He also added 24 assists, 24 steals and 12 blocks.
For Sigourney they had two players make the honorable mention list. Ike Molyneux and Landon Conrad.
Molyneux finished his junior season with 172 total points. He added 107 assists, 62 rebounds, 47 steals and two blocks.
Conrad finished the year with 93 points. He had 68 rebounds, 61 assists, 30 steals and four blocks.
Photos by Mark Schafer
