This year’s Cowboy basketball team finished with an 8-15 overall record, with a 3-11 conference mark to tie them for sixth place. Clear Lake won the league title at 13-1, followed by Algona at 12-2 and Iowa Falls-Alden at 9-5. Connor State was honored with a Third Team spot on the All-NCC Teams.
As a team, the Cowboys scored 1,317 points overall for an average of 57.3 ppg. They made 512 out of 1,253 field goals for 40.9 percent, 130 out of 494 three-pointers for 26.3 percent and 163 out of 269 free throws for 60.6 percent.
State scored 319 points on 134 of 225 shots from the field for an average of 13.9 ppg. Coady Olson scored 273 points on 98 of 262 shots for an average of 11.9 ppg. Mateo Martinez scored 246 points on 96 of 270 shots for an average of 11.7 ppg. Christian Gaytan scored 202 points on 73 of 171 shots for an average of 9.6 ppg. Jaxon Carpenter scored 151 points on 59 of 156 from the field for an average of 6.6 ppg.
Aiden Harrington scored 30 points on 12 of 51 shots for an average of 1.3 ppg. Cael Chase scored 24 points on 12 of 27 shots for an average of 1.1 ppg. Kaden Bricker scored 20 points on eight of 26 shots for an average of 1.0 ppg. Gavin Wilson scored 15 points on four of 17 shots for an average of 0.8 ppg. Nevan Foss scored 15 points on seven of 18 shots for an average of 1.7 ppg.
Devin Morales scored 10 points on four of 13 shots for an average of 1.0 ppg. Tyson Berning scored six points on two of seven shots for an average of 0.5 ppg. Landon Olson scored four points on two of six shots for an average of 0.3 ppg. Jacob Moore scored two points on one of one for an average of 0.7 ppg.
Ranked by field goal percentage, regardless of minutes played or points scored, the order would be: Moore 100.0 percent; State 59.6 percent; Chase 44.4 percent; Gaytan 42.7 percent; Foss 38.9 percent; Carpenter 37.8 percent; C. Olson 37.4 percent; Martinez 35.6 percent; L. Olson 33.3 percent; Bricker 30.8 percent; Morales 30.8 percent; Berning 28.6 percent; Harrington 23.5 percent and Wilson 23.5 percent.
C. Olson made 54 of 182 three-pointers, with Gaytan 29 of 90, Martinez 22 of 103 and Carpenter 20 of 86. Ranked by three-point percentage, regardless of minutes played or points scored, the order would be: Berning 40.0 percent; Gaytan 32.2 percent; C. Olson 29.7 percent; Wilson 25.0 percent; Carpenter 23.3 percent; Martinez 21.4 percent and Morales 20.0 percent.
State made 51 of 77 free throws, followed by Martinez at 32 of 51, Gaytan at 27 of 38, C. Olson at 23 of 35 and Carpenter at 13 of 21. Ranked by free throw percentage, regardless of minutes played or points scored, the order would be: Gaytan 71.1 percent; State 66.2 percent; C. Olson 65.7 percent; Martinez 62.7 percent; Carpenter 61.9 percent; Wilson 55.6 percent; Morales 50.0 percent; Bricker 40.0 percent; Harrington 33.3 percent and Foss 25.0 percent.
The team totaled 615 rebounds, with 411 of those on defense and 204 off the offensive glass. Total rebounds order is: State 147; Gaytan 109; Harrington 75; Carpenter 69; C. Olson 60; Martinez 55; Bricker 27; Chase 25; Foss 20; Wilson 15; Berning five; L. Olson four; Morales three and Alex Carrillo one. Ranked by defensive rebounds only, the order would be: State 93; Gaytan 91; Harrington 43; Carpenter 43; Martinez 39; Chase 17; Bricker 12; Foss 12; Wilson 10; Berning four; L. Olson three and Morales one. Ranked by offensive rebounds only, the order would be: State 54; Harrington 32; Carpenter 26; Gaytan 18; C. Olson 17; Martinez 16; Bricker 15; Chase eight; Foss eight; Morales two and Berning, L. Olson and Carrillo all at one each.
The team finished with 304 total assists, 201 total steals and 75 total blocked shots. The top 14 in assists were: Carpenter 101, Gaytan 63, State 40, C. Olson 34, Martinez 32, Chase eight, Wilson five, Morales three, Bricker and Carrillo two each and Foss, Berning and L. Olson all at one each.
The top 13 in steals were: Carpenter 46, Gaytan 31, Martinez 30, State 27, Harrington 22, C. Olson 22, Foss six, Wilson and Morales four each, Chase and L. Olson three each, Bricker two and Jacob Moore one.
The top ten in blocked shots were: State with 45, Gaytan with eight, Carpenter with seven, Martinez with five, C. Olson with three, Bricker and Chase with two each and Harrington, Foss and Berning all with one each.
In team rankings for NCC games only, the Cowboys were fifth in scoring offense at 56.5 ppg and eighth in scoring defense at 67.0 ppg. They were fifth in field goal shooting at 39.9 percent, eighth in three-point shooting at 26.6 percent and fifth in free throw shooting at 62.5 percent.
Coady Olson was seventh in the league in scoring at 187 points and a 13.4 ppg average. Right behind him was State in eighth at 185 points and a 13.2 ppg average. Martinez was 12th at 147 and an 11.3 ppg average and Gaytan tied for 23rd at 121 and an 8.64 average. Sharar of IF-A led with 323 points and a 23.1 ppg average. State was fifth in field goals at 77 made for 56.6 percent. Formanek of Clear Lake was first with 94 made for 68.1 percent. C. Olson was 14th in 3-pointers with 38 for 34.2 percent. Weaver of IF-A led the way at 15 of 29 for 51.7 percent. Gaytan was 12th in free throws with 19 made for 73.1 percent. Martinez was 15th with 20 for 69 percent, C. Olson 17th with 19 for 67.9 percent and State 22nd with 31 for 63.3 percent. Schaeffer of St. Edmond led the league at 25 of 27 for 92.6 percent.
State was eighth in rebounding at 83 for a 5.9 average, with Gaytan 19th at 63 for a 4.5 average. Top rebounder was DeVries of Clear Lake at 151 for a 10.8 average. Carpenter was third in assists at 62 for a 4.43 average, with Gaytan tied for 13th at 37 and a 2.64 average and State tied for 24th at 23 and a 1.6 average. DeVries led that category as well with 76 for a 5.4 average. Carpenter tied for eighth in steals at 24 for a 1.71 average, with Martinez 16th at 18 and a 1.38 average. Sharar led at 34 for a 2.4 average. State tied for second in blocked shots at 24 for a 1.7 average. Carpenter was tied for 10th at seven for a 0.5 average and Gaytan tied for 21st at three for a 0.21 average. Formanek led at 28 for a 2.0 average.
