Rock Valley-Rock Conference Preview - Boys Basketball

Below is a boys basketball conference preview. Included in each preview is the previous year standings, review, returning all-conference players, projected standings with writeup, a sleeper team, top players to watch, conference break out candidates.

Edgerton and Turner shared the conference crown a season ago with Evansville coming in a close third behind them, despite a change in coach partway through the year. The trio of teams at the top all fell on regional championship Saturday.

Head Coach: Ben Dunkleberger - 1st year
Lost Contributors: Mason Brown, Brendan Teska
Returners: Karder Tway, 6-1, sr; Matthew Wickersham, 6-3 sr; Nolan Schott, 5-11, soph; Langdon Dobbs, 6-1, sr; Harker Larsen, 6-4, sr; Tyrell Louis, 6-4, jr;
Newcomers/New Contributors: Jake Muench, jr; Colton Brown, jr; Logan Nelson, sr; Charlie Thies, jr;
Breakout Candidate: Tyrell Louis

Outlook: Evansville came one game back of the conference crown despite a shake-up in leadership a season ago. The Blue Devils welcome in first year head coach and former Lake Mills standout Ben Dunkleberger and he’s got a host of returning production back. Karder Tway and Matthew Wickersham are both multi-year varsity performers and each have scored over 900 points before their senior year. Tyrell Louis is a lanky win that has been on varsity as a freshman and Harker Larsen provides muscle on the interior. Sophomore Nolan Schott adds guard depth for a Blue Devils team that is primed to break out in the first year of a new system.

Head Coach: Daryl Fox - 11th year (175 career wins)
Lost Contributors: Drew Coombs, Chuck Johnson, Mitchell Coombs, Benno Backhaus, Pierson Mallory
Returners: Eli Kittleson, 6-0, sr; Vinny Fox, 6-1, sr; Evan Aleson, 6-2, sr; Aiden Grainger, 6-1, sr; Owen Scharlov, 6-2, sr; Darke Springstead, 6-3, sr
Newcomers/New Contributors: Ryan Blaney, 6-3, soph; Tadyum Schafer, 5-10, sr
Breakout Candidate: Vinny Fox

Outlook: Edgerton won its third straight league title as head coach Daryl Fox’s squad will look for a fourth in 2026-27. Vinny Fox was a first team all-conference player and the Defensive Player of the Year in the league, but his playmaking and creating abilities will be relied upon even more here in his senior year. Eli Kittleson was also a first-team all-league selection and paired with Fox give the Crimson Tide a dynamic duo at the top of the roster. Filling in those gaps in the rotation around those two will be paramount, in terms of how long it may take for the cohesion and chemistry to build.

Head Coach: Ken Watkins - 19th year (277 career wins)
Lost Contributors: AJ Dotson, Chris Johnson, Carter Atkinson, James Njoo, Carter Lemmerhirt, Isaiah Lomax, Gunnar Herstad, Teagan Dix, Kayden Tyler,
Returners: Ryker Hollis, 6-0, sr; Hayden Bramble, 6-1, jr; Brenton McAtee, 5-10, jr; Will Erickson, 5-11, sr
Newcomers/New Contributors: Izaiah Carillo-Hall; Westin Kolff, 6-4, soph
Breakout Candidate: Ryker Hollis

Outlook: Turner loses all five starters to graduation as well a handful of other contributors, leaving the Trojans to a bit of a face lift this season. The good news? Ken Watkins remains at the helm. The program has thrived under Watkin’s leadership and he’ll get the best out of the returning and new players within his roster. Ryker Hollis and Hayden Bramble are the two with the most experience back.

Head Coach: Cody Larson - 2nd year (24 career wins)
Lost Contributors: Brady Nowak
Returners: Mason Floberg, 5-10, sr; Cole Williams, 6-1, sr; Justin Larkins, 6-4, sr; Markus Ewers, 5-11, sr; Landyn Williams, 5-11, sr; Carter Gile, 5-5, sr; Spencer Gile, 5-9, soph; Jaxon Beaumont, 5-9, jr; Nolan Miller, 6-2, sr; Kale Conant, 5-5, sr; Omauri DeLeon, 6-3, jr; Devin Maly, 6-0, soph, Ryan Clarke, 5-6, soph
Newcomers/New Contributors: Maddux Liptow, jr
Breakout Candidate: Justin Larkins

Outlook: Clinton won just a single conference game a season ago but in head coach Cody Larson’s second season, he’ll return all but a few contributors. Mason Floberg is one of the better scorers in the league while Justin Larkins is the premiere big man. Cole and Landyn Williams and Markus Ewers are more members of a senior class that grew in their 25 games a season ago and primed to make a splash in 2026-27.

Head Coach: Rick Schoenbeck - 2nd year (9 career wins)
Lost Contributors: Jayden Paul, Jayden Raby, Owen Smith, Rex Auguston, Valleck Channing, Ulises Martinez, Elijah Henninfeld
Returners: Trevor Kooyenga, 6-1, sr; Ryder Goggin, 6-2, soph; Moises Castaneda, 6-1, sr
Newcomers/New Contributors:
Breakout Candidate: Trevor Kooyenga

Outlook: Rick Schoenbeck has the displeasure of having to replace his top three scorers and six of his top seven from last year’s nine-win squad. Trevor Kooyenga will serve as that senior leader on the court while sophomores Ryder Goggin, Luke DeMarco, and Matteo Aguilera will look to step into bigger roles.

Head Coach: Tommy Meier - 8th year (77 career wins)
Lost Contributors: Sam Searls, Nolan Bump, Lucas Keating
Returners: Dylan Ross, 6-0, sr; Braylon Strehlow, 6-0, sr; Landen Malcook, 6-0, sr; Logan Krupke, jr; 6-1, Josiah Blum, 6-2, sr
Newcomers/New Contributors: Landen Kammerer, 6-0, soph; Will Zimmerman, frosh; Archer Yates, frosh; Cullen Risum, frosh
Breakout Candidate: Braylon Strehlow

Outlook: Brodhead returns a mix of experience and youth in Tommy Meier’s eighth season at the helm. Senior Dyla Ross, Braylon Strehlow, and Landen Malcook bring the experience. A handful of freshman may be called upon to provide meaningful varsity minutes in 2026-27 as will sophomore Landen Kammerer who saw varsity time as a freshman a season ago.

Clinton returns nearly the entire roster from a team that did finish last in the league a season ago. That experience could lead the Cougars into upset territory for teams projected ahead of them. Floberg, Larkins and company could very well finish in the top half of the conference standings in 2026-27.

Mason Floberg, sr, Clinton
Floberg is one of the top scorers back in the conference as he averaged 15.9 points per game a season ago. He added 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 3.3 steals per game. Floberg’s instincts and speed set him apart on the court compared to his counterparts.

Vinny Fox, sr, Edgerton
Fox is a great two-player and has been for a few years in the Rock Valley. He averaged 8.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game and was a first team all-league performer as well as being named the league Defensive Player of the Year.

Eli Kittleson, sr, Edgerton
Kittleson was a first team all-league selection after he averaged 11.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. A multi-faceted point guard, he effects the game with his shot creation, passing, and physical nature.

Justin Larkins, sr, Evansville
Larkins is a double-double machine. He averaged 9.8 points and 10.6 rebounds and has a knack for outworking opponents for loose balls. The 6-4 forward earned honorable mention all-league recognition a season ago.

Tyrell Louis, jr, Evansville
Louis adds a third proven scorer on the wing for Evansville playing behind Wickersham and Tway. Longer than both of those, he uses that lank and his skillset to get to the rim. Louis averaged 11.0 points per game and shot over 43% from beyond the arc. He was an honorable mention all-conference selection.

Karder Tway, sr, Evansville
Tway is the steady lead guard for the Blue Devils that can knock shots down at a high rate and does a great job commanding the offense. As a junior he averaged 13.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, earning fist team all-Rock Valley-Rock honors.

Matthew Wickersham, sr, Evansville
Wickersham is a superb athlete that has worked hard at his game on the hardwood over the years. Last year he led the Blue Devils in scoring, averaging 14.5 points while also tallying 7.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Wickersham was a second team all-conference player a season ago.