Millikin captains array of talent

The All-Union teams and the All-Golden Triangle News Service teams before that have always been selected with much thought and debate by the sports staff.

Before arriving at Brady Millikin as captain of the 2021 All-Union small school boys basketball team, four candidates were considered.

Of course statistics are a large part of the input when choosing players to represent the All-Union teams. Statistics alone cannot determine the best players. Even the term best is subjective. Many considerations go into determining its meaning. What is a team's overall record or how did a team perform at critical junctures in the season. The team advancing farther in the postseason most likely has some of the best players and coach and even some of the best reserves and managers, maybe even the best fan support.

Choosing a captain for the team tends to be an easier choice than the last one or two spots. This season, it was all tough. Tough enough that a 20-point average wasn't considered, and players with nine-rebound and 17-point averages did not make the team.

There were four candidates for captain, that was quickly reduced to three, then the final two was an extended discussion, which had to take into account many things. Even though one player's statistics seemed better, a team leader is not a statistic. It is most likely a senior, someone who performs well under pressure and values possessions.

Millikan has the gaudy stats, but also an immeasurable intangible developed as a three-year starter on three consecutive Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division championships.

Coach

Bryant Porter, New London

New London had a young core in 2020-21, but the Tigers didn't look young on the court. New London had one of its best seasons in recent memory, going 19-5 overall and 14-2 to win in the Southeast Iowa Super Conference South Division.

Porter's squad won the South by a game, besting West Burlington's 13-3 record. This all despite having a pair of sophomores for leading scorers and just one senior on the team.

The Tigers entered the SEISC Shootout championship against North champion Pekin and put together one of their best performances of the year, beating the Panthers on their own home court, 71-54.

In the postseason, New London survived an early scare from Lisbon, beating the Lions 44-40. They knocked off rival Notre Dame its home court and state-ranked Springville on a netral site before falling to Easton Valley in the substate final.

Captain

Brady Millikin, senior, Pekin

Millikin is a proven winner who did whatever was necessary of him to ensure that his team was in the win column. Score, pass, rebound, defend, cheer, cajole, take care of the ball, whatever it took, he did what was needed.

Some particular stats swayed the choice for captain. Millikin had zero turnovers in a postseason game, one in a second postseason game. Only three players in the state of the 50 with at least 4.8 average assists had less turnovers per game than Millikin's 1.6 average. Millikin's average of nearly six assists a game was in the top 15 in the state regardless of class and third in Class 2A.

Millikin was selected for All-State recognition, only the third in Pekin history to achieve all-state, joining Jordan Sathoff from 2007-08 and Trey Sathoff in 2010-11.

A 15 points per game scoring average, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 steals, a field goal percentage of 47 and a free throw percentage of 82 were all impressive. As was the unquestioned leader, main playmaker and catalyst among a five senior starters that all averaged over 8.0 points a game, Millikin had the Panthers ranked in the Top 10 in 2A for a majority of the season. He nearly had a quadruple-double (12 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, six steals) in a January game without playing in the fourth quarter. He often guarded the opponent's best perimeter player and always drew the best defender.

Pekin was 17-3 this season, 19-5 last year when Millikin's averages were 13.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.2 steals, 2.2 turnovers, 44 percent on threes and 77 percent at the line. His sophomore year was 15-4 with averages of 10 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1.7 steals, 1.8 turnovers, 39 percent on threes and 76 percent on free throws.

Blaise Porter, sophomore, New London

One of the best underclassmen in the state of Iowa, Porter proved that and more with a fantastic 2020-21 campaign.

Porter scored 22.4 points per game, which was ninth in Class 1A and tops among underclassmens. He added 4.9 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals, which helped him land on the Class 1A All-State Second Team.

Porter scored 16 or more points in all four of New London's postseason games, including 25 points in the win against Springville. In that game, New London led by double digits in the fourth quarter. Porter scored six points in the final minute and 10 seconds of overtime, as well as the game-winning steal to close out a 3-point win.

Carter Harmsen, junior, Mid-Prairie

Harmsen played in one of the state's toughest Class 2A leagues and was an unanimous pick for the River Valley Conference Elite Team.

Harmsen‘s scoring average of 18.3 points a game was 20th in 2A. He shot 45 percent from the field and averaged 7.1 rebounds per game. The forward doled out 2.5 assists and averaged a blocked shot and 1.1 steals a game. His free throw percentage of 75 was second in the RVC South while his average free throws attempted was fourth and average made was third. Harmsen was second in points scored in the RVC South, defensive rebounds, field goals made, rebounds, field goal attempts, field goals made and he was third in both free throws attempted and made, fifth in offensive rebounds and 3-pointers made.

He set the school's single game scoring record with 36 against Williamsburg. He had 32 in a 67-55 postseason loss to Camanche. Mid-Prairie Coach Daren Lambert said, 'I've never seen a high school kid work so hard to get his points.”

Harmsen helped Mid-Prairie to a second-place finish in the South, the best finish since the first year in the RVC was a tie for second with West Liberty (both were 9-9) in 2014 when the Hawks were 11-12 overall. A 15-8 overall record and 14-5 league mark were the best since 17-7 and 10-4 (Cedar Valley Conference) record in 2011.

Luke Hammen, senior, Keota

Hammen was part of a high-scoring tandem for the Eagles with Carson Sprouse. Hammen poured in an average of 17 points a game, making 49.7 percent of his shots while Sprouse made 46.3 percent to average 16 points a game.

Keota was ranked as high as seventh in Class 1A and finished with a record of 20-3 and the South Iowa Cedar League East Division title. Keota's only league loss was at 1A state champion Montezuma. A postseason neutral court gave Keota another chance at the Braves, but Montezuma prevailed 53-51, the closest playoff game the champs had.

Hammen made 46.2 percent of his 3-pointers, a percentage that was third in Class 1A of those with 125 attempts. Hammen was also good for 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals.

Eli Ours, senior, Hillcrest

As the No. 4 career scorer at a school well known for basketball in Iowa Mennonite School/Hillcrest Academy, Ours was an original candidate for captain.

Ours has 1,187 points in his career, accumulating them at a rate of 16.4 per game this season. He was a 45.3 percent field goal shooter while averaging three rebounds, four assists, three steals and canning 73 percent of his free throws. Ours is fifth on his school's list of successful 3-pointers in a career with 139. He shot 39.8 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Kade Benjamin, sophomore, New London

New London has a bright future, and one of the biggest reasons is Benjamin as the man in the middle who proved to be a force in Southeast Iowa.

Benjamin scored 17.2 points per game and led the Tigers with 8.6 rebounds per game.

Benjamin was a menace around the rim on defense. The second-year post blocked 3.1 points per game on the season, third best in Class 1A.

The big man didn't just get it done against teams in the smaller class. He dropped 32 points in a road lose at Class 3A foe Mt. Pleasant in early January.

With the vast majority of his teammates coming back next year, including Porter, Benjamin and the Tigers look to be an early favorite to repeat as South Division champions next season.