At the Iowa high school girls basketball state tournament, experience means a lot.
But just because juniors and seniors often steal the show, that doesn’t mean the underclassmen will go unseen during the action at the Casey’s Center. Here are 10 freshmen and sophomores to keep an eye on during the 2026 IGHSAU state basketball tournament, which runs March 2-7.
Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Ali Aguirre, Fr., Ankeny
The Hawks find a lot of success when Aguirre is playing her best basketball. In her first season at the high school level, she averages 9.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
Braylyn Birmingham, So., Norwalk
Birmingham stood out during her freshman season, and she’s taken her game to a whole new level as a sophomore. She averages 30.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals and one block per game.
Kelli Kalb, So., Johnston
Last season, Kalb played a major role in Johnston’s success at the state tournament. She upped her game this year, contributing 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one steal per game as the Dragons enter the tournament with a still-unblemished record.
Addie McLaughlin, So., Regina
Even as a sophomore, McLaughlin is easily one of the most impactful players on Regina’s roster. She leads the team with 22.4 points, 6.3 assists and 4.9 steals per game, and she contributes 6.2 rebounds, as well.
Ella Otten, So., Bishop Heelan
Despite two high-scoring upperclassmen in the lineup, Otten carved out a spot for herself. She is the third-leading scorer on the team, averaging 14.3 points per game, plus 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and two steals.
Adrienne Sears, Fr., Dowling
There is a lot of talent on the Maroons’ roster, but Sears earned a spot for herself in the starting lineup. She is Dowling’s third leading scorer, averaging 7.3 points per game while shooting over 40% both overall and from 3-point range. She adds 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, as well.
Ellie Sievers, So., Newell-Fonda
In just her second year of high school basketball, Sievers is the leading lady on this Mustangs squad. She averages 15.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.2 assists per game.
Ava Smid, So., Dallas Center-Grimes
On a team loaded with talented juniors – and a couple of seniors – Smid earned a spot in the starting lineup. She averages 12.1 points per game while shooting over 58% overall and from 3-point range. She leads the team in rebounds (6.9), steals (3.5) and assists (3.4) per game.
Emily Tanny, Fr., Wahlert Catholic
It’s not often that a state tournament team is led in scoring by a freshman, but that’s exactly the case with Wahlert Catholic. Tanny leads the Golden Eagles with 20.2 points pergame, on top of her contributions of 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.2 blocks.
Savanna Wright, So., Mount Vernon
There are several talented youngsters on this squad, but Wright sits at the top of the statistics right now. She averages a team-high 17.8 points per game, while adding 4.4 rebounds, 3.2 steals and 2.5 assists.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 10 standout underclassmen to watch at Iowa girls basketball state tournament
Reporting by Alyssa Hertel, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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