All-NICL West girls basketball: Hames named Outstanding Player; Lindeman top coach

AGWSR senior Alyssa Hames earned the NICL West’s Outstanding Player award in the recently released All-NICL West girls basketball teams.

Hames averaged 18.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in West play this season. She passed the 1,000 points mark for her career this season and ended the year as the Cougars’ all-time rebounding leader.

Joining Hames as unanimous first-teamers are Grundy Center juniors Lainy Thoren and Bailey Reding, AGWSR senior MaKenna Kuper, BCLUW juniors Allison Engle and Chloe Walters and Gladbrook-Reinbeck junior Katie Clark.

Thoren, who played in eight division games this season, averaged a division-leading 10 rebounds per game to go with 18.3 points, 3 assists in those eight contests. Reding averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists.

Kuper led the West with 4.9 assists per game, adding 8.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3 steals per game.

Walters averaged 14.9 points and 7.1 rebounds in West division play for the Comets; Engle averaged 13.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.3 steals.

Clark scored 9.7 points and grabbed 8.4 rebounds against West foes.

Area second teamers include Grundy Center junior Paiton Wallis, AGWSR junior Grace Finger, BCLUW senior Betula Messerly and Gladbrook-Reinbeck senior Saari Kuehl.

AGWSR’s Brynn Smith, BCLUW’s Lizzie Garber, Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s Megan Cooley and Grundy Center’s Dahlia Gardiner were awarded honorable mention.

Grundy Center head coach Matt Lindeman was named the West’s Coach of the Year. The Spartans, state qualifiers in Class 2A, went 10-0 against the NICL West this season and secured their third conference title in the last four seasons.

2020-21 All-NICL West Girls Basketball Team

Standings

Grundy Center 10-0

AGWSR 8-2

BCLUW 5-5

Gladbrook-Reinbeck 5-5

South Hardin 2-8

East Marshall 0-10

Outstanding Player

Alyssa Hames, AGWSR, sr.

Coach of the Year

Matt Lindeman, Grundy Center

First team

(* unanimous selection)

Lainy Thoren, Grundy Center, jr.

Bailey Reding, Grundy Center, jr.

Alyssa Hames, AGWSR, sr.

MaKenna Kuper, AGWSR, sr.

Allison Engle, BCLUW, jr.

Chloe Walters, BCLUW, jr.

Katie Clark, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, jr.

Second team

Paiton Wallis, Grundy Center, jr.

Grace Finger, AGWSR, jr.

Betula Messerly, BCLUW, sr.

Saari Kuehl, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, sr.

Emma Spieker, South Hardin, sr.

Delaney Runner, East Marshall, soph.

Morgan Neuroth, East Marshall, fr.

Honorable mention

Brynn Smith, AGWSR, soph.; Lizzie Garber, BCLUW, sr.; Ellie Hull, East Marshall, jr.; Megan Cooley, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, soph.; Dahlia Gardiner, Grundy Center, jr.; Cora Frohwein, South Hardin, sr.