Boys’ basketball 2025-26: Five teams to watch and conference winner predictions

Here are five boys’ basketball teams from the area to watch this season and predictions on winners in each area conference:

Cedar Rapids Prairie

Hawks lost to Dubuque Senior in Class 4A substate final last season. Coach Todd Kuntz has top two scorers back in guard Austin Joens (11.9 points per game) and wing Will Wehr (11.7 ppg), as well as starters Tae Alexander and David Fason. Junior Cayden Larson is an emerging player who could have a very big season. Probably the best team in the Metro.

Cedar Rapids Xavier

Saints lost on a buzzer beater in last season’s Class 3A state tournament semifinals to MOC/Floyd Valley, finishing 16-10. The rigors of the Mississippi Valley Conference generally means Xavier won’t have a great record at the end of the regular season but definitely will be prepared for the postseason. Head coach Mike Freeman has leading scorer Zander Murray (14.4 ppg) back, as well as starting center A.J. Evans (11.0 ppg, 7.5 rebounds per game), who is a James Madison University signee, Add returning guard Lorenzo Pino to the mix, and this team will be a handful ... eventually.

Decorah

Coach Jonathan Carlson’s team went 22-2 last season but lost an overtime heartbreaker to Xavier in a 3A substate final last season. All-state point guard Zach Driscoll graduated and how the Vikings replace him will be pivotal. Six-foot-10 senior center Cael LaFrentz (29.2 ppg, 12.7 rpg) gives Decorah a returning first-team all-state guy. Forward Noah Milburn (9.7 ppg), guard Peyton Webb and guard-forward Trevor Kuennen have lots of experience and are good multi-sport athletes. With the disintegration of the Northeast Iowa Conference, the Vikings are an independent this season.

Iowa City Regina

Regals went 19-4 last season, losing to Grundy Center in the postseason. There is all kinds of returning players for Coach Paul Rundquist. Junior forward Will Litton led the Regals in scoring a season ago (16.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg), slightly ahead of junior forward Tate Wallace (16.2 ppg). Senior guard Drew Greve (9.8 ppg) was Regina’s third-leading scorer. Considering the elongated football season (Regina lost in the Class 1A state championship game), it could take a bit for this team to really take off. But, then again, perhaps not. Regina is in Class 2A in boys’ basketball.

Union Community

The Knights were a surprise qualifier for the state tournament last season, getting hot in the postseason and make the 2A field. Four of five starters from that 17-10 team are back for head coach Eric Jesse. Three of those guys averaged double figures in scoring: Tate Van Dyke (12.2 ppg), Caden Sorenson (11.3 ppg) and Cameron Mullen (10.8 ppg). This team has a fun-to-watch, up-tempo, 3-point-shooting offense. If Union can find an interior player, it will be a handful in the North Iowa Cedar League, which is just one big conference this season instead of having three divisions.

2025-26 Conference Winner Predictions

Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com