William Kiburis converts a steal into a breakaway dunk during the second half of the 2023 Class 1A state quarterfinal basketball game at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

A career-best season and a first trip to the state tournament as a player resulted in a unanimous second-straight appearance on the Class 1A Iowa Print Sports Writers Association first team, it was announced Tuesday, March 14. This is the third-straight year the Gladbrook-Reinbeck senior has been honored by the IPSWA, earning a third-team spot as a sophomore in 2021.

Kiburis averaged 26.1 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game in his senior season for G-R, scoring the most points out of any player in the state with 678. His points-per-game average was tied for fifth-best in the state. With 247 total made field goals, he ranked fourth in the state.

His total assists (207) was not just second in Class 1A, but it was tied for third-most in the state. He was also fifth in assists per game. Kiburis made the most free throws in the state at 157 on the third-most attempts at 205, averaging a state-best six made free throws per game.

Adding in 2.8 steals and one block per contest, Kiburis helped to lead the Rebels to the Class 1A state tournament for the first time since 2017 — scoring 27 points in the 56-53 substate final victory over Lynnville-Sully. It came after consecutive losses in the substate finals in the previous two seasons.

G-R lost 57-47 to Remsen St. Mary’s in the quarterfinals of the state tournament but ended the season with a stellar 23-3 record. Kiburis said after the game he is planning on playing college basketball and a number of teams are in contact with him, but he has not made a decision yet on where he will go.

No other area players were honored by the IPSWA. Waukee Northwest’s Pryce Sandfort was named Mr. Basketball.