Junior forward Drew Eilers (33) of Gladbrook-Reinbeck has been selected to the All-State team by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association. Eilers helped lead the Rebels to the boys state basketball tournament in Class 1A. SUN COURIER FILE PHOTO

DES MOINES — Following the Gladbrook-Reinbeck boys’ basketball team’s return to the state tournament this season, junior forward Drew Eilers was named to the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association’s All-State boys basketball team in a vote of statewide media and coaches.

Eilers represented the Rebels on the Class 1A third team as G-R’s first all-stater since, well, last winter. William Kiburis, who led the Rebels to last year’s state tournament, was a three-time IPSWA selection.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck, the co-runner-up in the NICL West, leaned on its pair of posts throughout the season in Eilers and Michael Boyd. Eilers, a 6-3 forward, was the Rebels’ second-leading scorer at 12.3 points per game (Boyd 14.0) and the team’s leading rebounder at 10.3 rebounds per outing. He ranked 25th in 1A in rebounding average, and pulled down 15 boards in G-R’s first-round loss to eventual runner-up Bellevue Marquette in the state quarterfinals.

Eilers shot a whopping 65.4 percent from the field this season, averaged 3.1 offensive rebounds per game, and helped Gladbrook-Reinbeck to a 21-6 overall record.

Jesse Van Kalsbeek of MOC-Floyd Valley was named Mr. Iowa Basketball 2024 by the IPSWA committee. A 6-foot shooting guard who is headed to NAIA power Northwestern College in Orange City, Van Kalsbeek had 31 points in MOC-Floyd Valley’s 76-66 semifinal loss to Waverly-Shell Rock at this year’s state tournament.

In his senior season, Van Kalsbeek averaged 26 points per game (ranked second in 3A) despite missing six games with a broken hand. He ended his career with 1,376 points, 517 rebounds, 158 assists, 117 steals and 46 blocks.

The Iowa Print Sports Writers Association was founded in February 2018 to carry on the tradition of newspapers selecting all-state teams for Iowa high school sports.

Iowa Print Sports Writers Association All-State Boys Basketball Teams

CLASS 1A

FIRST TEAM

Ty Pflughaupt, North Linn, sr.; Toryn Severson, Madrid, jr.; Luke Hellige, Holy Trinity, jr.; Lance Helmin, Lake Mills, sr.; Lance McShane, Maquoketa Valley, sr.; Cam Buffington, Winfield-Mount Union, sr.; Mason Becher, North Linn, jr.; Collin Homan, Remsen-St. Marys, jr.

SECOND TEAM

Spencer Roeder, Bellevue Marquette, jr.; Sawyer Stout, Keota, sr.; Drew Wagner, Waterloo Christian, sr.; Jordan Cota, Kee, jr.; Carter Gruver, Woodbine, jr.; Derek Paulsen, South O’Brien, jr.; Dylan Marquart, Dunkerton, jr.; Aiden Stensma, Lake Mills, jr.

THIRD TEAM

Caleb Haack, Iowa Valley, jr.; Klayton Van Dyke, Lynnville-Sully, sr.; Kyan Jones, North Union, sr.; Cal Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, so.; Grady Jeppesen, Riverside, sr.; Brady Boulton, Montezuma, so.; Drew Eilers, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, jr.; Treyton Travis, Baxter, sr.