Players to Watch:
Ben Hagman, Bishop Kelly
Owen Kane, Bishop Kelly
Blake Hansen, Columbia
Max Keller, Columbia
Tucker Brown, Emmett
Tag Griffin, Emmett
Blake Bishop, Middleton
Tye Cornwall, Middleton
Dominick Almaraz, Nampa
Ryland Rush, Nampa
Kaden Salvadori, Skyview
Brady Schelhaas, Skyview
Dominik Betancourt, Vallivue
Zak Hogg, Vallivue
Written by: Lucas Gebhart
MIDDLETON VIKINGS
Head Coach: Josh Downey, 2nd Season
2023-24 Record: 15-11 – Two-and-Out at State
After making last year’s 5A tournament, Middleton drops down a classification and enters the year as a favorite to win the district. The Vikings have length and a few players back from last year’s state tournament team including Blake Bishop and Tye Cornwall, who his coach says is garnering interest from Boise State on the recruiting circuit.
“It means he has PAC-12 level talent,” head coach Josh Downey said of Cornwall. “Our depth has increased which has numerous positive impacts on the teams. The team’s overall basketball IQ, feel for the game and unselfishness is much greater this year.”
Middleton spent the last two seasons in Idaho’s highest classification, finishing with a combined 25-23 record and closed its 4A stint with a state championship back in 2021.
BISHOP KELLY KNIGHTS
Head Coach: Ryan Kerns, 11th Season
2023-24 Record: 20-6 – Third Place Finish in State Tournament
Last year’s regular-season champions lose much of its core, but head coach Ryan Kerns says Bishop Kelly is ready to reload.
The Knights had Idaho’s best scoring defense last season, thanks in part to center Rakeem Johnson. The former BK middle-man and current offensive lineman for Michigan State was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year the last two seasons.
“His presence inside will be hard to replace,” Kerns said.
BK also loses its leading rebounder, Will Green, all-conference forward Mason Suboh-Mueret and point guard Cooper Cammann.
“We have a lot of new faces and some youth, especially on the bench,” Kerns said. “It will be exciting to see guys grow into new roles and take on new challenges.”
Kerns says Owen Kane will be BK’s leader. The all-conference shooting guard is BK’s only returning starter while sophomore Owen Graves takes over at point guard.
VALLIVUE FALCONS
Head Coach: Mario Betancourt, 6th Season
2023-24 Record: 13-12 – Finished 4th in District Tournament
No team in the SIC is deeper than Vallivue,
The Falcons run an up-tempo, athletic, 11-man rotation and could be one of the most dangerous shooting teams in the league.
They play fast, cause havoc on defense and should have multiple scoring threats on offense, including Dominik Betancourt, Zak Hogg and Bryton Kiester.
“We have 11 guys that can flat out play basketball,” head coach Mario Betancourt said.
This depth has Betancourt’s team believing that they can beat anybody in the conference.
“None of them care about who scores so it will be fun seeing an unselfish team play together,” he said. “We need to have multiple scorer’s contribute this year.”
Vallivue’s last trip to the state tournament was in 2022.
SKYVIEW HAWKS
Head Coach: Aaron Sanders, 17th Season
2023-24 Record: 11-12 – Two-and-Out in District Tournament
Skyview adds more balance to its lineup this season, something long-time head coach Aaron Sanders hopes will push the Hawks into state tournament contention.
The Hawks lose their towering forward Cache Beus and guard Tucker Lowber, but returns most of its backcourt while adding new faces to the front-court.
“We were pretty one dimensional last year, we weren’t able to score in a variety of ways so we became predictable,” Sanders said. “This year we should be much more balanced and dynamic.”
Guards Kaden Salvadori, Brady Schelhaas and James Smutny are all back and Sanders says freshman Johnny Mitchell and sophomore Blake Fanizzi will man the post. Freshman Samuel Bower is also expected to be part of the rotation as one the SIC’s emerging guards.
“We have size and scoring inside,” Sanders said. “We have a lot of shooters that can make 3’s and we can score in a variety of ways.”
COLUMBIA WILDCATS
Head Coach: Blaine Wright, 1st Season
2023-24 Record: 11-15 – Lost in Winner-to-State Game
The Wildcats were one win away from last year’s state tournament and get most of their talent back this season.
Senior Blake Hansen was an all-conference selection as a junior and is slides back into Columbia’s line-up as one the league’s best returning players.
Also back is sophomore Max Keller, an all-conference honorable mention as a freshman. The duo could combine to be the best one-two punches in the league as most league’s coaches pointed to Columbia as a team to beat.
“Vallivue and Columbia are two teams that have a ton of potential that could push upper teams for state playoff berths,” Nampa head coach Brad Adolfson said. “Columbia is young and will grow to be really tough at the end of season.”
Though talented, Columbia will also have one of the younger rosters in the league, something new head coach Blain Wright says the team may have to overcome.
“Our x-factor will be overcoming our youth,” Wright said. “Our ability to play beyond our years will determine how far we go this season.”
NAMPA BULLDOGS
Head Coach: Brad Adolfson, 4th Season
2023-24 Record: 5-16 – Lost in 5A SIC District Tournament Play-in Game
Nampa drops down a classification after taking its lumps in Idaho’s highest class. The Bulldogs went a combined 11-31 with just five wins coming against former 5A schools during its two-year stint in the higher class. But now, the Bulldogs are back in their comfort zone and could be one of the SIC’s better shooting teams.
“This year’s team can shoot the ball very well when we take good shots,” head coach Brad Adolfson said. “Nights that we shoot it well will be a lot of fun.”
Nampa loses its leading scorer, Ryan Radford (18 PPG), from last season but does return Dominick Alamarar, Paul Ruusa and Ryland Rush from last year’s core group. Senior Lucas Torrez will also play a more expanded role in his senior season after being called-up late in his junior season.
“We are going to have to be a very balanced team this year,” Adolfson said. “Paul Ruusa and Dominick Almaraz will lead us and will be tough guards all year long. Paul’s quickness and Dominicks basketball IQ will help lead the team.”
EMMETT HUSKIES
Head Coach: Dustin Lopez, 2nd Season
2023-24 Record: 8-15 – Two-and-Out in District Tournament
After an 8-win season and exceeding expectations, head coach Dustin Lopez was awarded the SIC’s Coach of the Year award.
Now as Lopez enters his second season, he is hoping three returning core players and one the league’s best JV players from last season can push Emmett to the SIC’s next tier.
“It takes all five of our players playing together to score,” head coach Dustin Lopez said. “Our defense is our best offense.”
The Huskies get Tucker Brown, Tag Griffin and Scott Brady back, but lose their two primary ball-handlers in Kenyon Carter and Ethan Williams.
One of Emmett’s best players could be Scott Brady who was called-up this season after averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds per game on Emmett’s JV team last season.
CALDWELL COUGARS
Head Coach: Rick Tigges, 4th Season
2023-24 Record: 3-18
Caldwell is looking to improve off its three win season and will have to turn to some new faces to do so.
The Cougars lose their two best players from last season in Haiden Allington-Ozuna, and Zaylor Bruegeman.
Bruegeman was a second-team all-conference selection from last year while Allington-Ozuna was an honorable mention.