April 20, 2024

Four Panther boys picked for all-conference

Burg, Briggs, Baker and Kralik honored on all-Hawkeye 10 team

By Tyler Hetu

Colbu Burg (right) pulls up for a shot against an incoming Kuemper Catholic defender Friday. Burg scored a game-high 23 points. (Brennen Normand)

Creston boys basketball put four players on the Hawkeye 10 all-conference team for the 2020-21 season.

Senior point guard Coby Burg was tabbed for a unanimous first-team selection by the Hawkeye 10.

Taking over the offense due to injuries sustained by teammates, Burg excelled. After getting picked as an Honorable Mention a year ago by the conference, he was part of a unanimously selected all-conference first-team.

Burg scored 296 points on 43% shooting this season. He had 68 rebounds and 68 assists, the latter of the two being a team-high. He also had 32 steals to lead the team.

His assists total placed him seventh in the conference, and his steals total placed him 10th in the conference.

Senior Kaden Briggs made the second-team as one of two forwards picked by the H-10.

Creston's Kaden Briggs (right) fights through Clarke's Cole White in the Panthers' regular-season finale. (Brennen Normand)

Creston’s main enforcer under the basket, Briggs worked his way to 108 rebounds, leading the team.

He scored 153 points (43.6% shooting), third highest on the team, and assisted 21 scores. He started in 15 of his 18 played games.

Receiving Honorable Mention were seniors Cael Kralik and Brance Baker, two Creston guards who saw their seasons get cut short due to injury.

A “what could have been?” season for both Krailk and Baker, Baker played the most of the two.

Baker finished the season with five games played – shooting 41.5% from the field for 72 points. He had 25 rebounds and 18 assists as well.

His attempts to play through a shoulder injury this season saw him instead want to look for a possible future on the court, opting for surgery not long after his last game of the season against Denison-Schleswig Jan. 8.

Creston's Cael Kralik (5) looks for a teammate Thursday. Playing his first significant minutes of the season, Kralik scored four points and tallied one steal in four minutes during the fourth quarter against Clarke to give Creston a boost in the 59-44 win. (Brennen Normand)

Kralik appeared in two games, one being his Senior Night, where he was subbed in and out right away. He was two of three from the field, scoring four points with three rebounds, one assist and one steal.

The bulk of Kralik’s stat line came in a playoff win against Clarke Feb. 18, in the regular season finale.

Baker was a second-team selection last season, and Kralik was an Honorable Mention last season.

Hawkeye 10 all-conference team

First team

Skylar Handlos, Atlantic, Sr.; Michael Shull, Clarinda, Sr.; Colby Burg, Creston, Sr.; Braiden Heiden, Denison-Schleswig, Sr.; Ryan Blum, Glenwood, Sr.; Connor Frame, Harlan, Jr.; Wyatt Hatcher, Lewis Central, Jr.; Sam Rallis, St. Albert, Sr. (* All selected unanimously).

Second team

Dayton Templeton, Atlantic, Jr.; Drew Brown, Clarinda, Jr.; Kaden Briggs, Creston, Sr.; Caden Johnsotn, Glenwood, So.; Bradley Curren, Harlan, So.; John Mayhall, Kuemper Catholic, Sr.; Max DeVries, Red Oak, Fr.; Carter White, St. Albert, Jr.

Honorable mention

Grant Sturm, Atlantic, Sr.; Grant Jobe, Clarinda, Jr.; Brance Baker, Creston, Sr.; Cael Kralik, Creston, Sr.; Evan Turin, Dension-Schleswig, Sr.; Ben Hughes, Glenwood, Sr.; Michael Erlmeier, Harlan, Sr.; Mitchell Badding, Kuemper Catholic, Sr.; JC Dermody, Lewis Central, Jr.; Baylor Bergren, Red Oak, Jr.; Braden Knight, Shenandoah, Jr.; Braden Knight, Shenandoah, Sr.; Cy Patterson, St. Albert, Sr.