What we learned from the first Iowa high school girls basketball games of 2024

Fresh off a short winter break, Iowa high school girls basketball teams returned to the court last week and provided plenty of exciting action.

Some players continued their climb in the statistical standings. Other athletes emerged as talented contributors.

Here are five things we learned from the first games of 2024.

Stats and averages are based on what was inputted to GoBound as of Saturday, Jan. 6 at 10 a.m.

1. Give Cedar Falls some Grace.

The Tigers have quite a few weapons on their roster. Two of those star players – Grace Knutson and Grace Hannam – have emerged as two of the top players in Iowa’s largest class. Knutson leads Class 5A with 235 points, and she has the most 3-pointers made with 44. Hannam leads 5A in rebounds (112) and blocks (44). If the Graces’ success continues, Cedar Falls could be a team to watch as the end of the regular season approaches.

2. Asia Thompson flies under the radar at Des Moines East.

The Scarlets have struggled this season. East sits toward the bottom of the Iowa Alliance standings with a 1-9 record. But while the team had issues picking up wins, Asia Thompson has been a bright spot. She is second in Iowa’s largest class in both rebounds (110) and blocks (38). She leads 5A with 87 defensive rebounds. Her 114 points (12.7 ppg) is top-50 in 5A.

More: The Register's Iowa girls high school basketball midseason Super 10 rankings

3. Haylee Stokes remains the top dog in Class 3A.

Speaking of leading ladies, there are few as dominant in their class as Estherville Lincoln Central’s Haylee Stokes. She leads 3A with 299 points, 85 assists and 69 steals. Some of Stokes’ success is padded by the success of her teammate, Rylee Yager. The prolific and dynamic duo helped Estherville Lincoln Central to an 11-2 overall record and extended its win streak to three games to start the year.

4. Is there any team that can beat Johnston?

The Dragons remain the only unbeaten team in Class 5A. Johnston is 11-0, with impressive wins against Ankeny, Dallas Center-Grimes, Dowling and Waukee. The Dragons’ roster is packed with talented players, several of whom will play college basketball. With athletes like Iowa State-bound Aili Tanke and Jenica Lewis – who holds more than a couple dozen Division I offers – it will be a tough task to keep Johnston from winning the state title.

5. Fans and programs across the state show support for Perry.

A school shooting at Perry High School rocked the Dallas County community on Thursday, and Bluejays’ athletic events in the days following were postponed. Basketball games were not at the forefront of Perry students’ minds, but the Bluejays were remembered at events around the state.

Des Moines Hoover held a moment of silence before its game against Roosevelt. Ames and Marshalltown basketball players wore blue warmups prior to their game. Valley’s student section wore blue instead of orange and black. And that is just a sample of the support shown by teams and fans across the state.

More: Des Moines Roosevelt girls basketball kicks off 2024 with win over Hoover

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 5 things we learned from the first Iowa girls basketball games of 2024