Shooters Touch

This week on Hoop Troop and Shooters Touch, it’s our Iowa State Tournament Preview episode.

We break down everything we’re excited about heading into the week at the Casey's Center, including our picks and predictions for every class and a few teams we think could make serious runs.

Teams we highlight and discuss include:
Cedar Falls, Urbandale, Waukee, Johnston, Waukee Northwest, Dowling Catholic, ADM, Ballard, Storm Lake, Western Christian, Unity Christian, Carroll Kuemper, Fort Dodge St. Edmond, Woodbine, and Boyden-Hull.

Plus:

• A quick Tommy rant on tucking in jerseys

• Special guest Chris Larson (Uncle Chris) jumps back on with the crew

• Plenty of debate, predictions, and classic Hoop Troop moments

If you love Iowa high school basketball and the State Tournament, this episode gets you ready for the best week of the year.

Hoops in Iowa — let’s go. Shooters shoot.

This week on Hoop Troop and Shooters Touch, we dive deep into girls postseason play with the Class 3A girls state tournament field officially set!

3A Girls State Qualifiers:
Mt. Vernon, Cherokee, Dubuque Wahlert, Williamsburg, Maquoketa, Mediapolis, Des Moines Christian, and Forest City.

We break down what that bracket looks like, plus take a look at how the other girls classes are shaping up — especially the always competitive 4A class where multiple teams are still in the hunt for a banner.

The big news on the boys side: Matt Baker, head boys coach at Woodward-Granger, joins us to help break down the 1A and 2A brackets. He talks about teams his squad faced, who he likes in each class, and even gives us his picks for the 3A and 4A championship matchups.

We also spin the Hoop Troop Wheel of Death with random questions sprinkled throughout the episode, plus all your favorites:

• Tommy’s Shoutout (and yes — he’s getting FLOODED with Lunch League Legend suggestions!)

• Doug’s Pick of the Week

And in case you missed it — Sioux City’s food scene gets a shoutout too

This one was fun and packed from start to finish. If you love Iowa high school basketball, brackets, predictions, and personality-driven segments, this is a can’t-miss episode.

Hoops in Iowa — let’s go. Shooters shoot.

This week on Hoop Troop and Shooters Touch, the 3A and 4A Iowa high school basketball brackets are finally out — and the drama is already heating up.

In 3A, we tackle the biggest question in the state:
Will Storm Lake’s Jaidyn Coon play… and when?
Plus:

• Can ADM or Ballard actually be beaten?

• Did Oskaloosa deserve a 2-seed?

• Who’s coming out of the East side of the bracket?

• Does Bondurant-Farrar really have a chance to make a run?

In 4A, things are just as wild:

• Johnston is on fire 🔥

• Doug puts Dowling on upset alert

• Cedar Falls with a clear path

• Waukee and Waukee Northwest penciled in… but who else can make a run?

Plus all your fan-favorite segments:

• Tony’s Spotlight Athlete

• Tom’s Shoutout

• Lunch League Legend

• Doug’s Pick of the Week

And we also dive into real conversations about how to help and save girls basketball in Iowa.

If you love Iowa high school basketball, brackets, predictions, and state tournament talk, this episode hits every angle.
Hoops in Iowa — let’s go. Shooters shoot.

This week on Hoop Troop and Shooters Touch, the Iowa high school basketball postseason is officially here with the release of the 1A and 2A state tournament brackets — and things are already getting wild.

We break down what the brackets mean, which teams got tough draws, and who has a real path to Casey's Center.

It was also a crazy week in 3A, with most of the top 10 teams taking losses, and we try to make sense of the chaos heading into March.

We also preview and react to some of Iowa’s biggest games:

• Waukee vs Waukee Northwest

• Kuemper Catholic vs Storm Lake

• Clear Lake vs Fort Dodge St. Edmond

Plus we talk about teams like Ballard, ADM, Johnston, Dowling, Knoxville, and Forest City as the playoff picture starts to take shape.

And of course, all your favorite segments:

• Doug’s Pick of the Week

• Tony’s Spotlight Athlete

• Tom’s Shoutout

• A new Lunch League Legend

If you love Iowa high school basketball, postseason brackets, rankings, and state tournament talk, this episode has you covered.

Hoops in Iowa — let’s go. Shooters shoot

This week on Hoop Troop and Shooters Touch, we break down two wild weeks of Iowa high school basketball as the season hits the dog days and everything starts to shift across the state.

We dive into:

• Big upsets and teams shaking up the rankings

• Who’s still undefeated

• Players putting up silly numbers

• Who’s surging and who’s slipping as March gets closer

We also play “How Far Back Is Too Far Back?” — breaking down what a team really needs to be ranked to still have a legit shot at making the Iowa State Tournament.

Plus all your favorite segments:

• Doug’s Pick of the Week

• Tony’s Spotlight Athlete

• Tom’s Shoutout

• A new Lunch League Legend

We cover 40+ teams from all across Iowa, giving you a true statewide look at who’s built for a run.

Schools discussed include:
Storm Lake, Solon, Cedar Falls, Johnston, Ankeny, Fort Dodge St. Edmond, Kuemper Catholic, Saydel, Ballard, ADM, Pella, and MOC-Floyd Valley.

If you love Iowa high school basketball, rankings, upsets, player stats, and state tournament talk, this episode is for you.
Hoops in Iowa — let’s go. Shooters shoot. 🏀

This week on Hoop Troop, we break down Iowa high school basketball with a full preview of the MLK Classic, upset alerts, and the toughest places to play in Iowa.

We dive into:

• How to define roles and build winning lineups

• Which teams are overachieving and under the radar

• Could Harrison Barnes’ team make a run at the Iowa 1A state title?

Plus:

• A new Lunch League Legend

• Tony’s expert analysis

• Doug’s Pick of the Week

If you love Iowa hoops, high school basketball, rankings, and game predictions, this episode is for you.
Shooters shoot.

LUNCH LEAGUE LEGEND: Thatcher Doughan - MOC Floyd Valley

Schools mentioned: Waukee Northwest, Dowling Catholic, Valley, Cedar Falls, Ames, Pella, Norwalk, St. Eds, LeMars, Urbandale, Decorah, Heelan, Council Bluffs AB Lincoln

Hoop Troop is your roundtable for Iowa high school basketball — covering the game from every corner of the state.

In this episode, we bring together experienced basketball minds to break down what they’re seeing on the floor: what teams are doing well, where growth is still needed, and how the season is beginning to take shape.

We dive into:

• Strength of schedule and how it’s viewed by the committee

• Teams that are better than their record

• Surprise teams so far this season

• Programs that could be dangerous matchups when tournament time comes around

A lot of ground gets covered, but this conversation is just the beginning. The table is being set for another strong season of Hoop Troop on Shooter’s Touch — with honest takes, statewide perspective, and real basketball conversations.

If you follow Iowa high school basketball as a coach, parent, player, or fan, this episode is for you.

Join us on this episode with Jeremy Brooks — Lead Scout for Prep Girls Hoops  for an inside look at the girls’ AAU season, up-and-coming high school talent, and what to watch this winter.

We break down standout performers from the summer, share who’s rising in our state, and dig into the Miss Iowa Basketball debate for class of ’26 — featuring Jenica Lewis (5'10" PG from Johnston, All Iowa Attack), Jayla Williams (5'9" combo guard from Ankeny, Mokan Girls) and Macy Comito (5'10" PG, Carlisle / All Iowa Attack) .

Tune in for scouting insight, player spotlights, and perspectives you don’t hear in your average high school recap.

Connect with us! @ShootersTouchIA

The Shooters Touch welcomes Tony Roe back to break down Iowa high school basketball after a busy summer circuit/AAU season. We cover who stood out, who to watch this winter, and the sleepers who might shock a few gyms. Tony’s insight on player development, recruiting buzz, team chemistry, and coaching trends is top-notch—don’t miss it.

You’ll hear:

• Summer risers and underrated sleepers to track

• Early winter watch list across classes/conferences

• What translates from AAU to the high school season

• Storylines every Iowa hoops fan should know

Listen now: [Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify] | [YouTube]
Follow & share: Tag a hoops fan and send this to your team group chat.

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Keywords: Iowa high school basketball, Iowa prep hoops, AAU, summer showcase, recruiting, standouts, sleepers, winter preview, player development, coaching, Shooters Touch Podcast, Tony Roe

Iowa State assistant coach Nate Schmidt joins the show to dig into modern player development: finishing at the rim, live-read decision making, building better shooters, and tightening the handle—anchored by his “We will” mindset. We also trace his climb from GA/video & player development roles to D1 assistant, G League/UNLV stops, and the Cyclones’ recent Big 12 and NCAA success.

Extended Show Notes

• Nate’s path & résumé: two stints at Iowa State, promoted to assistant in 2022; prior stops include Indian Hills CC, Wisconsin Herd (G League) video, and UNLV (Dir. of Player Development). 

• Program results: During Schmidt’s recent years on staff, ISU posted a 95–45 record with four straight NCAA Tournament trips; 2024 Big 12 Tournament Champions and a Sweet 16 run.

• Philosophy shift: moving from block drills to random/constraint-led training so players make reads at game speed. 

• Finishing at the rim: footwork progressions, finishing families (inside/outside, same-foot same-hand, veer/Euro), and using guided defense to create contact-balance solutions.

• Live reads: small-sided games to train advantage creation → advantage keeping → advantage finishing; 0.5-second decisions vs. scripted actions.

• Shooting: build a repeatable base, shot-prep and catch rhythm, variability (different passes/angles), and shot-quality rules inside actions (drift, shake, lift).

• Handle/pressure: constraints for weak-hand development, pickup points, and dribble economy tied to spacing rules.

• Mindset: Schmidt’s “We will” framing—language that reinforces capability and standards instead of focusing on what players “won’t” or “don’t” do.

• Practice design: layering film → on-air reps → contested reps → SSG with clear scoring constraints and touch limits to keep pace high.

• Staff collaboration: how player-dev slots into scouting, analytics, and culture under T.J. Otzelberger.

Nate Schmidt is an Assistant Coach at Iowa State, where he has contributed to four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, the 2024 Big 12 Tournament title, and a Sweet 16. He previously served as UNLV’s Director of Player Development, Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League) Video Coordinator, Indian Hills CC assistant, and began his career at Iowa State as a GA/Coordinator of Player Development. His work emphasizes decision-making, skill transfer, and constraint-led training.

Connect with us @ShootersTouchIA

Bryan Claude hosts The Shooters Touch, spotlighting the people and ideas shaping Iowa basketball. A former head girls’ coach at Madrid—finishing with a program-best win total—he’s spent years running camps and skill sessions across the state at every level. Raised on the game in Algona and at Wartburg College, he carries that love into every episode. On the mic, Bryan brings a coach-to-coach lens to what actually transfers: finishing at the rim, live-read decision-making, shooting rhythm, and a tighter handle. With a coach’s eye and a teacher’s voice, he turns high-level concepts into simple, game-ready ideas players and coaches can use the next day.