PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Luke Soltau, Boise
Isaac Thacker, Boise
Tyus Quintero, Borah
Quincey Clay, Capital
Daiken Lowe, Capital
Gabe Eddins, Centennial
Henry Johnson, Centennial
Bryant Bigelow, Eagle
Evan Vittoe, Eagle
Emmanuel Chabuka, Kuna
Drake Hope, Meridian
Theo Tong, Meridian
Kian Foy, Mountain View
Cooper Patterson, Mountain View
Jordan Allen, Owyhee
Logan Haustveit, Owyhee
Brock Bastian, Ridgevue
Kaimana Nielson, Ridgevue
Tanner Sweaney, Rocky Mountain
Kole Hudson, Timberline
Collin Morris, Timberline
Written by: Lucas Gebhart
No league in Idaho is deeper than the 6A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC).
At the top, you have the two-time defending state champions, the Owyhee Storm.
At the bottom, you have a team like Borah, who despite finishing with a record below .500 not only made last year’s state tournament, but won a game in said tournament after entering the district tournament as an 11-seed and pushing Owyhee in the state quarterfinals.
And then, at the very bottom, you have Ridgevue, who played Borah in districts for the right to go to the state tournament as a 12 seed.
It all shows that any team in this league can win on any night.
OWYHEE
2024-25 Record: 11-0 (23-4) – Won State Championship
Head Coach: Andy Harrington, 5th Season
The two-time defending state champions won back-to-back state titles for the first time in the school’s short history and will begin the new season with Idaho’s deepest and most talented roster.
Senior guard Logan Haustveit enters the new season as an early state Player of the Year candidate, replacing last year’s Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, Boden Howell.
“I am excited to see what Logan Haustveit can do now that it is his team,” head coach Andy Harrington said. “There is not a better winner out there and I believe he is the
best player in Idaho.”
Haustveit’s supporting cast might be the best in Idaho as Owyhee returns senior guards Jordan Allen and Parker Leaf, two key contributors from last year’s championship team, while adding some height to the line-up with the 6-foot-10 Ty Reed and the 6-foot-8 Braylon Larson.
“Last year, we lacked rim protection,” Harrington said. “I believe it will be harder to score down in the paint against us.”
TIMBERLINE
2024-25 Record: 8-3 (18-11) – 3rd Place at State
Head Coach: Travis Noble, 8th Season
Timberline loses the school’s all-time leading scorer in Alex Ko and the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, Bryce Heinz, but many around the league still expect Timberline to remain competitive.
The two were key pieces to Timberline’s core, propelling the Wolves to deep state tournament runs over the past few seasons.
This year, the Wolves return junior Collin Morris, who won the IdahoSports.com 6th Man Award following last year’s state tournament, along with senior guard Kole Hudson, an all-conference honorable mention.
“We will play great defense,” head coach Travis Noble said. “We will be disciplined, tough, hard-nosed and compete in our man-to-man-defense each night.”
Noble’s trademark defense was the best scoring defense in Idaho last season as the Wolves surrendered less than 49 points per game, making Timberline and Owyhee the only two schools in 6A who gave up less than 50 points per game.
CAPITAL
2024-25 Record: 8-3 (17-6) – Two-and-Out at Districts
Head Coach: Blas Telleria, 5th Season
Capital reset its own conference record it set record two years ago for most made three-pointers in a season and carried the state’s highest scoring offense into the Districts.
But an overtime loss to 11-seeded Borah and another loss a few nights later to a stingy Timberline squad and the Eagles suddenly found themselves out of the state tournament despite its shiny record.
Now Capital is looking for its next core of stars as much of last year’s firepower, including David McNamara, all-conference guard Marcellus Clay and Isiah Telleria have graduated.
“Our fire-away mentality hasn’t disappeared,” head coach Blas Telleria said. “We’ll just have more outside-in balance this year. That balance is going to make it hard for teams to take one thing away from us and still stop us from putting points on the board.”
Sophomore Quincey Clay was an all-conference honorable mention last year and should step into one of the vacant scoring roles.
MERIDIAN
2024-25 Record: 7-4 (15-11) – Two-and-Out at State
Head Coach: Jeff Sanor, 9th Season
Meridian loses two multi-year starters in TJ Sanor and Tristin Fortin after making the state tournament for the fifth time in six seasons.
The Warriors are now turning to a new set of core players, including wing Drake Hope, who showed flashes of becoming a stand-out scoring threat as a freshman.
Meridian also returns point guard Sammy Kahn and senior McKoy Thompson, an all-conference honorable mention as a junior.
CENTENNIAL
2024-25 Record: 6-5 (13-8) – Lost in District Play-in Round
Head Coach: Josh Aipperspach, 12th Season
After leading the league in scoring as a sophomore and then again as a junior, senior Gabe Eddins has made his case for being the SIC’s best scoring threat and enters his final year as a state player of the year candidate.
Eddins averaged 22 points per game last season, helping Centennial become the league’s second highest scoring offense.
But Centennial will have to replace its secondary scoring threat as they lose guard Payton Knudson, a second-team all-conference selection thanks to his shooting ability.
“We have a lot of guys who can score,” head coach Josh Aipperspach said.
Those players include the 6-foot-5 Henry Johnson, who Aipperspach says can score at all three levels, and the “high flyer” Tobin Knudson that can “score in volumes.”
“He will take a big jump this year,” Aipperspach said of Knudson.
EAGLE
2024-25 Record: 5-6 (13-9) – Lost in District Play-in Round
Head Coach: Cody Pickett, 6th Season
Eagle returns four starters but will still be one of the younger teams in the SIC as the Mustangs started two freshman last season in Lucas Kunz and 6-foot-5 forward Aiden Kindrick.
The lone starter not returning is Andrew Palfreyman, who graduated after being named to the all-conference honorable mention team.
A pair of senior guards, Bryant Bigelow and Evan Vittoe will make up Eagle’s backcourt.
KUNA
2024-25 Record: 4-7 (12-12) – Two-and-Out at Districts, Won Play-in Round
Head Coach: Paul Egwuonwu, 3rd Season
Kuna is a team many around the league expect to make a jump as the Kavemen return junior Emmanuel Chabuka.
Chabuka helped lead a young Kuna team to a .500 record as a sophomore, finishing the year as a second-team all-conference selection.
The Kuna core has played the past few seasons with limited roster turnover team and finished the season as the SIC’s third best scoring defense, behind Timberline and Owyhee.
BOISE
2024-25 Record: 4-7 (12-16) – 4th Place at State
Head Coach: Many Varela, 11th Season
Boise was one of three schools to make last year’s state tournament with a record below .500, but the Brave carried a lengthy roster and a stingy defense into state, helping them upset Madison in the quarterfinals.
Senior play-makers Luke Soltau, Isaac Thacker and Will Gebert are all back along with one of the state’s best defenders, Eli Rich, and one of the league’s rising forwards, 6-foot-8 Harrison Ball.
“We have an emphasis on the defensive end,” head coach Many Varela said. “When we are at our best, we are tough on the defensive end.”
MOUNTAIN VIEW
2024-25 Record: 4-7 (10-11) – Lost in District Play-in Round
Head Coach: Jon Nettleton, 21st Season
Mountain View is losing three starters but returns one of last year’s key contributors in senior Cooper Patterson.
Patterson was an honorable mention last season and leads an “unselfish” offensive.
“The team moves the ball really well and very,” head coach Jon Nettleton said. “We are hoping to improve our shooting percentage.”
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
2024-25 Record: 4-7 (10-12) – Lost in District Play-in Round
Head Coach: Ivory Williams, 3rd Season
Guard Tanner Sweeney leads Rocky into the new season as many coaches around the league expect the senior to be one of the more impactful players around the SIC.
The Grizz lost five seniors from last season, including Mac Savedra, a first-team all-conference pick from last year.
BORAH
2024-25 Record: 3-8 (12-15) – Lost Consolation Final at State
Head Coach: Mark Bolland, 1st Season
Borah carried the 11th seed into last year’s district tournament but put together one of the most improbable runs in recent memory to snag a bid to state.
After winning just three conference games in the regular season, the Lions went 3-1 at districts, beating Eagle, second-seeded Capital and Ridgevue to book their trip.
Borah continued its run at the state tournament, pushing top-seeded Owyhee in the quarterfinals and beating fifth-seeded Meridian in the consolation semifinals.
But no school in the SIC saw more roster turnover than Borah this offseason as the Lions lost 13 seniors and their head coach.
New head coach Mark Bolland says seniors Tyus Quintero, Dracyn Lowe and Ahmed Ahmed will become Borah’s key contributors.
RIDGEVUE
2024-25 Record: 2-9 (11-15) – Lost in Winner-to-State Game
Head Coach: Tyler Hoyt, 1st Season
The Warhawks lost their twin towers with the 6-foot-7 Tucker Tiddens and 6-foot-6 Javonte Boles graduating last spring.
The two led Ridgevue through its transition to Idaho’s highest classification a year after the Warhawks made what was then the 4A state tournament in the 2023-24 season.
Despite having one of the best offenses in the 6A SIC, Ridgevue struggled on the defensive end, giving up nearly 60 points per game.
It all led to a 2-9 conference record, but the Warhawks caught fire at districts, beating Centennial and Kuna to get within one win of the state tournament where they ultimately lost to Borah.
“Our defense will be the thing that wins us games,” new head coach Tyler Hoyt said.