PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Nash Gillette, Burley
Ryker Page, Burley
Xaiden Van Tassell, Jerome
Andrew Wilson, Jerome
Gage Murphy, Minico
Raxen Stimpson, Minico
Tyce Feenstra, Mountain Home
Carter Pedroza, Mountain Home
Trey Billings, Twin Falls
Ty Hess, Twin Falls
Tony Ambriz, Wood River
Max Fife, Wood River
Written by: Dallin Fryar
The 2024-25 Great Basin Conference play was dominated by Twin Falls and Minico, who both finished 9-1 and were sure locks for the state tournament. However, Jerome had other plans and shocked the Spartans in Rupert with a 63-61 overtime victory, punching their ticket to state. All three teams lost important players from last year’s squads, but they also returned some core players. Will Twin Falls and Minico run the regular season again? Will Jerome stay hot after last season’s red hot finish? Will Burley take the next step? Or will there be any other surprises in the conference?
TWIN FALLS
Last season started off rocky for Twin Falls, which started the season 3-7. They played a very rigorous non-conference schedule to prepare them for conference play, which proved successful as they won 13 of their last 16 games. In that span, they also captured the GBC District Championship and the third-place trophy at the 5A State Championship.
After a breakout sophomore season and 1st Team All-Conference honors, 6’7” forward Trey Billings will return for his junior season, along with fellow 1st Team All-Conference star senior guard Ty Hess. Hess is considered by many to be one of the best guards in the state and is the epitome of what you want in a point guard. He can score at all three levels, but looks to create open shots for his teammates more often than not. Billings will be a matchup problem each night, and is one of the best rim protectors in the state. Head coach Mac Stannard said Billings has also developed more of an outside shot during the offseason and can handle the ball as well.
Senior guard Jordan Bingham will look to fill the hole left by Ryker Rex, who graduated and was considered the team’s best outside shooter and on-ball defender. Bingham will lead a defensive group that Coach Stannard pointed out will “have a lot of length behind the point of attack to protect the paint.”
Last year’s squad was second in the state in the fewest points allowed per game, at just over 48 ppg, and Coach Stannard wants to carry that same energy this year of flying around, helping each other, and taking pride on the defensive side of the court with their man-to-man defense.
One thing that plagued the Bruins last season was their inability to score the basketball. At times, their half-court offense was a little stagnant, but Coach Stannard expects this year’s squad to have a lot of offensive firepower, maybe the most he has had in his three seasons as head coach at Twin Falls. The Bruins' offense will look to play with pace, and if they can get their experienced players to mesh well with their less experienced players, they could be one of the favorites not only in the district but also in the state of Idaho.
MINICO
Much like Twin Falls, the 2024-25 season did not start strongly for the Spartans. They started 1-8, but also played a rigorous schedule. Over the rest of the season, they only lost three games by a combined 5 points.
The bad news was the timing of the last two losses to Twin Falls and Jerome, which prevented the Spartans from returning to the state tournament for the first time since the 2021-22 season. 2024-25 GBC Player of the Year Jayden McKenzie got hurt during the Twin Falls game and was unable to play in that state qualifying game.
McKenzie graduated and leaves big shoes to fill, as he commanded the paint on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. 1st Team All-Conference guard Bodee Bennett and 2nd Team All-Conference forward Nate Wayment also graduated, so there will be some new faces leading the Spartans this season.
Head coach Doug Manning will return for his third season, and despite losing many main contributors, is excited about the returners he does have and the team chemistry they are already displaying. He said, “With two starters returning in Raxen Stimpson and Gage Murphy, as well as Jaiden Sanders and Logan Wayment, who both made impacts on last year’s team, we are going to be fun. We have other players who will have the opportunity to step in and give us some great minutes. We are looking forward to seeing how the new guys respond to the opportunity.”
You can always expect Minico to play hard, and this squad will be no different. They will pride themselves on the defensive end and fight for every loose ball. The Spartans lack size with the loss of McKenzie and Nate Wayment, and therefore, team chemistry and effort will be crucial every night for the Spartans to be successful. The X-Factor for this group will be who steps up from their newer, less experienced players.
BURLEY
Out of all the teams in the conference, Burley may be the most intriguing. They have been touted early as the team to watch within the conference, one that will surprise many people. The Bobcats only lost one returning player from last year’s squad and will return seven players who played significant varsity minutes.
1st Team All-Conference senior guard Nash Gillette will be one of the best players on the court each night, regardless of who they are playing. Honorable Mention senior guard Ryker Page will also play a key role on both sides of the court for the Bobcats. Head coach Michael Hill returns for his second season and expects his team to be vastly improved on the defensive end.
Similar to Minico, the Bobcats lack size and are very guard-heavy. However, they are a very athletic group who have the ability to score the ball. The X-factor for this squad will be shooting the ball consistently well. If they are able to do so, it will create numerous driving lanes for their athletic guards to score, or drive and kick out to shooters. Keep an eye on the Bobcats.
JEROME
Despite a 4th-place regular season finish and some injuries, Jerome shocked the entire state with back-to-back victories against Burley and Minico to punch their ticket to the state tournament. The 2024-25 Jerome Tigers squad's performance perfectly describes what head coach Joe Messick has accomplished in his 19 seasons as head coach: he has built a culture of team chemistry and work ethic.
Many of last year’s squad will return, with the exceptions of 1st Team All-Conference member AJ Johnson and 2nd Team All-Conference member Seth Capps. Messick said, “Andrew Wilson, Xaiden Van Tassell, and Conor Bandy will be our go-to guys. These three will carry us on the offensive end. We will need others to step up and contribute. Hopefully, we can execute, shoot the ball well, and run good stuff.”
As with any team coached by Coach Messick, this team will focus on the defensive end of the court to stay in games. “Our defensive strengths will be our great work ethic and toughness from the kids we have. We will have to focus on the defensive end to be in games. We will rely on toughness and grit.”
Last season, the Tigers peaked at the perfect time and will need to improve their consistency throughout the regular season. If they are able to build off of last year’s magical run and stay consistent, they will be a tough outing for any team in the state.
MOUNTAIN HOME
It has been a rough last couple of seasons for Mountain Home in the win column; however, they were able to pull off two victories against Wood River and one against Burley last season.
The Tigers return junior guard Carter Pedroza, who head coach Brion Bethel describes as having “a very high IQ and can create for himself and others. On offense, the Tigers will field a good mix of size with Pedroza and 6’7” senior post Tyce Feenstra, who earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors last season. Feenstra will be a threat both inside and outside for Mountain Home.
On the defensive side, Coach Bethel will look to wear down teams with his full-court defense. He said, “Defensively, our strength is our ability to play full-court defense the entire game and wear teams down. We have a smart group of guys that can jump in and out of several different defenses, which will keep teams guessing.”
WOOD RIVER
Entering his first season as head coach at Wood River, Kyle Sela inherits a squad that was only able to secure one victory last season. A young squad gained significant experience, with two underclassmen, sophomore Tony Ambriz and junior Max Fife, being named to All-Conference honors. Ambriz was the team’s leading scorer and will pace the offense again this season. Coach Sela describes Fife as a “slashing guard who is an elite athlete and defender. 6’4” forward Jake Marenda will also contribute offensively with his shooting ability and ball handling skills.
Coach Sela has two goals for this year's squad: Build confidence and compete at a higher level. This is a team that has nothing to lose after last year’s record and will be fearless on the defensive end of the court.