Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Riley Edwards, a former Southeast Polk standout and ex-Fort Dodge student, is one of three returning players for the Iowa Central men this year.

A new face is at the forefront of the Iowa Central men’s basketball program this season in Ryan Kirsch.

Kirsch, who replaced long-time Tritons’ head and assistant coach Chad Helle, brings a wealth of experience to the floor following stints at the Iowa State University, Kirkwood and, most recently, the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

As a Cyclone student assistant, Kirsch served under current Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg and now-ISU leader TJ Otzelberger. While at Kirkwood, he was part of a national championship team and three ICCAC gold-medal squads, while also helping UMD reach the NJCAA Div. II Elite Eight for the first time in program history in 2023.

“Everything has been outstanding here,” Kirsch said. “I can’t say enough good things about everyone here and how much they have really helped me and my family adjust.

“From the time we got here in April, it has been go, go, go — recruiting guys to fill the roster spots.”

Three players return from last year in Riley Edwards, Daviyon Gaston and Terrius Walker. Edwards, a graduate of Southeast Polk, is the son of former Fort Dodge Senior High teachers Brad and Mary Edwards. He averaged five points and two rebounds per game a season ago.

Gaston averaged almost seven points, making 27 starts, while Walker chipped in four points a night and made 23 starts. Gaston was second on the squad in rebounds per game in 2023-24, and Walker posted a team-leading 52 percent shooting mark from the floor.

Kirsch scanned the globe to put together his first roster, including a pair of sophomore transfers in Lane Campbell from Howard College and Cooper Randall from Truman State.

“I feel like we really used all of our connections well to bring in some international players, some transfer kids and freshmen,” Kirsch said. “Our goal is to try to continue to develop these guys both on and off the court, while also getting them involved and engaged in the community.

“We want people to be proud of the Iowa Central men’s basketball team.”

Randall was a standout at Waukee, helping the Warriors win the 2020-21 Class 4A state title while also making the semifinals the following season. He played in eight games at Truman State for head coach Jeff Horner, a former Mason City and University of Iowa star.

Campbell is also one of those international players, having come to ICCC via England. Irakli Akhalaia and Marko Blagojevic, who are also both sophomores, hail from Tbilisi, Georgia and Serbia, with freshmen Aleix Sempere Serrano of Spain and Vice Grbic of Croatia joining them.

Through four games, Campbell is the leading scorer at 14.5 points, with ex-Ames star Jalen Wynter at 13.5 and Jordan Cain at just over 10. Serrano and Grbic are both averaging six rebounds a night.

“As we continue to build this program and do the things we want to do, we are going to try and continue to get as much talent as we can to Fort Dodge,” Kirsch said. “I like how we got started with the situation we were put in.”

The Tritons were tabbed sixth in the preseason ICCAC coaches poll, with Des Moines Area, Ellsworth, Kirkwood, Iowa Lakes and Iowa Western ahead of them. DMACC won the regular season title last year, with Ellsworth claiming the regional crown with a win over Iowa Lakes.

Kirsch will be assisted by Mason Denholm and Caleb Viers this year.

2024-25 IOWA CENTRAL MEN’S BASKETBALL

Roster

Sophomores

Lane Campbell, England; Daviyon Gaston, Dyersville; Riley Edwards, Altoona; Irakli Akhalaia, Georgia; Cooper Randall, Waukee; Terrius Walker, Missouri; Marko Blagojevic, Serbia.

Freshmen

MJ Omot, Minnesota; Bryce Welch, Illinois; CJ Mitchell, Nebraska; Jalen Wynter, Waterloo; Jordan Cain, Minnesota; Walter Berns, Wisconsin; Aleix Sempere Serrano, Spain; Vice Grbic, Croatia.

Schedule

Nov. 13 — Central-Columbus; 15 — Mount Mercy JV; 19 — Kansas City-Kansas; 23 — Black Hawk; 26 — at Indian Hills; 30 — Western Iowa Tech.

Dec. 4 — at Kirkwood; 7 — Ellsworth; 14 — at Iowa Lakes; 18 — Des Moines Area.

Jan. 4 — at Iowa Western; 8 — North Iowa Area; 15 — at Northeast; 18 — Southwestern; 22 — Iowa Lakes; 25 — at Ellsworth; 29 — Kirkwood.

Feb. 1 — at Southwestern; 5 — at Des Moines Area; 8 — Iowa Western; 12 — at Central-Columbus; 15 — at North Iowa Area; 19 — Northeast; 22 — Dakota County; 26 — at Western Iowa Tech.