Kirkwood Mens Basketball

Wilson powers No. 5 Eagles in opener

WEST BURLINGTON - Doug Wilson played like an All-American Friday and powered the fifth-ranked Kirkwood Eagles to an 86-71 victory over Illinois Central in the first round of The Broadway Classic.

Wilson, a second team All-American last season, collected 28 points, 13 rebounds, three blocked shots and three assists as the Eagles won  their season opener.

Allante Pickens and Connor Kasperbauer tossed in 14 points apiece for Kirkwood. Luke Appel contributed 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Devonte Thedford and Brady Sartorius added eight points for the Eagles.

Read more...

'New' Eagles begin year ranked No. 5

Bryan Petersen thought he'd have lots of experienced guards on the Kirkwood men's basketball team this season, but then the exodus began.

Bailey Kale left the team a year early to pursue a music career. Tajen Ross quit to pursue a modeling career. Jay Small transferred to a school closer to home so he could play basketball AND golf at the collegiate level. LJ Stansbury and Semaj Raj left for schools closer to their homes as well.

That stripped the Eagles of five guards and 29.1 points and left them with no experience in the backcourt, unless you count Traivon Washington, who got into three games last season before red-shirting.

Petersen is entering his sixth year at Kirkwood with a 126-34 record and one national title, but it's the first time he's starting a new year with a brand-new backcourt.

"That's been unique," he said. "To be honest, I'm a little bit more concerned because of that."

Read more...

3 Eagles find new basketball teams

Three members of the Kirkwood men's basketball program have found new  teams for the 2018-19 campaign.

Chris King is headed to Lindenwood University, an NCAA Division II school in Saint Charles, Mo. King averaged 17.2 points for the Eagles this past season.

Ethan Meeker is headed home to Galesburg, Ill., to play for Knox College, an NCAA Division III school. Meeker averaged 7.5 points this year.

Justin Storey will be staying in Cedar Rapids to play for Mount Mercy University. Storey averaged one point per game for the Eagles.

All three sophomores helped Kirkwood finish 24-6.

Carlo Marble, another sophomore who averaged 8.4 points, has not committed to a four-year school at this point.

Kirsch joins KCC basketball staff

Ryan Kirsch has joined the Kirkwood men's basketball staff as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 season.

Kirsch is replacing Ben Jacobson on the Kirkwood staff. Jacobson, who is battling an inoperable brain tumor, has accepted a sales job in the community.

Kirkwood head coach Bryan Petersen said Jacobson is doing okay while fighting his ailment.

Kirsch served as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State this past season when the Jackrabbits finished 28-7 and reached the NCAA Division I national tournament as Summit League champions.

Kirsch was an undergraduate assistant/student manager at Iowa State from 2014 through 2016, working for ISU head coaches Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm. He was a graduate assistant at Augustana University in 2016-17.

Kirsch, a native of Corydon, has an engineering degree from Iowa State and a master's degree in sports management from Augustana. He and his wife, Branygon, reside in Ely.