As the first Dallas Center-Grimes first varsity basketball is fast approaching. Coach Joel Rankin talks highly of his team for the 2022-23.

The Mustangs finished the 2021-22 season with a first place state championship trophy, record of (22-5) and Coach Joel Rankin was named the 2022 All-Iowa Coach of the Year. This year the Mustangs will be without 11 seniors that made up nearly 80 percent of the scoring. Coach Rankin says this will be a concern but expects his experienced players to step up to the challenge.

“So this year, you know, you’re going to look on paper where we we only have one starter back and not a lot of plane experience but they were all part of the journey last year and and there’s some really good basketball players that just because we are so talented and and senior heavy that didn’t get a chance to show what they could do and they’re hungry.”

Mustangs will have six seniors this year.  Junior Calix Cahill will be the higher scorer and grabbed the most rebounds coming back for the Mustangs that includes an average of 3.3 points and 74 rebounds. Rankin expects nine to 11 players to be in the mix on varsity.