The Riverside boys’ basketball team is looking forward to improving off of their 2022-23 season where the Bulldogs finished the season just 8-14 and 5-11 in conference play. The Bulldogs were defeated in the first round of Class 1A Region 8 tournament 53-50 vs a tough Woodbine team. The Bulldogs and Head Coach Nichoals Kroon are wanting to get back to playing in the regional championship game again for the first time in four seasons. And for the team the push to get there started this offseason when the Bulldogs had their best offseason under Coach Kroon and he said it shows him how dedicated the kids are to get better on their skill work and getting back to winning basketball games.

The Bulldogs were busy this offseason as the team played about 15 games this summer at different places. This was a big offseason for the Bulldogs losing four key players and will be relying on some freshman and sophomores to help out and rely on in crucial moments and minutes in the game. Coach Kroon said it was good to play so much this summer to help build team chemistry and see how the young guys looked going up against varsity basketball teams.

As far as who will be stepping into the remainder of the Bulldogs starting lineup and bench rotation is still up for grabs said Coach Kroon. In years past Riverside has been a team that has typically played six or maybe seven guys total but Coach Kroon believes this one of the deeper teams he has seen at Riverside and thinks that depth will really help the Bulldogs this season.

With the Bulldogs losing some of their size down low the Bulldogs will look to use speed and quickness to their advantage this season especially on the defensive end of the floor. Coach Kroon wants to lead his team slowly with several young guys playing big minutes he doesn’t want to give them too much too early. Coach Kroon said as the season goes on he will throw more junk defenses into the system and see what his young team can handle.

The Riverside Bulldogs Boys Basketball team start their season on November 28th when they travel to AHSTW to take on the Vikings in a Western Iowa Conference matchup.

You can listen to the full interview with Head Coach Nichoals Kroon below.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior defensive back Cooper DeJean has been selected as one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The announcement was made Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

In addition to being a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, DeJean is also a semifinalist for three other national awards: Jim Thorpe Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy and Bednarik Award.

Presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, the Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football. Former Hawkeye linebackers Josey Jewell (2017) and Pat Angerer (2009) were also finalists for the award.

Joining DeJean as finalists are Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton, Georgia safety Malaki Starks, Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts and N.C. State linebacker Payton Wilson.

DeJean has played nearly 400 snaps in coverage this season without giving up a touchdown. He leads the Hawkeyes in pass break-ups (5), is second in interceptions (2) and seventh in tackles (41) this season. One of his two interceptions thwarted a scoring threat in the end zone against Michigan State.

DeJean and the Hawkeyes rank third in the country in scoring defense (12.3), fourth in passing efficiency defense (100.1), sixth in red zone defense (0.682) and eighth in total defense (281.5). Iowa is the only team to have allowed one rushing touchdown in 2023.

On special teams, DeJean had a 70-yard game-deciding touchdown late in the fourth quarter against Michigan State. He leads the Big Ten and ranks 13th nationally with an 11.5 punt return average and he is second nationally in punt return touchdowns.

The Odebolt, Iowa, native was a midseason first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN and FOX.

The award is named after Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski and his legendary talents. He was a consensus All-American defensive tackle in 1929, and also an All-American fullback in 1929, becoming the only player ever picked at two positions in the same season.

The FWAA All-America Committee selects the defensive player of the year who is part of the 2023 FWAA All-America Team and presented with the trophy at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet on Dec. 4, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Iowa (8-2, 5-2) will host Illinois (5-5, 3-4) in its home finale Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (CT) on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium. The game will be televised on FS1 and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Iowa State guard Jarod Hufford says the offensive line will need a big effort Saturday night against Texas. The Cyclones host the seventh ranked Longhorns in their final home game of the season.

Hufford says the Cyclones are thrilled to be part of the title chase.

And Hufford believes that attitude helps the Cyclones avoid feeling pressure.

Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill hopes last week’s performance against Rutgers is a sign of things to come. The Hawkeyes had their best performance in years with 402 yards of offense in a 22-0 win over Rutgers.

Hill says the Illini have an aggressive defense.

The Hawkeyes will clinch a spot in the Big Ten Championship game if they can get the victory.

The second ranked Iowa Hawkeye women return to action on Thursday night at home against Kansas State. The Wildcats stunned the Hawkeyes last season in Manhattan.

That’s Iowa coach Lisa Bluder. K-State center Ayoka Lee is averaging better than 19 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Junior guard Sydney Affolter leads Iowa in rebounding at better than nine per game.

It will start a two game homestand for the Hawkeyes who will host Drake on Sunday.

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht says the Cyclones are only concerned about seventh ranked Texas and not the Big 12 chase. ISU is part of a four-way tie for second place and host the league leading Longhorns under the lights on Saturday.

Becht says it will take a good week of preparation to get ready for a talented Texas defense.

With two games remaining the Cyclones are still in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Iowa’s defense has carried the team this season, but that unit continues to get better as the Hawkeyes get ready to host Illinois. Through 10 games Iowa has allowed only one rushing touchdown.

That’s defensive tackle Logan Lee. Illinois had more than 500 yards of passing last week against Indiana, but Lee says slowing down the Illini begins with the run game.

Lee says a good pass rush begins by stopping the run.

After squandering the west division title last year with a home loss to Nebraska the Hawks get another chance to clinch in Kinnick against the Illini.

That’s defensive end Joe Evans who says the continued improvement of the defense begins in practice.