Joseph Hackett, Sr., Guard, Fairmont

One of two returning starters for head coach Jared Thompson’s team, Joseph Hackett was a strong two-way player for Fairmont basketball this season. Hackett finished the year averaging just over 10 points per game while shooting 36% from beyond the arc. He wrapped up his time at Fairmont with the third-most 3-pointers made in school history. Whether Thompson put his defense in a man-to-man look or one of his various zone schemes, Hackett was a big part of making this unit click, especially on the perimeter. 

Eli Jensen, Jr., Guard, GHEC/T/ML

The now two-time All-Sentinel Boys Basketball nominee only improved from his strong sophomore campaign a year prior. Tasked with helping replace the likes of former teammate Jackson Madsen, Eli Jensen improved his scoring to 17.2 points per game while averaging 3.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2 steals. GHEC/T/ML ended the season with an 8-19 record that included an opening round section victory over Cedar Mountain. 

Khael Jones, Sr., Guard, North Union

The 2026 Top of Iowa, West Division Player of the Year left his fingerprints all over a North Union team that fell in the Class 1A, Substate 1 Championship game. Khael Jones finished his senior season as one of the most dominating scorers in the North Central Iowa area. Jones notched 20 points per game while connecting on 47% of his shots from the field and 39.6% from deep. He also stuffed the stats sheet with 7.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and nearly four steals a contest. North Union ended the season with a 15-10 record, falling to Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn/Remsen-Union in their final game of the year. 

Reed Johnson, Jr., Forward, Fairmont

The Fairmont forward slid perfectly into Thompson’s starting rotation this season, complementing center Logan Junkermeier as another force to be reckoned with in the front court. Reed Johnson’s uptick in minutes saw him averaging 9.3 points and 6 rebounds per game on nearly 60% shooting from the field, but his impact on the court went beyond the box score. With opposing defenses double-teaming Junkermeier any chance they got, it was Johnson’s ability to create his own shot that made Fairmont’s offensive attack so multi-dimensional. 

Logan Junkermeier, Sr., Center, Fairmont

Junkermeier had lofty expectations entering his final campaign with the Fairmont basketball program after coming off a season sharing All-Sentinel Co-Player of the Year honors with teammate Oliver Tordsen. Despite gaining more eyes and attention from opposing defenses, Junkermeier lived up to the hype, helping the Cardinals finish the season with a 22-5 record and a handful of impressive wins. The center averaged a near double-double of 18.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game on 63% shooting from the field. Junkermeier set the record for most blocks in a single season after averaging 2.5 a contest. His impact on both sides of the ball proved to be one of the difference makers for the Cardinals’ strong 2025-2026 campaign. 

Honorable Mentions:

Chase Owens, Sr., Forward, Martin County West (14.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.4 spg)

Brody Grathwohl, Sr., Guard, GHEC/T/ML (11 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.7 spg, 1.3 apg)

Greyson Colegrove, Jr., Guard, North Union (10.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3 apg)

Brayden Williamson, Jr., Guard, Fairmont (7 ppg, 4 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg)

NOTE: The All-Sentinel Girls and Boys Basketball Players of the Year will be announced in Saturday’s edition of The Sentinel.