The Marshalltown junior was the only returning starter for the Bobcat boys basketball team this past winter, but lessons learned from those outgoing seniors steeled his resolve to push his game further.

Smith made the second-most 3-point baskets in Class 4A this season, and led the Bobcats with 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game to earn unanimous first-team all-Alliance North Division honors. He is the 2024-25 Times-Republican Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

“There’s a leadership aspect of it, where he’s consistent with what he does every single day in practice,” MHS head coach Michael Appel said. “And for what he does on the court, he was a guy that we were going to run a lot of our offense to, and as the season went on he also figured out what areas he could impact the game in when he isn’t scoring the ball, when teams are guarding him close, and his ability to rebound was huge for us as well.”

Smith was surrounded by senior leadership as a sophomore, putting up 13.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Bobcats alongside seniors Carter Giannetto, Cory Smith, Rogelio Ceren and Treshaun Brooks.

“Those guys really pushed him, and were tough on him at times, and this year that continued over with some of these seniors,” Appel said.

Kyle Smith credits Brooks, last year’s T-R Player of the Year, with refining his offensive output.

“He taught me some pointers on getting to the paint, getting that mid-range pull-up, which I think was one of my more effective shots for my game this year,” Smith said, “and hopefully I can just keep adding on to that next year, keep scoring more.”

This year’s Bobcats squad also saw sophomore Drake Gersema emerge as the team’s second-leading scorer, part of a balanced scoring attack that included junior Jacob Hayes, senior LaMar Johnson and sophomore Jamison Niehouse.

“I couldn’t have had my success without them,” Kyle said. “Drake and Jake stepped up tremendously and Jamison and LaMar played some great defense, and we don’t win some of these games without them.”

MHS finished third in the five-team North Division won by state qualifier Ames, with a 7-15 record overall.

“We weren’t satisfied with our overall record this year, but there were a lot of great moments, a lot of growth,” Appel said.

The Bobcats bowed out to Linn-Mar in the second round of the substate tournament, hanging with the Lions for most of the first half before the eventual state semifinalists pulled away for an 83-48 win.

“We played great that first quarter and a half, now it’s just about consistency,” Smith said. “We have to go out there knowing that we can win and play with every single person out there. If we can lock in every game and be ready to play, good things are going to happen.”

Next year will be Smith’s turn to help lead the way, with Appel saying he’ll set the standard.

“Now they’ve got a season under their belt, they understand how it is, and I like where our program is at,” Appel said. “It’s just great to have a guy like him that has invested so much in basketball, who wants to get better, wants our program to get better. … He’ll bring his teammates along to commit to what we want to do in the offseason and when the summer rolls around, to be able to get better as a team and build on our momentum.”

Smith isn’t content with settling for the individual honors.

“There’s always room for improvement,” Smith said. “Just trying to put in work every single day and improve myself to help the team. And if I’m going to the gym I’m not going by myself, I’m telling my other teammates to go to the gym, because I need them to get better for next year too, I want them to get better. … I love playing for everybody, love the game, and I’m hoping I can have a good senior year.”

2024-2025 Times-Republican All-Area Boys Basketball Teams

Player of the Year — Kyle Smith, jr., Marshalltown

Coach of the Year — Brent Thoren, Grundy Center

FIRST TEAM

Michael Boyd, sr., F, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Josh Dostal, sr., F, North Tama

Drew Eilers, sr., F, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Jalen Kirkpatrick, sr., G, Grundy Center

Rider Kupka, jr., G, GMG

Tiernan Vokes, sr., F, Grundy Center

SECOND TEAM

Lucas Barnes, sr., F, West Marshall

Drake Gersema, so., G, Marshalltown

Judd Jirovsky, jr., G, Grundy Center

Brandon Mathern, sr., G, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Kayler Morris, jr., G, North Tama

Blake Neuroth, jr., G, East Marshall

THIRD TEAM

Grady Dieleman, sr., F, GMG

Wyatt Gould, jr., G, BCLUW

LaMar Johnson, sr., F, Marshalltown

Austen Mathern, sr., G, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Ryker Thoren, sr., F, Grundy Center

Brayden Wallis, sr., G, Grundy Center

Former All-Area Players of the Year

2023-24 — Treshaun Brooks, sr., Marshalltown

2022-23 — William Kiburis, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2021-22 — Armonniey Thomas, sr., Marshalltown

2020-21 — Taurice Grant, sr., Meskwaki, and William Kiburis, so., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2019-20 — Armonniey Thomas, so., Marshalltown

2018-19 — Tátè Bear, sr., Meskwaki Settlement

2017-18 — Luke Appel, sr., Marshalltown

2016-17 — Joe Smoldt, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2015-16 — Joe Smoldt, jr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2014-15 — Camden Kickbush, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2013-14 — Zach Pierce, jr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2012-13 — Mitchell Boerm, sr., North Tama

2011-12 — Michael Newton, sr., West Marshall

2010-11 — Trent Trowbridge, sr., Marshalltown

2009-10 — Chanse Creekmur, sr., Marshalltown

2008-09 — Chanse Creekmur, jr., Marshalltown

2007-08 — Walker Seim, sr., East Marshall

2006-07 — Tyson Dirks, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

2005-06 — Justin Green, sr., Eldora-New Providence

2004-05 — David Walters, sr., BCLUW