Paullina, Iowa — The IHSAA’s 2019 Basketball Hall of Fame has been announced and the class features seven players and two coaches who will be honored at Wells Fargo Arena on March 8, 2019.
One of honorees is Paullina’s own Dennis Pauling. First in famous Northwest Iowa program’s lineage of all-state posts, won 74 games as four-year starter and 1962 grad. Averaged nearly 20 points and 20 rebounds as junior and senior. An exemplary student-athlete and leader, Pauling went on to play three years at Iowa and earned two degrees in engineering before serving in the Air Force.
Dennis Geraghty – Retired last spring at Epworth, Western Dubuque after hitting 500 total wins in 39 seasons as a head coach. The New York native made stops at Tipton, Dubuque Hempstead, Creston, Parkersburg, Preston, and Columbus Lakeview (Nebraska) before taking West Delaware to state in 1999 and 2000 and Western Dubuque in 2010 and 2012. Finished as Class 3A runner-up in 2000 and 2012.
Ken Laffoon – Oversaw two dominant stretches at Danville after starting at Beach (North Dakota) and Midland, Wyoming, capping career in 2018 with 508-181 record. Bears qualified for seven state tournaments with Laffoon coaching, including 2001 and 2002 titles in Class 2A. Runner-up finishes in 2011 and 2012 followed by tourney berths in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
Jason Bohannon, Linn-Mar, Marion – Oldest of four standout brothers began Linn-Mar’s state tournament streak with a Class 4A championship as a sophomore in 2004. Lions finished as runner-up in 2005 and fourth in 2006. Bohannon scored 722 points in senior season, then good for fifth in 4A history, winning Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Four-year letterwinner at Wisconsin, played professionally in NBA D-League and in Germany.
Nick Collison, Iowa Falls – An All-American forward who won 74 of his last 75 varsity games, Collison led the Cadets on undefeated title runs in Class 2A in 1998 and 1999. Paced the class in scoring and became all-tournament team captain both seasons while playing for his father Dave. After sharing Mr. Basketball honors with Kirk Hinrich in 1999, went on to AllAmerican career with two Final Four appearances at Kansas. Played 15 seasons in NBA for Seattle and Oklahoma City.
Kirk Hinrich, Sioux City, West – The leader for four straight state tournament teams – the only four West has ever had – under his father and head coach Jim, Hinrich ended his varsity career in 1999 with the Class 4A title. West also advanced to the finals in 1997, with Hinrich earning all-tourney team captain honors both times. He remains the school’s all-time leader in points, assists, and steals, and shared Mr. Basketball with Nick Collison. Advanced to Final Four twice in four-year run at Kansas, including 2003 national final. Played 12 years in the NBA with stops in Chicago, Washington, and Atlanta.
Kyle McCann, Creston – A multi-sport star, McCann paced the Panthers to a third-place finish in 1996 and a state championship in 1997 and graduated as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,857 points. The two-time all-state pick scored 151 points in six state tournament games and twice led Class 3A in scoring. Was also a four-year letterwinner in football, went on to play quarterback at Iowa and remains 10th on career passing yardage chart.
Grant Stout, North Mahaska– A 2002 and 2003 first team all-state pick, Stout started all 94 games of his four-year varsity career, setting North Mahaska’s career records in points (1,985), rebounds (1,004), blocks (257), and field goal percentage (62%). Also a place-winner in track, the New Sharon native became UNI’s career leader in blocks (222) from 2003-07.
Brian Wildeboer, Colo-Nesco – Led the Royals to two Class A finals in 1989 and 1990, winning the state title while battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy in his senior season. An all-state post and two-time captain of the all-tournament team, Wildeboer is the program’s record-holder in career and single season rebounds and blocked shots.
