Bulldogs’ starting five earn all-conference recognition

The Upper Iowa all-conference boys basketball teams include all of MFL MarMac’s starting five players. Carver Blietz-Bentien and Parker Kuehl were selected to the first team and Wyatt Powell to the second team, while Carter Lightfoot and Bryce Diehl were honorable mention picks.

Blietz-Bentien, a senior, played in all 23 of MFL MarMac’s games this season, putting up 351 points—or 15.3 points per game—which was sixth most in the conference and second on the team. He made 45.9 percent of field goal attempts and 35.4 percent from long range, and was the Bulldogs’ best free throw shooter, connecting on 68 of 89 for 76.4 percent. Blietz-Bentien was MFL MarMac’s top rebounder, with 177 overall and 7.7 per game. Those totals were a respective fourth and fifth most in the conference. He also finished with 52 assists and 43 steals—both third most among Bulldog players—and tallied six blocks.

Kuehl led MFL MarMac in scoring, knocking down 362 points (15.7 per game) over 23 games, which was fifth highest in the UIC. The junior was also fifth in the conference with 148 field goals and shot a team best 46.4 percent from the field. He shot nearly as well from the three-point line, sinking 46 this season for a 32.6 percent clip—second best in the UIC. Defensively, Kuehl snagged 71 steals—tops on the team and second most among conference players—and averaged 3.1 steals per game. He ranked third for MFL MarMac with 102 rebounds (4.4 per game), and had 42 assists and seven blocks.

Powell, a senior, earned second team all-conference honors despite playing in just 14 of MFL MarMac’s 23 games due to an injury. He accrued 152 points (10.9 per game) in that span, while shooting 45.3 percent from the field. Powell led the Bulldogs and was sixth in the UIC with 94 assists, but was tops in the conference with 6.7 per game. He racked up 41 steals—fourth most on the team—and was second on the team and fourth in the conference with 2.9 steals per game, in addition to collecting 65 rebounds and three blocks.

Lightfoot started 23 games as a sophomore and was one of MFL MarMac’s leading scorers with 202 points, or 8.8 per game. He hit 43.2 percent of field goals and was 33 percent from long range, with his 29 three pointers second most on the team. Lightfoot trailed only Powell with 91 total assists, a mark that put him eighth in the UIC, and his 60 steals were second most on the team and fifth most among conference players. His stat line also included 80 rebounds and seven blocks.

Diehl shot 43.6 percent from the field and 34.2 percent on threes his senior season, earning 148 points over 23 games. That was fifth highest on the team. He had the fourth most rebounds, with 95, and totaled 28 steals, 11 assists and a block.