DES MOINES — Slow starts. Typically that’s the Dowling Boys Basketball M-O early in the season. But the 2019-2020 season has been different. Two losses and eight wins in the first 10 games of the year has put a lot more attention on the Maroons.
“City West got us pretty good the first game of the year but after that you’re right we were able to kind of get going a little bit,” Dowling junior forward Ryan Riggs said.
A big part of that is the returning core of players from a season ago that includes their leading scorer, Ryan Riggs.
“From sophomore year to this year it’s been a big role change. I was still important in the team last year but obviously a bigger role this year and having more fun,” Riggs said.
“Having them this year they know the ropes, they know what to expect, they knew what practices were like, they knew what to expect in games, that certainly helped us quite a bit,” boys basketball coach Mike O’Conner said.
For a couple of starters on the Maroons roster, they’re also part of that Dowling football dynasty.
“We won the state championship on Friday, on Monday I was here in the gym at practice. It’s different. It takes some time to adjust but it’s worth it,” Dowling senior guard Matt Stilwell said.
Now this team is out to prove Dowling is a basketball school too.
“Trying to change the culture a little bit and kind of bring some attention on the basketball team would be nice,” Riggs said.
Winning the school’s first boys state basketball title since 1979 would definitely help.
Friday’s game with Ames was postponed due to weather.
The Maroons will play Ames on Monday night.
They also tout a rising star, freshman Omaha Biliew, who is a top recruit for the class of 2023.