Among the players with the most varsity experience on this year’s Adel-Desoto-Minburn Tigers basketball team (1-1 overall) didn’t play on the squad last year. Senior Rylan Heffernan moved to Adel this summer after spending his first three seasons at West Central Valley. Heffernan brings 35 games of varsity basketball experience to the Tigers this fall, registering 325 points, 45 rebounds, 45 assists, and 31 steals over three seasons for the Class 2A Wildcats. Heffernan has handled the adjustment to Class 3A basketball well, ranking second on the team with 24 points scored through two games. He’s scored most of his points in the fourth quarter, recording a team-best 17 points in the final eight minutes.

ADM boys basketball coach Aaron Mager said he could tell Heffernan was a natural leader the first time he met him during AAU ball last spring. “Rylan’s just engaging and charismatic enough that he would come over and just chat,” Mager said, “I had no clue he was ever going to end up (at ADM), and there were some situations over at West Central (Valley) that ended up bringing him our way. We’re blessed to have him; he’s a good leader, he’s a good player, and I think all the kids will tell you they genuinely like him and he’s in their corner.”

The ADM boys basketball team resumes their season tomorrow in Alleman against the North Polk Comets. Catch the game on True Country, K 107.9 and worldwide at raccoonvalleyradio.com and on the KKRF mobile app starting at 7 p.m. with the Lincoln Savings Bank Pregame Show.