SOUTH WAYNE - Black Hawk junior Conner Meyer has reached elite company, scoring 1,000 career points Saturday in a game against Iowa's Don Bosco Catholic at Loras College.
Meyer became just the fourth Black Hawk player to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
"It was a really cool moment," Conner Meyer said. "Just getting my name up at the Dells with Sam Dekker, who I have admired, is a great feeling. Honestly, I never thought about it. As I kept pushing and improving it just kind of happened."
Black Hawk was able to knock off Don Bosco Catholic, which is ranked No. 4 in the Iowa Class 1A poll, 64-57. Meyer is averaging 19.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for the 7-3 Warriors.
"I didn't care about how many points I scored," Meyer said. "I was just focused on winning the game. It was a big game and test for us."
In his third year as a starter, the 6-foot-5 forward has drawn interest from several Division III colleges, including Winona State University in Minnesota, Hillsdale College in Michigan and Waldorf University of Iowa. Meyer has personally looked into Edgewood College as well.
As a junior only halfway through this season, Meyer has a chance down the road to break the school's all-time scoring record held by his father, Craig Meyer, who scored 1,413 points in his standout career at Black Hawk before graduating in 1990. Craig Meyer went on and played basketball for Loyola University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Heath Butler and Mark Scott are the only other school players who have reached the same scoring milestone.
Craig coached Conner's basketball teams from fourth grade until middle school, watching his son play from a young age. Conner said his father has been an inspiration to him, and has never felt pressure to pursue the sport if it wasn't what he wanted.
"After high school it's been my dream to play Division I college basketball or basketball at the next level," Conner said. "(Dad) wants me to keep an open mind. His biggest thing is if I can get a scholarship it will help me not having to pay off college loans. After high school, it's my decision if I want to keep playing basketball. He hasn't pushed me to play. He's just said if you want, play sports for fun."
Conner said his biggest improvements haven't been from a comfortable position under the hoop, but instead outside the paint.
"I went from pounding in the post, and getting all of my points in the post, to working on my outside shot and ball handling," he said. "I have really worked on my ball handling skills to become a more versatile player."
Black Hawk coach Charlie Anderson has seen the development and growth in Conner's game, from a strong post presence to an adaptable big man. Conner has made seven 3-pointers in 10 games this season and is shooting 25.9 percent from beyond the arc. As a sophomore last year, he made 23 three-pointers and shot 38.3 percent from long range.
"He has always had a very solid post game," Anderson said. "Last year and this year he has been able to stretch you out to the 3-point line. His mid-range jump shot and post game have really set him apart. His 3-point shot is improving and getting better."
Conner is just 414 points away from breaking his father's school scoring record at Black Hawk as of Monday. He even has an outside shot to make a run at 2,000 career points.
"It would definitely mean a lot to me knowing my dad did it," he said. "It's cool to think I will be the next generation. I also have a little brother coming up."
After losing two games early in the season to Barneveld and Pecatonica, the Warriors are on a five-game winning streak. It took some time for the team to get back in the swing of things with several players on the WIAA Division 7 state runner-up football team.
"We are starting to show we are back in the basketball mindset," Conner said. "We are heading in the right direction and improving every day."
Meyer became just the fourth Black Hawk player to reach the 1,000-point milestone.
"It was a really cool moment," Conner Meyer said. "Just getting my name up at the Dells with Sam Dekker, who I have admired, is a great feeling. Honestly, I never thought about it. As I kept pushing and improving it just kind of happened."
Black Hawk was able to knock off Don Bosco Catholic, which is ranked No. 4 in the Iowa Class 1A poll, 64-57. Meyer is averaging 19.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for the 7-3 Warriors.
"I didn't care about how many points I scored," Meyer said. "I was just focused on winning the game. It was a big game and test for us."
In his third year as a starter, the 6-foot-5 forward has drawn interest from several Division III colleges, including Winona State University in Minnesota, Hillsdale College in Michigan and Waldorf University of Iowa. Meyer has personally looked into Edgewood College as well.
As a junior only halfway through this season, Meyer has a chance down the road to break the school's all-time scoring record held by his father, Craig Meyer, who scored 1,413 points in his standout career at Black Hawk before graduating in 1990. Craig Meyer went on and played basketball for Loyola University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Heath Butler and Mark Scott are the only other school players who have reached the same scoring milestone.
Craig coached Conner's basketball teams from fourth grade until middle school, watching his son play from a young age. Conner said his father has been an inspiration to him, and has never felt pressure to pursue the sport if it wasn't what he wanted.
"After high school it's been my dream to play Division I college basketball or basketball at the next level," Conner said. "(Dad) wants me to keep an open mind. His biggest thing is if I can get a scholarship it will help me not having to pay off college loans. After high school, it's my decision if I want to keep playing basketball. He hasn't pushed me to play. He's just said if you want, play sports for fun."
Conner said his biggest improvements haven't been from a comfortable position under the hoop, but instead outside the paint.
"I went from pounding in the post, and getting all of my points in the post, to working on my outside shot and ball handling," he said. "I have really worked on my ball handling skills to become a more versatile player."
Black Hawk coach Charlie Anderson has seen the development and growth in Conner's game, from a strong post presence to an adaptable big man. Conner has made seven 3-pointers in 10 games this season and is shooting 25.9 percent from beyond the arc. As a sophomore last year, he made 23 three-pointers and shot 38.3 percent from long range.
"He has always had a very solid post game," Anderson said. "Last year and this year he has been able to stretch you out to the 3-point line. His mid-range jump shot and post game have really set him apart. His 3-point shot is improving and getting better."
Conner is just 414 points away from breaking his father's school scoring record at Black Hawk as of Monday. He even has an outside shot to make a run at 2,000 career points.
"It would definitely mean a lot to me knowing my dad did it," he said. "It's cool to think I will be the next generation. I also have a little brother coming up."
After losing two games early in the season to Barneveld and Pecatonica, the Warriors are on a five-game winning streak. It took some time for the team to get back in the swing of things with several players on the WIAA Division 7 state runner-up football team.
"We are starting to show we are back in the basketball mindset," Conner said. "We are heading in the right direction and improving every day."
