MASON CITY – Payton Plagge has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball next season at NIACC.
Plagge, a 6-foot-8 post from West Fork, originally signed with St. Cloud State (a NCAA Division II school in St. Cloud, Minn.) in November of 2013.
“He solidifies our depth in our lineup,” NIACC coach Mark Mohl told the Globe Gazette. “We got hurt a little bit on points in the paint we gave up last season. It’ll be nice to have size to neutralize that.”
Plagge averaged 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game during his senior season at West Fork and led the Warhawks to the Class 2A state title game where they fell to Sheldon.
Plagge scored 1,400 career points with 896 career rebounds and blocked 188 shots.
Plagge was a two-time Class 2A all-tournament selection. As a sophomore, he earned all-tournament honors as he teamed with Northern Iowa Panther Seth Tuttle as the Warhawks won the Class 2A state title in 2011. He also earned all-tournament honors in 2013.
In Plagge’s four years on the varsity at West Fork, the Warhawks were 97-4 with three perfect regular seasons. The Warhawks did not lose a game in the Corn Bowl Conference in Plagge’s four-year varsity career.
NIACC was 19-12 overall a year ago and bowed out in the opening round of the Region XI tournament to Kirkwood.
The Trojans return first-team all-American David Humphries, Sam Skogen, Matthew Don, John Hafoka, Tanner Heikens and redshirt Nate Jackson.
NIACC opens the 2013-14 season at the Missouri State University-West Plains tournament Nov. 1-2.
An even better question: How could he have signed with St. Cloud State in November 2013 when that hasn’t happened yet?
Why would a kid give up a full ride at a D-2 to play at NIACC?