March 19, 2024

CD’s Pedersen on INA third team

Central Decatur won the Pride of Iowa Conference title this year, going 16-0 within the conference.

For that, the team was rewarded Tuesday morning with junior Peyton Pedersen earning third-team all-state honors by the Iowa Newspaper Association.

“I think it’s a huge credit to Peyton and the work he’s put in, but it’s also a credit to his teammates, because you don’t get a guy on that team unless you have a successful season,” Central Decatur head coach Zach Clark said. “The great thing about Peyton is he understands that and is thankful to play with some talented guys. He’s put in a lot of work, ton of time.”

Pedersen, who averaged 15.8 points per game last year as a sophomore on 28.2 percent shooting from behind the 3-point arc, improved to 20.7 points per game this year on 53.1 percent shooting from the floor and 42.3 percent shooting from behind the arc.

“Throughout the season, his 3-point shooting improved,” Clark said. “Early in the year, he was in the low 30s and at the end of the year, he was 42 percent. He shot it 66 percent from three in the last eight games, which is just outstanding. When a guy like that is shooting it that well, we’re pretty tough to guard and he’s pretty tough to guard.”

His game developed to include more scoring in the post this season, something Clark said helped round out Pedersen’s game.

“He scored it in the post more than he has in the past,” Clark said. “His freshman year, all he really did was shoot threes. Last year, he expanded his game and could beat people off the dribble. This year, he could shoot the three, take it off the dribble and get in the post and score.”

Clark said with his ability to score in a variety of ways, Pedersen has turned himself into a solid basketball player.

“He’s got all of the skills, all of the tools to score the basketball,” Clark said. “He’s 6-3, he’s long, he’s athletic. He can go up and dunk the basketball whenever he wants. He has all the tools to be a really good high school basketball player, and he’s going to be a really good college basketball player one day, too.”

Pedersen also ranked second on the team with 53 assists, while leading the Cardinals with 46 steals. His 18 blocked shots ranked second on the team. He finished second with 5.1 rebounds per game for the Cardinals.

“When he really decides to rebound, he rebounds the basketball well,” Clark said. “He really stepped up on that side of things this year, rebounding the basketball when we had to have them. He gets assists. He steals the basketball. He’s just involved all the time with every possession. That’s what it takes for us to be successful.”

Clark said Pedersen will need to continue improving with his left hand next year, and also continue to improve at finishing at the rim.

Stepping into a leadership role on the defensive side of the ball is another area Clark hopes Pedersen can show improvement.

“We talked to him about being more comfortable with his left hand and using that,” Clark said. “There were times during the season he didn’t always finish. I think as his confidence grew and he realized how easy it is to dunk the basketball, I think we’ll see more of that.

“Defensively, the big key for us is how he’s going to lead us defensively and leads in communication. Noah Simon was really that guy for us this year. That’s got to be Peyton next year. He’s got to step up and fill that role if he wants to be successful defensively.”

But Clark also knows that Pedersen will put the time in to improve in those areas, both on his own and playing on the AAU circuit during the spring and summer.

“We’re excited. He’s really good about talking to his teammates about getting in the gym,” Clark said. “Those guys, there’s a group of four or five of them that have gotten together and done things already. He’ll go play AAU this spring and summer and have those guys around him. We have a chance to have another really good year.”