While the next chapters are yet to be written in local high school basketball lore, several former hoops standouts have already turned the page by competing at the college level. 

Here’s a roundup of locals playing college hoops this winter. 

In men’s basketball, Columbia High School graduate Dylan Murphy is playing at NCAA Division II St. Leo University in Florida. The 6-foot-7 freshman forward has played in 11 games so far this season, averaging nearly two points per game. He’s made six three-pointers for the Lions.

Another standout prep hoopster from last season, Gibault grad Kameron Hanvey, is a 5-foot-11 freshman guard at NCAA Division III Blackburn College. A vital part of last season’s Hawks state title squad, Hanvey has appeared in 16 games for the Beavers, averaging 1.3 points per game while shooting 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. 

Hanvey’s teammate from last year’s state champion Gibault squad, Kaden Augustine, is a 6-foot-3 freshman guard on a DIII Fontbonne University squad that is 20-8 on the season. He’s played 13 games, averaging 1.5 points per contest. Augustine is shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range.

Also playing Division III hoops is Waterloo High School grad Ty Lenhardt. The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard has played in 26 games this season for Illinois College, averaging 2.5 points per game and shooting 33 percent from three-point range. He played in 11 games last season for the Blue Boys.

Another CHS grad playing college hoops is Glenn Powers. A 6-foot-2 sophomore guard at Division III Millikin University, Powers has appeared in three games this season. He’s a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. 

In women’s basketball, three from Waterloo are showing their hoops skills in various levels of the college game. 

At NCAA Division II Missouri S&T, WHS grad Norah Gum is a 6-foot-tall freshman forward. Gum has played in 28 games this season, averaging 5.3 points per game with a season-high 13 points scored Nov. 30 against Quincy University. She is shooting 73 percent (35-for-48) from the free throw line.

Following a record-setting prep career at Gibault, Ashlyn Wightman has done the same at Division III Illinois College. The 6-foot-tall senior center is averaging 11.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season in addition to a school record 69 blocks. That total is a single-season record at Illinois College, and Wightman also holds the career blocks record at the school. 

A teammate with Gum at WHS, Sam Lindhorst is enjoying a successful freshman season at Lincoln Land Community College. She has played in 28 games so far for the Loggers – who are 23-5 – averaging 10.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and  2.7 steals per contest. 

Hopefully more local hoopsters will jump to the next level and play on college courts next season.