2025 Mount Mercy Men's Basketball Season Preview
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - After a challenging 2024-25 campaign that saw Mount Mercy finish 4–24 overall and 3–21 in Heart of America Conference play, the Mustangs enter the new season with optimism. Head coach Aaron Jennings returns a class led by forward Jaxson Fried, guard Aidan Yamilkoski, and center Jordan Willis, while adding impact transfers Aiden Price and Brayson Laube to an overhauled rotation.
Building Around Fried's All-Conference Caliber Play
Junior forward Jaxson Fried headlines Mount Mercy's returning group after emerging as one of the Heart's most productive players a season ago. Fried averaged 18.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and 38.2 percent from deep — all while starting 23 of 24 games. His ability to stretch the floor and play through contact makes him the focal point of the Mustangs' offense.
Fried's presence will again anchor the frontcourt, but he'll be joined by senior Jordan Willis, a 6-foot-11 center from Sydney, Australia, bringing interior size and rim protection after averaging 3.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last year. Willis' development could be key to improving a Mustang defense that allowed opponents to shoot 47.5 percent from the field in 2024-25.
Yamilkoski and the Perimeter Punch
On the perimeter, Aidan Yamilkoski returns as one of the Heart's most versatile guards. The 6-foot-4 junior started all 24 games last season, averaging 12.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, while knocking down 55 threes. Though streaky at times, Yamilkoski's ability to create off the dribble and space the floor complements Fried's inside game perfectly.
Joining him in the backcourt will be two key newcomers: Brayson Laube and Aiden Price. Laube, a 6-foot-3 guard from Marion, Iowa, transfers in from Emporia State, where in his lone season with the team, appeared in 28 games with 27 starts, shooting 45.4% from the field, including 42% from three, averaging just under 10 points per game. Price, another 6-foot-3 junior from George Fox University, brings athleticism and scoring ability from the wing position. Price would appear in 47 games for the Bruins, starting nine, shooting an impressive 57.6% from the floor, averaging 11.6 points per game.
Filling the Voids of Key Departures
The Mustangs will, however, have to replace the production of Rusmir Hamzic and Cameron Pierson, both of whom provided valuable minutes last season. Hamzic, though limited to six games, averaged 18.8 points per contest and was a dynamic scorer before his midseason departure. Pierson, a steady rotation piece, contributed 2.4 points per game while providing shooting depth off the bench.
Replacing Hamzic's scoring won't be easy, but the Mustangs hope a more balanced approach can offset his absence. Look for veterans like Elijah Ward (7.0 PPG) and Cameron Williams (6.5 PPG) to continue providing leadership and secondary scoring on the perimeter.
Outlook: Experience Meets Urgency
With a veteran roster — including nine upperclassmen — and an infusion of athleticism and shooting from Price and Laube, the Mustangs have the ingredients to climb out of the conference cellar. Fried is a legitimate All-Heart contender, Yamilkoski looks poised for a breakout year, and Willis' presence gives Mount Mercy a true interior anchor.