The Iola-Scandinavia boys’ basketball team was met with high expectations going into the 2025-2026 season. In the 2024-2025 campaign the Thunderbirds post an 18-6 record, including going 11-3 in the Central Wisconsin Conference-East. Currently, Iola holds a record of 16-4, while being 9-3 in the CWC-East in large part due to the contributions of senior RJ Opperman.
Opperman was already a key player for the Thunderbirds in his junior season averaging nine points a game. This season he has stepped up his scoring output with 13.4 points per game and dishing out 2.7 assists per contest as well.
Starting basketball in kindergarten, RJ’s parents got him involved in hoops at a young age, “ever since I was young most of my life has revolved around basketball.”
RJ has stuck with the sport for so long because of the joy that it brings him, “I love the feeling that basketball can give. Running out of the tunnel for warm-ups, hitting a big three, or the sensation of victory. The adrenaline rush that basketball brings is what keeps me going.”
Staying cool under pressure has been RJ’s biggest asset while competing; “I like to think that I am usually a pretty calm person. I don’t get too high on the good things and not too low when things aren’t going my way. When there is pressure I don’t get too nervous. Don’t get me wrong I sometimes have my moments when I don’t agree with a call, but for the most part I am pretty calm.”
RJ believes his team’s camaraderie is something he will remember from his time at Iola-Scandinavia, “Spending time with our team outside of the court. We have a pretty tight group that gets along with each other. Getting dinner with the team or laughing at Robbins’s ridiculous comments are some of the most fun you will have.”
Looking back at the hard work he has put in, RJ appreciates the sacrifice his parents have made, “I’d like to shout out my dad for always pushing me to be the best. Before we had our shooting machine my dad would come in and rebound for me early in the morning. He would help me with finishing drills and sacrifice a lot of his own time to help me be the best version of myself.”
The growth of both RJ, and the Thunderbirds during his time in high school have been apparent to him, “I like to look back and see how far our team has come. I was a freshman on our team when we only won three games, and I am fortunate for that. I was able to learn a lot from that year. It helped me realize very early on that there is always work to be done. This year I learned to not take anything for granted, as our team has gone through a lot of adversity. Dealing with injuries and events that prevented our team from all being there helped me realize that tomorrow isn’t promised, and to be very thankful for what I have.”
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