Picking Tuesday’s Top Games
1.) West Des Moines Valley at Ankeny Centennial Despite losing a majority of their rotation from last season, Centennial is off to a 4-0 start behind the ridiculous shooting of Connor Kasperbauer (13-17 3P, 76.5%). Valley is also 4-0 with…
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Continue Reading1.) West Des Moines Valley at Ankeny Centennial
Despite losing a majority of their rotation from last season, Centennial is off to a 4-0 start behind the ridiculous shooting of Connor Kasperbauer (13-17 3P, 76.5%). Valley is also 4-0 with a great trio of Turner Scott (18.7), Carlo Marble (14.3) and Quinton Curry (10.0). While Marble is a high-level scorer on the wing, I think his defensive ability is the difference here as he finds a way to slow down Kasperbauer in a Valley win.
Winner: West Des Moines Valley
2.) Sioux City East at Sioux City Bishop Heelan
Behind the hot shooting of Connor Murrell (55.1 FG%, 50.0 3P%) and the dominant inside play of Van Rees (15.2 points, 11 rebounds), the Black Raiders have been dominant in their four wins. Heelan has rebounded from a season opening loss to Dowling well, with DeAndre Burnside (23.0) and Elijah Hazekamp (13.8) playing extremely well. I like East’s role players slightly more and give them the small edge in this rivalry game.
Winner: Sioux City East
3.) Cedar Rapids Kennedy at Cedar Rapids Washington
Kennedy has tested themselves early this season, and that experience should come in handy in this rivalry game. Derrick Diggins is a big-time talent for the Cougars and should have no troubles finding his points in this one.
Winner: Cedar Rapids Kennedy
4.) Jesup at Dike-New Hartford
D-NH is off to a nice 4-0 start, with eight players averaging between 5.0-11.0 points per game, and shooting 58.2% from the floor. Jesup is expected to contend in 1A, with a veteran group of guards that takes care of the ball. Playing at home, we’ll give the edge to a strong 2A D-NH team and their balanced scoring attack. Ben Latusak should have his way on the interior for the Wolverines.
Winner: Dike-New Hartford
5.) Des Moines Christian at Earlham
Ben Juhl (20.6 points, 70.9 FG%) and Keaton Van Soelen (17.2 points) provide a dominant duo for the Lions, with versatility and athleticism. While the Lions may have some trouble slowing down Canyon Hopkins on the interior, the versatile duo should be enough to lift DMC to a win.
Winner: Des Moines Christian
6.) Atlantic at Glenwood
A showdown of unbeatens, with both teams entering at 4-0. Glenwood hasn’t really been tested yet, and is 3A’s highest scoring team at 78.5 points a game. Atlantic is holding teams to 41.8 pooints, but they’ve yet to really be tested either. In what I expect to be a tight game, I’ll give Glenwood, the better FT shooting team, the edge. Andrew Blum and Nate Mohr are a combined 29-30 from the FT line.
Winner: Glenwood
7.) West Delaware at Maquoketa
A pair of upstarts in the WaMaC, West Delaware is 4-0 and Maquoketa 4-1. West Delaware has been getting it done on the defensive end, ranking 9th in 3A in points allowed at 45.8, while Maquoketa is 5th in the class in scoring, at 69 points a game. With the game being played at Maquoketa, I think they’re able to dictate tempo and make the Hawks play faster than they want. An up-tempo game favors the Cardinals, and they improve to 5-1 with a win tonight.
Winner: Maquoketa
8.) Dyersville Beckman at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon should get better with each passing game as they get their football players back into basketball shape. Beckman has dropped their two toughest games of the season so far, to West Delaware and Maquoketa, a pair of teams that I figure to be similar to Mount Vernon. Tommy Hook, Connor Herrmann and Austin Ash should be able to get whatever they want tonight at home.
Winner: Mount Vernon
9.) Bettendorf at North Scott
A pair of young MAC teams that are expected to be near the top of the league, I prefer North Scott’s young backcourt of Drew Bofelli and Corvon Seales. This should be a tight game throughout, as neither team has a ton of scoring firepower, but give me the Lancers here in fairly low-scoring game.
Winner: North Scott
10.) Norwalk at Perry
Perry enters this game on a two-game losing streak, and is among the worst defensive teams in 3A, giving up 63.2 points a game, ranking 52nd out of 64 teams. Norwalk isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but they should be able to find some scoring against the Bluejays. As long as the Warriors are able to slow down Shammond Ivory (not allow 30+), they should find a way to sneak out a win here.
Winner: Norwalk
11.) Anamosa at Solon
Anamosa is one of the most tested teams in the state early on, having played Maquoketa, Mount Vernon and Monticello already. The Blue Raiders are without Tyler Zumbach, arguably their biggest matchup problem, and that could be an issue against a Solon team that is playing very well early in the season. The potent Spartan attack, paced by Streeter McIlravy’s 23.3 points a game, should be enough for Solon to get a home win here. Anamosa is a shell of what they will be at the end of the season.
Winner: Solon
12.) West Des Moines Dowling at Waukee
Dowling has the big man to limit Jacob Rau’s effectiveness on the interior in Ted Brown. I like Waukee’s guard trio of Michael Winger, Drew Johnson and Adam Rose better than the Dowling group of guards, and I think that’s what wins this game for Waukee. Rau vs. Brown will be a good watch in the paint, but I trust Coach Ohl to come up with a gameplan to limit Dowling’s offense.
Winner: Waukee
13.) Pleasant Valley at Clinton
Clinton is off to an impressive 3-0 start, but they haven’t seen an elite defensive team like Pleasant Valley. The Spartans will without a doubt come up with a gameplan to slow down Derrick Howard, and their size should be a big issue on the glass for the River Kings. PV dominates the paint en route to another double-digit win.
Winner: Pleasant Valley
14.) Sioux City North at Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
This is the home opener for CBAL, and I think they make a statement here. The interior battle between Tony Bonner and Trent Wilson will be fun to watch, but the Lynx come away with a big home win here behind a big shooting night from Kyle Crowl, who has gotten off to a slow start.
Winner: Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln