Ten Best: Cedar Falls (76) at Cedar Rapids Prairie (73)

[caption id="attachment_117217" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cedar Falls star A.J. Green had 29 points in the win[/caption] <span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 1.1em;"><strong>Cedar Falls 76, Cedar Rapids Prairie 73</strong></span> Cedar Falls held off a late, furious rally from Cedar Rapids Prairie on Friday night, advancing to Tuesday night's substate final win a 76-73 win. The Tigers jumped out to a quick 11-1 lead behind the hot shooting of star guard A.J. Green, who knocked down his first four shots of the night and scored Cedar Falls' first 11 points. The Tigers dominated the first three quarters of the game, entering the final eight minutes with a 17-point lead, 59-42. After going stagnant for a while and allowing Prairie to get within nine, the Tigers pushed the lead back to 13 with 4:30 left in the game. Unable to get the ball into the hands of Green, they started to crumble against Prairie's pressure, allowing the Hawks to close within three with 14.7 seconds to play. Isaiah Johnson hit a pair of free throws to give the Tigers a five point lead, and Prairie just ran out of time. Cedar Falls (16-7) moves on to Tuesday's substate final against Cedar Rapids Kennedy. That game will be played at the US Cellular Center, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 p.m. The winner will go to the state tournament. The Tigers were led by A.J. Green, who scored 29 points (20 in the first half). Isaiah Johnson added 19 and Logan Wolf had 11. Prairie ends one of their best seasons in recent memory with a 14-8 record. They were led by Max Smith Drahos, who had a game-high 30 points, with 14 coming in the fourth quarter rally. Griff Clark added 18 points and Keegan Murray had 11. &nbsp; <table style="height: 131px;" width="749"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Team</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>1Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>3Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>4Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 119px; text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>F</strong></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><strong>Cedar Falls</strong></td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"> 21</td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"> 22</td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"> 16</td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"> 17</td> <td style="width: 119px; text-align: center;"> 76</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"><strong>Cedar Rapids Prairie</strong></td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;">12</td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;">16</td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"> 14</td> <td style="width: 118px; text-align: center;"> 31</td> <td style="width: 119px; text-align: center;"> 73</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <strong>Cedar Falls:</strong> A.J. Green 29, Isaiah Johnson 19, Logan Wolf 11, Ben Gerdes 8, Jackson Frericks 6, Jack Campbell 2, Reese Gardner 1 <strong>Cedar Rapids Prairie:</strong> Max Smith Drahos 30, Griff Clark 18, Keegan Murray 11, Jake Eilers 6, Kris Murray 6, Darren Kilpatrick 2 &nbsp; <strong>MVP: A.J. Green (Cedar Falls)</strong> The 6-3 junior guard is one of the Midwest's best prospects in the 2018 class, and his performance in the first half showed exactly why. He's capable of getting his own shot whenever he wants, has incredible range and is one of the best shooters off the dribble that I've ever seen. He went 11-15 from the floor, including a perfect 6-6 from the arc. His ability to create and make shots puts him on another level. He can play pretty much anywhere in the country, and the high-major offers should really start flowing with another strong summer with one of the nation's best grassroots teams, the Iowa Barnstormers, now playing on the adidas circuit. <strong>Best offensive performance: A.J. Green (Cedar Falls)</strong> He was efficient, and he scored in a big way from the arc and the mid-range. A phenomenal shooter who is nearly impossible to defend at this level with his ability to create his own shot and get it off whenever he wants. He's a great ball handler, has good footwork and he brings the ball back behind his head on his release, making it extremely tough to defend. Going 11-15 from the floor when every shot is a jumper speaks for itself. <strong>Best defensive performance: Isaiah Johnson (Cedar Falls)</strong> In addition to being one of the key pieces slowing down the potent shooting of Jake Eilers, Johnson came away with six steals on the night. His defensive effort on a number of Hawks was critical, and he was able to routinely get his hands on passes, disrupting the flow of Prairie's offense. A long, 6-3 wing, he's a physical defender who is able to guard players much taller, while also being able to stay in front of quicker guards. <strong>Best rebounder: Isaiah Johnson (Cedar Falls)</strong> A physical player, Johnson isn't afraid to stick his nose in the paint and compete on the glass. He pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, using his length and athleticism to outleap people to the ball. He does a nice job making solid contact on his box outs, and is able to rebound both in and out of his area. <strong>Best passer: Logan Wolf (Cedar Falls)</strong> The sophomore guard showed off some impressive court vision, dishing out a game-high four assists in the win. He does a nice job probing the defense, getting into the paint and making the defense collapse, then finding teammates for layups. <strong>Best shooter: A.J. Green (Cedar Falls)</strong> As mentioned in a pair of other superlatives, Green went 11-15 on the night, and each of those shots was a jumper. He was 6-6 from behind the arc and 5-9 on mid-range pullup jumpers. He's one of the best shooters not only in the state, but across the country as well, particularly off the dribble. <strong>Best underclassman: Keegan Murray (Cedar Rapids Prairie)</strong> Wolf can make a strong argument here as well, but Keegan Murray has a special feeling about him. The sophomore guard can really shoot the ball, moves well off of it and has a quick release. He's going to score a lot of points in the next few seasons for the Hawks. <strong>Prairie's best: Max Smith Drahos</strong> The Prairie senior guard went out with a bang, ending his career with a game-high 30 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter to help fuel their near-comeback. A strong, physical guard, he excels at getting to the rim and finishing either around or through contact. He showcased a nice mid-range game with good footwork, and also knocked down two of his three 3-point attempts. <strong>Prairie's best Pt. II: Griff Clark</strong> Clark, a junior guard who will be one of the best players in the MVC next season, put up 18 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Like Smith Drahos, he is good at getting to the rim or mid-range and finishing, and he's a competitive player who will bang in the paint and compete on the glass. A big threat to take the ball coast-to-coast after pulling down a defensive board, he's a fearless player who will compete against anyone. <strong>What to watch in Cedar Falls' substate final: The A.J. Green show</strong> Going back to last season, Green has been sensational in all of the Tigers' biggest games. The star guard steps up in a big way on the biggest stage, and should he do so again, they should be favored to advance back to the state tournament over Kennedy.