Ten Best: Waterloo West (65) at Dubuque Hempstead (86)
No. 8 Dubuque Hempstead 86, Waterloo West 65
One of the state’s hottest teams kept rolling on Tuesday night, as Dubuque Hempstead won their ninth straight game, 86-65, over visiting Waterloo West.
A deep and talented crew, Hempstead was in control throughout the game, using a 19-4 first quarter run to blow the game open early. They never looked back, taking advantage of a porous Waterloo West defense to routinely get to the rim for layups, both in the halfcourt and in transition.
Hempstead, which has risen to No. 8 in our latest Class 4A rankings, improves to 13-3 with the win. They were led by Curtis Martin III, who had 22 points off the bench. Connor Duax and Tyler Cooksley added 17 a piece, and Keith Johnson had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Waterloo West (8-5) was led by Carondis Harris-Anderson, who had a game-high 25 points in the loss.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Waterloo West | 12 | 16 | 15 | 22 | 65 |
Dubuque Hempstead | 25 | 25 | 18 | 18 | 86 |
Waterloo West: Carondis Harris-Anderson 25, Jaquan O’Neal 9, Carlton Todd 7, Nicholas Pepin 6, Isaiah Johnson 6, Devon Moore 4, Tyreek Green 4, Kalen Burt 4
Dubuque Hempstead: Curtis Martin III 22, Connor Duax 17, Tyler Cooksley 17, Keith Johnson 11, Marshon Crowder 6, Lucas Duax 5, Will Courtney 4, Trevor Sindberg 2, Jordan Kemp 2
MVP: Tyler Cooksley (Dubuque Hempstead)
Cooksley helped set the tone for Hempstead, knocking down a pair of first quarter 3s during the big 19-4 run that blew the game open from nearly opening tip. The 6-3 shooting guard was 7-10 from the floor en route to his 17 points, and also had four rebounds and four assists. He’s got a quick release on his jumper, moves well without the ball and his hot start really helped carry the Mustangs in this one.
Play of the game: Marshon Crowder drive and dish to Keith Johnson for the dunk
Crowder, who made a big impact off the bench for Hempstead, ended the third quarter in a big way by breaking down his defender, getting into the paint and dropping off a pretty pass to Keith Johnson, who threw it down with authority to end the quarter and give the Mustangs a 25-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Best offensive performance: Carondis Harris-Anderson (Waterloo West)
Harris-Anderson’s performance shouldn’t get overshadowed by the blowout loss, as he was sensational on the offensive end, particularly in the second half. A 6-3 junior guard, his jumper has improved dramatically since I first saw him as a freshman, and he’s a legitimate scorer now. He can shoot and score from anywhere on the floor, showed a nice turnaround jumper from the baseline and also had a great baseline drive that he turned into an explosive dunk through contact. A great athlete, it’s nice to see him developing into a big-time scoring threat with all-around offensive ability.
Best defensive performance: Connor Duax (Dubuque Hempstead)
The 6-5 senior wing made a major impact on both ends of the floor, scoring 17 and turning in a very good defensive effort. He had three steals and a block, and his length makes things difficult for whoever he’s defending. Keith Johnson, Marshon Crowder and Curtis Martin III were all very solid on the defensive end for the Mustangs as well, but Duax gets the nod here.
Best shooter: Carondis Harris-Anderson (Waterloo West)
We’ve already discussed Harris-Anderson in the offensive performance section, but his shooting really was top-notch in this game. He was fantastic in the second half, hitting stepback jumpers, 3s, turnaround jumpers, etc. His form is smooth, he gets good elevation on his shot and has extended range.
Best rebounder: Keith Johnson (Dubuque Hempstead)
The 6-5 combo forward was dominant on the glass on both ends of the floor, pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds, including six offensive. He’s relentless on the glass on both ends, has a quick second jump and great hands. He’s also a threat to take it coast-to-coast after pulling down a defensive rebound.
Best underclassman: Nick Pepin (Waterloo West)
Pepin didn’t have a great night, but the freshman point guard is tough as nails, a capable shooter from the arc and runs the team effectively. He had to get medically taken care of twice, once a cut to the mouth and once blood on his elbow after running into the scorer’s table after a loose ball. He plays hard on both ends of the floor, is a good passer and can score from anywhere.
Best player off the bench: Curtis Martin III (Dubuque Hempstead)
Martin III, who came in averaging 5.1 points a game, scored 22 points in the game on 10-13 shooting. He was routinely in attack mode when he was on the floor, on both ends of the court. He was able to get to the rim at ease, got into the ball handler’s jersey on the defensive end and just made good things happen every minute he was in the game.
Stat of the game: 13 Dubuque Hempstead offensive rebounds
The Mustangs pulled down 13 offensive boards, gaining plenty of extra possessions. Keith Johnson was responsible for six of them, and the 13 offensive boards helped them gain an overwhelming 38-25 edge overall on the glass. They were the more aggressive team in every phase of the game, as evidenced here.
Story to watch moving forward: Can Hempstead make their first state tournament?
A team I had pegged as a sleeper heading into the season, Hempstead has lived up to my expectations and maybe even more with a 13-3 record and the No. 8 ranking in the state. Can they now turn that into their first ever state tournament berth? A probable substate final meeting with No. 2 Dubuque Senior looms, but this team certainly has the pieces to get it done.