Postseason Preview: Class 3A, Substate 8
The favorite: Carroll is the top seeded team in the substate, carrying a 17-4 record into the postseason. The Tigers have lost to two teams in the group, Denison-Schleswig (74-69 in overtime) and Winterset (55-46), but still have to…
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The favorite: Carroll is the top seeded team in the substate, carrying a 17-4 record into the postseason. The Tigers have lost to two teams in the group, Denison-Schleswig (74-69 in overtime) and Winterset (55-46), but still have to be considered the favorite here. Four double figure scorers lead this group, headlined by Jang Jioklow (14.4), an efficient forward who also leads the team in assists. The Tigers are able to put quite a bit of shooting around Jioklow, with Karter Lein (12.7, 42 3PM, 49.4 3P%), Buomkuoth Lol (10.6, 28 3PM, 34.6%), Colby Vincent (11.4, 34 3PM, 32.4%) and Colby Christensen (4.4, 24 3PM, 43.6%). This is a tricky substate for the Tigers to navigate, as you could make fairly solid arguments for at least four of the teams in the group, but as the top seed, they get the benefit of the doubt here.
The biggest threat: The hottest team in the substate is Denison-Schleswig, who have won eight straight games entering postseason play. The Monarchs are led by one of the best inside-out combinations in the state in a pair of juniors, Goanar Biliew (17.9, 67.3 FG%) and Charlie Wiebers (16.7, 38.4 3P%). Biliew, a 6-8 forward, has been one of the breakout stars around the state, averaging 10.3 rebounds and over three blocks a game, while Wiebers is a dangerous shooter and playmaker who dishes out 4.5 assists a game and over three steals. Dawson Dorhout (6.8, 41.8 3P%) is a knockdown shooter to put alongside that duo. As the hottest team in the group, the Monarchs are the favorite to emerge from the bottom half of the bracket, and they beat Carroll earlier this season.
Two more contenders: Glenwood is the defending champion in 3A, and with three key players back from that group, the Rams have to be considered a real threat here. Christian Stanislav (21.2) is the most dangerous individual scorer in the group, an athletic wing who can score at all three levels. Zach Carr (15.6) is a talented lead guard who gets to the rim and is a playmaker, and Ryan Blum (14.1) is a combo forward capable of dominating around the bucket or stretching out to the arc. The Rams have had a bit of an up-and-down season, losing four of the last seven games, but they’re as talented as any other team in this substate. Winterset has an explosive offense, ranking 10th in 3A at 66.1 points a game, and the Huskies have the firepower to outscore any team in this substate. They’ve won nine of their last 11 games, with the two losses coming by a combined three points. They have a trio of dangerous guards, headlined by junior Easton Darling (20.5), a high level scorer. Casey Kleemeier (14.8, 108 assists) is a talented playmaker, and Hunter Farr (7.3, 37 3PM) gives them another shooter. The Huskies split their season series with Carroll, who they’ll likely face in the substate semifinal.
The dark horse: Perennial power Harlan is led by Brett Sears (14.1) and has six other players averaging between 5.1 and 9.5 points a game. Coach Mitch Osborn is retiring after the year, and while he hasn’t ruled out a return to coaching, this could be his last rodeo, so you can beat that Harlan is going to be playing hard and will be a tough out.
Players to watch
2019 Jang Kioklow, Carroll
2019 Buomkuoth Lol, Carroll
2020 Colby Vincent, Carroll
2020 Karter Lein, Carroll
2019 Christian Stanislav, Glenwood
2020 Zach Carr, Glenwood
2021 Ryan Blum, Glenwood
2019 Chase Mullenix, Atlantic
2020 Tyler Moen, Atlantic
2020 Goanar Biliew, Denison-Schleswig
2020 Charlie Wiebers, Denison-Schleswig
2019 Kylan Smallwood, Creston
2020 Easton Darling, Winterset
2019 Casey Kleemeier, Winterset
2019 Brett Sears, Harlan
2020 Brendan Ivory, Perry
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Carroll vs. Denison-Schleswig
This will be one of the best 3A substate finals if it materializes, and it’s a real coin flip of a game. Denison-Schleswig has already beaten the Tigers, but we think Carroll gets their revenge here and punches a State ticket in a classic final.