CEDAR FALLS — In a top-10 battle in Class 4A on Tuesday night, it was #8 Waterloo West who looked like the top team in the state, dismantling #1 Cedar Falls, 79-55. The two-time defending champion Tigers got on the…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inCEDAR FALLS — In a top-10 battle in Class 4A on Tuesday night, it was #8 Waterloo West who looked like the top team in the state, dismantling #1 Cedar Falls, 79-55.
The two-time defending champion Tigers got on the board first, but it was all Wahawks after that, leading 13-10 after the first quarter, 29-22 at the half and then blowing it open in the second half en route to an extremely impressive win.
Cedar Falls is a fairly inexperienced team, with just one starter returning, but they’re loaded with talent and should still be fine. After all, last year’s state championship winning team suffered a season-opening loss to West as well. But this is a dynamic West team that established themselves as a legitimate contender in 4A with this win. They’ve always been loaded with talent, the issue has been effort and playing with consistency. If they play with the type of energy they brought on Tuesday night on a nightly basis, they’ll be extremely tough to beat.
West (2-0) was led by Isaiah Johnson, who scored a game-high 22 points. Caleb Haag added 19 and Daquavian Walker had 18 in the win. Jaden Keller chipped in 9 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists for the Wahawks.
Cedar Falls (0-1) was led by Josh Ollendieck, who had 16 points. Landon Wolf had 14 in his first varsity game.
Below we take a look at some of the top prospects from each team.
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
| West | 13 | 16 | 22 | 28 | 79 |
| Cedar Falls | 10 | 12 | 14 | 19 | 55 |
West: Isaiah Johnson 22, Caleb Haag 19, Daquavian Walker 18, Jaden Keller 9, Amir Kulijuhovic 8, Antonio Alexander 3
Cedar Falls: Josh Ollendieck 16, Landon Wolf 14, Trey Campbell 8, Ben Sernett 4, Chase Courbat 4, Jaxon Heth 3, Carter Janssen 2, Joe Knutson 2
West
6-1 Daquavian Walker (2020)
The 6-1 lead guard is incredibly quick with the ball in his hands, getting coast-to-coast in the blink of an eye. He has long arms and applied constant pressure while playing on-ball defense, really making opposing ball handlers work hard for everything. He competes on the glass and looks to push tempo after pulling down a defensive board. He’s a capable shooter, but is at his best on the offensive end when he’s attacking the rim. He finished with 18 points and 6 rebounds, and he got his hands on a slew of passes.
6-3 Caleb Haag (2020)
Haag played probably the best game we’ve seen him play in this one, finishing with 19 points on 7-10 shooting (3-6 3P), and that’s the type of efficiency that a player with his talent, frame and athleticism should be able to exist fairly consistently. A big, physical wing who has really improved his jumper, he showed much improved shot selection, taking what the defense was giving him and making them pay. He has the strength to finish at the rim against anyone, and if he’s playing like this all year, West is going to be really tough to defend.
6-3 Isaiah Johnson (2020)
Like Walker, Johnson was looking to attack constantly. He’s a little bigger than Walker, but he plays in a similar fashion, looking to attack the rim, playing downhill. He made a pair of 3s in the win, showing an improved jumper, but the strength of his game is most certainly using his quickness and athleticism to get into the paint and finish. He finished with a game-high 22 points on 7-11 shooting (6-8 at the line).
Keller looked to attack early on, having a couple of tough finishes through contact in the first half, but he reverted more to his usual style of play in the second half. He’s a great rebounder for a wing, and he’s an outstanding passer who sees the floor really well and likes to get his teammates involved. He finished with 9 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists.
6-5 Amar Kuljuhovic (2021)
The younger brother of former West big man Amel Kuljuhovic (currently playing at Southern), Amar has great footwork and touch around the rim. A true back-to-the-basket big man with an array of post moves, he’s a throwback forward who you can dump the ball down to and let him go to work. He was 4-4 from the floor off the bench, finishing with 8 points.
Cedar Falls
6-3 Josh Ollendieck (2020)
The Truman State signee did what he usually does – knock down jumpers. He was 3-8 from the arc in the loss, showcasing his quick release and extended range on his shot. He moves really well without the ball, has good offensive awareness and is a really good shooter off the catch, getting his feet set and squared. He finished with 16 points on the night, and should have a really strong senior season. He has great length and is a versatile defender.
6-4 Trey Campbell (2022)
One of a handful of players making their varsity debuts, Campbell showed some flashes, and he’s going to be a really good player down the line. A long, wiry lead guard, he sees the floor well and handled the on-ball pressure that Daquavian Walker put on him fairly well. He’s a really good athlete who likes to get to the rim, and he moves really well off the ball on the offensive end. He had a few backcuts for layups and finished with 8 points and 4 rebounds on the night. There is a lot of potential here, he just needs to start playing more aggressively, which will come.
6-5 Landon Wolf (2021)
The younger brother of former standout Logan Wolf, Landon had a strong varsity debut, finishing with 14 points and going 4-7 from behind the arc. An extremely confident shooter from deep, he showed the ability to do so both off the dribble and the catch. He does a nice job moving off the ball, finding spaces in the defense to get his shot off. He’s got good size at 6-5 and is a well-built wing who can also score around the rim.
Janssen sees the floor extremely well and is a really gifted passer. He plays similarly to how Jaden Keller plays for West, taking shots when they’re there, but looking to get his teammates involved primarily. At 6-6, he has great size for a facilitator. He had 3 assists in limited action off the bench and is the type of player that the offense can certainly run through.
6-8 Joe Knutson (2021)
Knutson comes off the bench for the Tigers, giving them a big body to replace spell Chase Courbat. He’s a big, physical forward who has improved his athleticism. He’s the type of player you can dump the ball down to and play through him on the block. He sees the floor well and passes before the double comes. He also does a great job freeing up his teammates, setting good, hard and legal screens. He recently picked up an offer from Truman State.
One of the highest ranked players in the state in the 2021 class, the 6-9 center does a lot of things that don’t show up in the box score. He’s a tremendous defender who understands positioning, communicates and defends the post well. He has to start getting more involved on the offensive end, however, because the production simply isn’t there for a player of his caliber. He has the skill set to be a dominant two-way player, and while the Tigers have a lot of talent around him and they’ll be balanced, he needs to be more assertive and command the ball on the offensive end of the floor. He finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds and a block.
5-10 Jaxon Heth (2020)
Heth had a rough shooting night after knocking down his first 3, but he’s a confident shooter with a quick release and extended range. A solid ball handler and decision maker, he should find a home at a D3 somewhere with his shooting and all-around ability.
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