Class 1A State Tournament Preview
[player_tooltip player_id="801859" first="Chett" last="Helming"] #1 seed: Lake Mills (23-2) About the Bulldogs: Lake Mills entered the season ranked #1 by us here at Prep Hoops Iowa, and they’ve been really strong this season behind an explosive offensive attack that…
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Continue Reading[player_tooltip player_id="801859" first="Chett" last="Helming"]
#1 seed: Lake Mills (23-2)
About the Bulldogs: Lake Mills entered the season ranked #1 by us here at Prep Hoops Iowa, and they’ve been really strong this season behind an explosive offensive attack that ranks 3rd in 1A, averaging 72.9 points a game. The ‘Dogs rolled through postseason play, winning their three games by an average of 23.7 points a game, and they’ve posted solid wins over Bishop Garrigan, Forest City, Osage and Turkey Valley, among others. They’re led by the perimeter tandem of Dashawn Linnen (19.6 points per game) and
Chett Helming
Chett
Helming
6'4" | SF
Lake Mills | 2020
State
IA
(19.4). Linnen is more of a slasher with remarkable efficiency, shooting 60.6% from the floor, while the 6-6 Helming can score inside and out and has the length and athleticism to really impact the game on both ends of the floor. Caleb Bacon (10.6) is an undersized forward at 6-2, but pulls down 8.9 rebounds a game, and Colby Groe (6.5) has been outstanding with the ball this year, dishing out 142 assists against just 23 turnovers. As a team, the Bulldogs have 555 assists against 263 turnovers, so they share the ball extremely well. This team is deep and has tested themselves, and earned the #1 seed.
Why they can win it all: In Linnen and Helming, this group has the go-to scorers that are needed to get a bucket when it’s tough to come by at State. This team has lost just twice, to Bishop Garrigan and Forest City, by a combined 9 points this year, and is loaded with talent and more depth than most 1A teams have.
Chances they win it all: 30%. Despite being the #1 seed, the ‘Dogs actually got a really tricky draw here. If they get by a solid Wapsie Valley team in the opening round, they could have the best backcourt in 1A basketball (Montezuma) waiting for them before a potential round 3 against Bishop Garrigan in the final. It’s a gauntlet, but this is the favorite and for good reason.
[player_tooltip player_id="796104" first="Angelo" last="Winkel"]
#2 seed: Bishop Garrigan (22-2)
About the Golden Bears: The Golden Bears have rebounded extremely well this year after a disappointing end to last season, losing to Montezuma in the state quarterfinals, in a game they were never really competitive in. They’ve lost just twice this season, a 2-point defeat at the hands of 3A Algona, and an 18-point loss to Lake Mills, who they split with this season. They have the second highest scoring offense in the field at 72.6 points a game, paced by three double figure scorers in
Angelo Winkel
Angelo
Winkel
6'9" | C
Bishop Garrigan | 2021
State
IA
(18.9),
Cade Winkel
Cade
Winkel
6'4" | PF
Bishop Garrigan | 2020
State
IA
(16.3) and
John Joyce
John
Joyce
6'3" | PG
Bishop Garrigan | 2020
State
IA
(13.9). Angelo, a 6-9 junior forward, is one of the top 2021 prospects in the state, with a great blend of athleticism, size and skill. Older brother Cade is more of a traditional big man, while Joyce is the straw that stirs the drink, a lead guard with good size at 6-2. Marcus Plathe (9.3) gives them even more interior size at 6-4, but the most important piece at State could end up being Cameron Baade (6.8), the shooting guard who leads the team with 51 made 3s (at a 40.8% clip). He’ll need to be making shots to take some of the pressure off of the big men, and prevent teams from sagging into the paint and double or triple teaming Winkel.
Why they can win it all: They have overwhelming size for a 1A school, with a starting lineup that goes 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, 6-9 and 6-4. They will control the glass in each game they play, and they’ve 11-1 against 1A competition this season with an average point margin of 26.8 points a game. Of course, the competition will be tougher in Des Moines, but this team has dominated small school competition this year and is on a mission.
Chances they win it all: 25%. The Golden Bears are the favorite to come out of the bottom part of the bracket, as their overwhelming size and talent should be enough to dominate games on the glass and control contests against the rest of the teams down there. Then it could be Round 3 against Lake Mills in the championship, which would be a lot of fun.
[player_tooltip player_id="801883" first="Spencer" last="Schorg"]
#3 seed: Remsen, St. Mary’s (22-3)
About the Hawks: After back-to-back fourth place finishes, the Hawks finished third at State last year, and are on a mission to make it to Championship Friday this time around. Leading scorer
Spencer Schorg
Spencer
Schorg
6'1" | PG
St. Mary's, Remsen | 2020
State
IA
(16.5), a talented 6-1 scoring guard, is a four-year contributor for the Hawks and is playing in his fourth state tournament, making him the most experienced player in the field. He’s a versatile scorer who can get the job done from all three levels. He also leads the team in assists and steals. Skyler Waldschmitt (10.6) and Brayden Ricke (8.0) are also players with plenty of state tournament experience. Unlike the top two seeded teams in the field, St. Mary’s is a defensive-oriented team that routinely ranks within the top 5-10 in 1A in scoring defense – they rank 6th this year, allowing just 41.0 points a game.
Why they can win it all: Nobody in the field is more experienced than the Hawks, who are making their fourth straight state tournament appearance. They’re a disciplined group who can really lock up defensively, and they’re comfortable playing in the slower paced, grind-it-out style games that the state tournament generally brings.
Chances they win it all: 15%. They’re a strong team, but they’ll have difficulty getting through the size of Bishop Garrigan in the semifinals. Big, athletic Grand View Christian teams have been their downfall in the past, and while Bishop Garrigan isn’t as athletic, they’re just as big.
[player_tooltip player_id="796108" first="Trey" last="Shearer"]
#4 seed: Montezuma (23-2)
About the Braves: Montezuma has the best backcourt in 1A basketball, led by the best player in 1A basketball,
Trey Shearer
Trey
Shearer
5'10" | PG
Montezuma | 2021
State
IA
(25.5). The junior guard has committed to play college ball at Truman State, and is a dynamic playmaking guard who had an exceptional showing at State last year when he dropped 25 points on 8-14 shooting (5-5 3P) with 6 assists in their opening win over Bishop Garrigan. Their two losses this year came against solid 2A teams (Albia, PCM) by a combined five points, both in overtime. They have the most efficient offense in the field, with 54-39-75 shooting splits as a team.
Cole Watts
Cole
Watts
5'10" | SG
Montezuma | 2021
State
IA
(18.4, 71 3PM) is Shearer’s primary running mate in the backcourt, a strong guard who can absolutely torch teams if they give him an inch of space. Masin Shearer (8.4), freshman brother of Trey, gives them another shooter. Only Springville is shooting a higher percentage from 3 (39.3 to 39.1%), and no team has made more 3s than the Braves (200). 6-4 sophomore forward Eddie Burgess (11.0) will be a huge key for them next week, as he’s the only size they have, and the center piece of their 2-3 zone. He’s an athletic big man who pulls down 10.3 rebounds a game.
Why they can win it all: They have the best backcourt in 1A basketball, and they’ll have the best player on the floor in each game they play. Guard play wins at the high school level, and nobody will have better guard play in the 1A tournament.
Chances they win it all: 13%. The Braves have excellent shooting and a dynamic, playmaking leader. Depth could be a major question, however, as the bench has only scored about 4% of the team’s points this year.
Trey Baker
#5 seed: Martensdale-St. Mary’s (23-3)
About the Blue Devils: Knowing that the Pride of Iowa wasn’t going to prepare them very well for postseason play, the Devils went out and scheduled tough in the non-conference, with games against Woodward-Granger, Ankeny Christian, Webster City, Winterset, Panorama and Knoxville, among others. That scheduling paid off, as they punched their first state tournament ticket with a win over Mount Ayr. They’re led by 6-4 junior wing Trey Baker (17.2), an explosive scoring wing with good length and size.
Isaac Gavin
Isaac
Gavin
6'10" | C
Martensdale-St Marys | 2020
State
IA
(13.3) gives them a ton of size on the interior at 6-10, while
Carson Elbert
Carson
Elbert
6'3" | SF
Martensdale-St. Marys | 2021
State
IA
(11.8),
Jack Franey
Jack
Franey
5'7" | PG
Martensdale-St. Marys | 2021
State
IA
(10.5) and Hogan Franey (9.2) give them some more scoring punch.
Jack Franey
Jack
Franey
5'7" | PG
Martensdale-St. Marys | 2021
State
IA
has been one of the best lead guards in 1A this season, dishing out 174 assists against just 54 turnovers, and that type of ball protection is key at State.
Why they can win it all: With Gavin, they have plenty of size, and they average 10 offensive rebounds a game. Getting extra possessions is huge in these tournament games, and that is a way they can grab some. They may have the most balanced offensive attack in the tournament as well.
Chances they win it all: 7.5%. This team is talented, but in the 5-seed, they have a really tough draw. A team that starts a sophomore, three juniors and a senior, however, they’ll be right back in the running next year.
#6 seed: West Fork (23-2)
About the Warhawks: One of the best 1A programs this decade, West Fork punched their fourth State ticket since 2011 with a win over Ankeny Christian. Both of their losses this year have come to good 2A teams, Dike-New Hartford and Osage, and they shoot over 50% from the floor as a team. Kayden Ames (14.5, 42.5 3P%) and
Ian Latham
Ian
Latham
5'11" | PG
West Fork | 2020
State
IA
(10.0, 44.3 3P%) give them a dynamic shooting backcourt, while Jakob Washington (12.0, 8.3 rebounds) is a nightly double-double threat who can piece together three strong games next week. The issue for this team could come at the free throw line, where they shoot just 58.9% as a team, and in state tournament games, you need to be money at the charity stripe.
Why they can win it all: With seven players who average at least 5.9 points a game, they have the type of depth few teams in 1A have. Ames and Latham are great shooters, and while he’s undersized at 6-2, Washington is the type of forward who doesn’t back down from anyone and plays much bigger than listed.
Chances they win it all: 7.5%. Good depth and dynamic shooting, but a tough draw against a very experienced St. Mary’s team in the first round.
#7 seed: Springville (20-5)
About the Orioles: One of the best shooting teams in 1A, the Orioles shoot 39.3% from behind the arc as a team, led by the duo of Alex Koppes (19.7, 44.7 3P%) and Rhenden Wagaman (14.5, 43.0%). This is a young group that starts two sophomores (Wagaman, Luke Menster), two juniors (Koppes, Bryce Wilson) and a senior (Kyle Koppes), so experience is a bit of an issue, as this group isn’t really used to playing in too many big games yet, but they navigated a tricky postseason draw without issues. They like to apply constant pressure on the defensive end, throwing a variety of different zone pressing looks at opposing teams. They average 14 steals a game and try to turn games into track meets, where they can take advantage of the plethora of scoring options they have. Menster (12.1) and Kyle Koppes (10.6) are also solid scoring options for this group.
Why they can win it all: In Alex Koppes, Rhenden Wagaman and Kyle Koppes, the Orioles have a lot of perimeter shooting, and despite not having much traditional size, they’re long, quick and create chaos on the defensive end.
Chances they win it all: 1%. They got a brutal draw in the opening round against Bishop Garrigan and the insane amount of size that the Golden Bears can put on the floor. They’ll really need to shoot the lights out if they’re going to make a deep run.
#8 seed: Wapsie Valley (18-7)
About the Warriors: Of the teams that qualified for State, the Warriors have played the toughest schedule, according to BC Moore’s power rankings system. They play in the largely 2A North Iowa Cedar League, so they’ve cut their teeth against larger schools throughout the year. They’re led by 6-7 senior forward Kiks Rosengarten (19.2), a double-double machine who is also averaging 12.4 rebounds a game, and shooting 52.6% from the floor. In addition to his scoring and rebounding, he has blocked 65 shots on the season, and that type of interior presence has become a rarity in modern basketball. The Warriors also have a really strong duo of guards in the backcourt – Kobe Risse (9.8) and Blayde Bellis (10.6) – who have combined to dish out 264 assists against 122 turnovers this season. That type of ball protection is key at State, where every possession will matter.
Why they can win it all: They’ve played the most difficult schedule of any team in the field, and in Rosengarten, they have a player who can control the game on both ends of the floor. This isn’t a team that is great from the arc (32.4% as a team, which ranks last of the eight teams), but the Bellis-Risse-Rosengarten trio is strong and can win this group games.
Chances they win it all: 1%. Yes, they’ve played a tough schedule, but they’re the #8 seed for a reason. The road to the title coming out of the #8 hole is really difficult.
Staff Picks
Tony
Quarterfinals: Lake Mills, Montezuma, Bishop Garrigan, St. Mary’s
Semifinals: Lake Mills, Bishop Garrigan
Champion: Lake Mills
Josh
Quarterfinals: Lake Mills, Montezuma, Bishop Garrigan, St. Mary’s
Semifinals: Lake Mills, Bishop Garrigan
Champion: Lake Mills
Adam
Quarterfinals: Lake Mills, Montezuma, Bishop Garrigan, St. Mary’s
Semifinals: Lake Mills, Bishop Garrigan
Champion: Lake Mills
Sean
Quarterfinals: Lake Mills, Montezuma, Bishop Garrigan, St. Mary’s
Semifinals: Montezuma, Bishop Garrigan
Champion: Bishop Garrigan