Class 3A State Tournament Preview
Born #1 seed: Norwalk (21-3) About the Warriors: After falling in the 3A championship game last year, the Warriors opened the season ranked #1 by us, and while they’ve occasionally fallen from that perch, this is the team to…
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#1 seed: Norwalk (21-3)
About the Warriors: After falling in the 3A championship game last year, the Warriors opened the season ranked #1 by us, and while they’ve occasionally fallen from that perch, this is the team to beat in 3A. Future UNI Panther guard
Bowen Born
Bowen
Born
5'11" | PG
Norwalk | 2020
State
#401
Nation
IA
(37.5) is in the midst of one of the greatest seasons in Iowa high school history. If he keeps up his current pace and the Warriors win their quarterfinal game, Born will break the single-season scoring record held by Brooks McKowen. And he’s not just chucking up shots left and right, he’s scoring at a remarkably efficient rate, with 56-43-87 shooting splits. He’s also dished out twice as many assists as any other player on the team.
Tyler Johnson
Tyler
Johnson
6'4" | SF
Norwalk | 2020
State
IA
(14.7, 46.4 3P%) is the only other player averaging in double figures, but a different player steps up on a nightly basis to provide a bit more relief. This team begins and ends with what
Bowen Born
Bowen
Born
5'11" | PG
Norwalk | 2020
State
#401
Nation
IA
is doing, and he has been superlative all season.
Why they can win it all: Bowen. Born.
Chances they win it all: 35%. The Warriors are the top seeded team for a reason, posting a number of highly impressive wins. And they’ve got the best player in the state on their side.
Kutcher
#2 seed: Mount Vernon (22-2)
About the Mustangs: Mount Vernon used a pair of late, game-winning shots to get to State. First, it was this buzzer beater to beat Wahlert in the substate semifinals, when Cooper Becthold, who had taken all over five shots on the season, rebounded a missed free throw at put it in to win. Then, it was this
Keaton Kutcher
Keaton
Kutcher
6'2" | SG
Mount Vernon | 2021
State
IA
game-winning 3 after Central DeWitt had taken a late lead in the substate final. Team of destiny? Perhaps. The Mustangs are led by the dynamic duo of
Keaton Kutcher
Keaton
Kutcher
6'2" | SG
Mount Vernon | 2021
State
IA
(20.0, 75 3PM) and
Noah Erickson
Noah
Erickson
6'3" | SF
Mount Vernon | 2020
State
IA
(13.9), who account for over half of the team’s scoring. Kutcher is one of the best shooters in the state, while Erickson uses his athleticism and length to get to the rim, constantly in attack mode. Derek Jordan (9.3), a 6-8 big man, is a presence in the middle on both ends of the floor, and the rest of the roster knows their roles and play them very well. The Mustangs are the second best defensive team in the field, allowing just 48.1 points a game.
Why they can win it all: Kutcher and Erickson is one of the best duos in the field, and this team knows how to play together. They all know their roles, and play them extremely well.
Chances they win it all: 14%. First, it’s a rematch against CCA (who they beat by 17 a few days into the season), but the meeting with Pella in the semifinals is a major hurdle to overcome.
#3 seed: Pella (19-5)
About the Dutch: If you’re a fan of up-tempo basketball, you’ll love watching the Dutch play. They lead 3A in scoring offense, putting up 77.5 points a game, and while they haven’t been nearly as efficient from the arc as a team like Norwalk has been, they lead the 3A field in made 3-pointers as well, knocking down 225 of them on the season, over 9 makes a night.
Logan Shetterly
Logan
Shetterly
5'11" | PG
Pella | 2020
State
IA
(19.3) leads the team in scoring and assists. He’s a quick lead guard who can get to the rim or let it fly from 25 feet.
Treyton Sturgeon
Treyton
Sturgeon
6'4" | SF
Pella | 2020
State
IA
(15.0) is an athletic, 6-4 forward who leads the team in rebounding, while
John Oltman
John
Oltman
6'2" | SG
Pella | 2020
State
IA
(12.8, 79 3PM) is a gunner who lets it fly from anywhere. This group is deep, with eight players who play regularly, and each of them is a threat to score 12-15 points on a given night. With an up-tempo style that looks to get as many shots up as possible, it’ll be interesting to see how Pella adjusts if the game slows down, like many state tournament games do.
Why they can win it all: They’ve got an explosive offense with a number of scoring threats. They aren’t reliant on solely one player to carry the load.
Chances they win it all: 23%. They split their meetings with top-seed Norwalk and haven’t lost a game by more than five points all season. This group is very close to being 24-0 at this point.
Tupa
#4 seed: Center Point-Urbana (18-6)
About the Stormin’ Pointers: CPU got off to an 0-2 start this season, but has gone 18-4 since, with the top ranked scoring defense in 3A. They allow just 41.1 points a game, and have given up 35 or fewer points 11 different times this season. They’re also the lowest scoring team in the field, averaging 56.0 a game, so look for them to try and slow games down, using long, efficient possessions on the offensive end to wear teams down. 6-5 do-everything wing
Kole Tupa
Kole
Tupa
6'4" | SF
Center Point-Urbana | 2020
State
IA
(14.2) is the leader of this group. The lefty is an efficient scorer, shooting 57.5% from the floor, and leads the team in rebounding as well. While he doesn’t lead the team in assists, he has the ball in his hands a lot, and is generally a pretty strong decision maker. The offense flows through him. He’s the only player averaging in double figures, and this team averages only five made 3s a game.
Trey Johannes
Trey
Johannes
6'4" | SF
Center Point-Urbana | 2021
State
IA
(7.5) has provided a spark for CPU off the bench late in the season, including a 21-point effort in the substate semifinal win over Decorah. Alex Wade (4.9) isn’t much of a scorer, but has come on strong late in the year, and leads the team in assists.
Why they can win it all: This is a strong defensive team that knows how to grind out wins and wear teams down with physicality and effort on the defensive end of the floor. They know they aren’t the explosive offensive team that some of the others in this field are, so they’ll look to make other teams play their style.
Chances they win it all: 5%. It’s been a great season for CPU, getting to just their second ever state tournament, and the first since 1996. But the other teams in this field have significantly more talent.
Drew
#5 seed: Ballard (18-6)
About the Bombers: Few teams in the state had a more impressive mid-season run that the Bombers did, when they beat a 19-4 Carroll team by 26, 18-5 Winterset by 2 and 18-6 Harlan by 24. That stretch of basketball showed just how dangerous this team can be. Then they followed it up with a 20-point loss to a 13-10 ADM team, showing just how volatile they can be as well. In junior combo forward
Connor Drew
Connor
Drew
6'6" | PF
Ballard | 2021
State
IA
(18.3), they have one of the best individual players in the 3A field. A versatile forward who rebounds at a high level and can score efficiently inside and out, he’ll need to be great if Ballard is going to make a run.
Ashton Hermann
Ashton
Hermann
6'4" | SG
Ballard | 2022
State
IA
(15.8) is the other key scoring threat, while
Mason Murphy
Mason
Murphy
5'9" | PG
Ballard | 2021
State
IA
(7.0) has been a great lead guard this year, dishing out 132 assists against 56 turnovers.
Kale Krogh
Kale
Krogh
6'6" | C
Ballard | 2022
State
IA
(7.0), a 6-5 sophomore, has blocked 45 shots on the year and will need to provide that type of rim protection all week. This team can be up-and-down, but when they’re playing at their best, they can beat just about anyone.
Why they can win it all: They have a ceiling that few other teams in 3A have, and if they can play at that ceiling for three straight games, they can cut down the proverbial nets.
Chances they win it all: 8%. The opener against CPU is a coin-flip, then they’d (likely) get Norwalk, who has already beaten them by 27 this season. But when this team is on, they’re really good.
#6 seed: Sergeant Bluff-Luton (14-10)
About the Warriors: The Warriors are making their fourth straight trip to Des Moines, and are looking for a much better showing than last year’s quarterfinal flameout. They’ve won seven straight games heading into the tournament, and coach Adam Vander Schaaf always has his group playing well late in the year. They’re led by Wisconsin football commit
Daniel Wright
Daniel
Wright
6'8" | PF
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2020
State
IA
(14.8), a 6-8 forward who leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists, and has the ability to score inside and out.
Jake Layman
Jake
Layman
6'7" | SF
Sergeant-Bluff Luton | 2021
State
IA
(11.0), a 6-7 wing, and
Majok Majouk
Majok
Majouk
6'7" | SF
Sergeant-Bluff Luton | 2021
State
IA
(6.8), a 6-7 forward, give this team incredible size, while
Deric Fitzgerald
Deric
Fitzgerald
6'0" | SG
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 2020
State
IA
(10.4, 44.4 3P%) is a dynamic 3-point shooter and perimeter scoring threat. Playing in the 4A-heavy Missouri River Conference, they’ve played the most difficult schedule in the 3A field according to BC Moore’s power rankings system, and they’ve been solid defensively, allowing just 49.2 points a game.
Why they can win it all: The Warriors have a starting lineup that goes 6-7, 5-11, 6-7, 6-0 and 6-8. That type of size and length can be tough for teams to match up with. This group has played a loaded schedule, and they’ve been strong on the defensive end against it.
Chances they win it all: 12%. Despite being the 6th seed here, we’re actually giving the Warriors the fourth best chance to win the tournament. Pella is a tricky opener with the Dutch speed and firepower, but get through that and they’ll have a major size edge against CCA or Mount Vernon.
#7 seed: Clear Creek-Amana (19-5)
About the Clippers: The third WaMaC team to punch their ticket to State, the Clippers play a fun, up-tempo style of basketball with a number of different options who fit in their drive-and-kick scheme. They’re second in the field in 3-point shooting at 39.4%, trailing only
Bowen Born
Bowen
Born
5'11" | PG
Norwalk | 2020
State
#401
Nation
IA
and Norwalk, and have a trio of double figure scorers to lean on in
Christian Withrow
Christian
Withrow
6'1" | CG
Clear Creek-Amana | 2021
State
IA
(15.8),
Tyler Schrepfer
Tyler
Schrepfer
5'11" | SG
Clear Creek-Amana | 2020
State
IA
(11.5, 45.2 3P%) and
Nick O’Connor
Nick
O’Connor
6'2" | SG
Clear Creek-Amana | 2020
State
IA
(11.1, 41.4%). Withrow leads the team in scoring and steals and is the “drive” portion of the drive-and-kick, attempting just 13 3s on the season, while Schrepfer and O’Connor are the primary beneficiaries of the kicks.
TJ Bollers
TJ
Bollers
6'5" | PF
Clear-Creek-Amana | 2021
IA
(6.4), a highly coveted defensive end recruit on the gridiron, is a fantastic defender on the hardwood as well. His presence in their substate final against Assumption was key against Knights star
Sean Peeters
Sean
Peeters
6'5" | PF
Assumption | 2020
State
IA
. With his size, strength, length and athleticism, he makes scoring in the paint difficult, provided he can stay out of foul trouble. The Clippers will be comfortable playing at the quicker pace that teams like Norwalk, Pella and Ballard want to play at, should they ever meet up with any of those teams.
Why they can win it all: They have a versatile group of scorers, and are playing like they have nothing to lose, which they certainly don’t. They’ve got a number of scoring and shooting options, and a strong anchor on the defensive end.
Chances they win it all: 2%. Like CPU, this has been a fun story, and while they play an entertaining style of basketball, it’s hard to see them putting together three great games in a row against the level of competition they’ll be seeing in Des Moines.
#8 seed: Harlan (18-6)
About the Cyclones: Perennial power Harlan is making their 18th trip to State, their 10th since the turn of the century. The Cyclones are led by a trio of double figure scorers in
Connor Bruck
Connor
Bruck
6'0" | SG
Harlan | 2020
State
IA
(17.0, 48.6 3P%), Michael Heithoff (11.7) and
Johnathan Monson
Johnathan
Monson
6'1" | SF
Harlan | 2020
State
IA
(11.7). They don’t have much size, with no regular listed above 6-3, but they play bigger than listed sizes and are a tough, physical group. Monson leads the team in rebounding, assists and steals, Heithoff can score inside and out, and Bruck is the team’s top perimeter shooting threat. They’ll need to get increased production out of their role players if they want to keep pace with Norwalk’s high-powered attack in the quarterfinals.
Why they can win it all: In Coach Mitch Osborn, Harlan has one of the most experienced coaches in the state roaming the sidelines for them. If anyone can devise a game plan to slow down Bowen Born Bowen Born 5'11" | PG Norwalk | 2020 State #401 Nation IA and company, it’ll be him.
Chances they win it all: 1%. They’re the #8 seed for a reason. If they can upset Norwalk, they’ll have a good chance in the semifinals, but it’s hard to see this group knocking off the Warriors.
Staff Picks
Tony
Quarterfinals: Norwalk, Ballard, Mount Vernon, Pella
Semifinals: Norwalk, Pella
Champion: Norwalk
Adam
Quarterfinals: Norwalk, Ballard, Mount Vernon, Pella
Semifinals: Norwalk, Pella
Champion: Norwalk
Sean
Quarterfinals: Norwalk, Ballard, Mount Vernon, Pella
Semifinals: Norwalk, Mount Vernon
Champion: Norwalk