STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Five takeaways from Friday title games

DES MOINES — And just like that, the 2019-20 high school boys basketball season has come to an end.

Wapsie Valley, Boyden-Hull, Norwalk, and Ankeny all lifted championship trophies in their respective classes on Friday in Wells Fargo Arena.

It was a stellar season for all teams in Wells Fargo Arena, but now it’s time to look back. What are the biggest takeaways from the 2020 state championship?

Ankeny is a perfect example of catching fire at the right time

The Hawks entered the state tournament as the 6-seed in the Class 4A bracket. Ankeny took down three-seed Iowa City West and two-seed Cedar Falls before toppling four-seed Waukee in the title game. Braxton Bayless Braxton Bayless 6'1" | PG Ankeny | 2020 State IA was phenomenal over these last three games, averaging 22.7 points per contest. The supporting cast, though, is what elevated the Hawks. Jordan Kumm Jordan Kumm 5'10" | PG Ankeny | 2020 State IA and Jaxon Smith caught fire from beyond the 3-point line. They combined to hit 15 of their 25 3-pointers in Ankeny’s final two games. In the championship game against Waukee, five players scored in double figures. As a team, the Hawks shot 10-for-17 from beyond the arc, out-shooting a normally scalding Waukee 3-point attack. On paper, Ankeny wasn’t the best team in the 4A bracket. But when this team gets hot, it’s hard imaging it losing to any other team in its class.

Waukee is going to be the best team in 4A next season

Waukee may have lost in the 4A title game, but the Warriors have an excellent shot at being right back in it next season. Waukee returns Tucker DeVries Tucker DeVries 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #123 Nation IA , Payton Sandfort Payton Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #138 Nation IA , Pryce Sandfort, and Wyatt Heston Wyatt Heston 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State IA -- four of their five seniors. Between DeVries and both Sandfort brothers, that’s 50.5 points per game in terms of scoring. There won’t be another team with a better three-man group in 4A next season. The year didn’t end as Waukee would have liked, but it’s safe to pencil in the Warriors as the front-runner to make it back to the 4A championship next year.

Wapsie Valley’s magical run get sweeter

Wapsie Valley, the 1A eight seed, took down two-seed Bishop Garrigan in the championship Friday. The Warriors ended up winning their final 11 games of the season to hoist the trophy. This team isn’t crazy athletic nor does it shoot lights out from downtown, but its a cohesive group that plays smooth basketball. Its guards can all handle the ball, and the scoring is relatively spread all around. Forward Gunner Meyer, who isn’t known as a high-volume scorer, averaged 16.3 points in his three games in Wells Fargo Arena, including 13 in the championship. Meanwhile, Kiks Rosengarten dominated. The senior center went toe-to-toe with Bishop Garrigan’s Angelo Winkel Angelo Winkel 6'9" | C Bishop Garrigan | 2021 State IA and came out on top. Everything came together at the right time for the Warriors in their first state title in program history.

Boyden-Hull waited till the championship to play its best game of the tournament

Boyden-Hull waited until its final game of the Class 2A tournament to put on its best performance in Wells Fargo Arena. The Comets saw Andrew Frick and Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, and as a team, they hit 49 percent of their shots. Boyden-Hull turned the ball over just 10 times after averaging 17 giveaways in its first two games of the tournament. Meanwhile, Boyden-Hull’s defense locked down North Linn star Austin Miller Austin Miller 6'2" | PF North Linn | 2020 State IA . Miller scored 23 points, but his impact on the game wasn’t as felt as in the Lynx’s previous two tournament contests. The Comets did an excellent job of containing him and denying him shot opportunities. He took just 13 shots and committed four turnovers. Boyden-Hull held North Linn to just 38.8 percent shooting -- almost 15 percent below its average.

Norwalk’s supporting cast was incredible

For each of Norwalk’s three state tournament games, the supporting cast rose the occasion. It wasn’t as if Bowen Born Bowen Born 5'11" | PG Norwalk | 2020 State #401 Nation IA wasn’t a factor; he scored a team-high 23 points and led the Warriors in rebounding. But with his shot from deep not falling from 3-point land (1-for-7) his teammates stepped up big time. Grant Larson scored 16, Tyler Johnson had 14, Max Jeurgens finished with seven, and Scott Anderson added six. Larson, Johnson, and Anderson combined to go 7-for-9 from 3-point range -- incredibly crucial with Born’s struggles from beyond the arc. Born’s career goes out on a high note, capturing a state title, but it wouldn’t have happened without the rest of the Norwalk team.