Preview: Waukee vs. Valley in Class 4A substate final
Waukee, Valley, and a chance for trip to Wells Fargo Arena. It doesn’t get much better than this. On Tuesday, the Warriors (20-2) and Tigers (16-6) square off in one of the state’s marquee substate final bouts. When: 7 p.m.…
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Continue ReadingWaukee, Valley, and a chance for trip to Wells Fargo Arena. It doesn’t get much better than this.
On Tuesday, the Warriors (20-2) and Tigers (16-6) square off in one of the state’s marquee substate final bouts.
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3
Where: Dallas Center-Grimes high school
Here’s everything you need to know about Waukee and Valley’s matchup.
How’d Waukee and Valley get here?
Both programs enjoyed byes to start the substate tournament. Waukee took down Des Moines Lincoln 54-31 in the second round before advancing to Tuesday’s showdown. Meanwhile, Valley beat Des Moines North 90-55 en route to a substate final appearance.
Waukee’s resume
The Warriors cruised to a 10-0 start to the year before dropping a pair of games to Valley and Ankeny Centennial. Since then, Waukee hasn’t lost. It has wins over Valley and Johnston this season.
Valley’s resume
The Tigers faced a bit more challenging schedule compared to the Warriors. Valley’s losses came to Dowling Catholic, Ankeny Centennial, Waukee, Ankeny, Johnson, and Southeast Polk. The Tigers beat the Warriors in their second matchup, though.
Tucker DeVries has done a bit of everything for Waukee this season.Waukee player to watch: Tucker DeVries
Tucker DeVries does a bit of everything for the Warriors. He enters Tuesday’s contest averaging 21.7 points, eight rebounds, and 5.1 assists, all while leading Waukee with a blistering 50 percent shooting from 3-point range.
DeVries showed just how dominant he can be in Waukee’s win over Lincoln. The junior, who stands at 6′ 6,” scored 14 points, all of which came in the second half. DeVries showed off his 3-point shooting while also going to work from in low. He’s a 2021 prospect with strong positioning and great aggressiveness to his game.
Last time these two teams faced off, DeVries scored 31 points and hit six 3-pointers.
Jake Auer leads Valley in scoring and assists this year.Valley player to watch: Jake Auer
Valley’s 6′ guard Jake Auer is the igniter for the Tiger offense. The 2020 prospect leads Valley in scoring (16.8 points per game), 3-point percentage (41.5 percent), assists (3.6), steals (1.6).
The Tiger offense flows through Auer. In Valley’s win over Waukee on Jan. 24, Auer scored 20 points, dished five assists, hit four 3-pointers, and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line.
Key to a Waukee win: Hit 3-pointers
The 3-point shooting difference between Waukee and Valley is astronomical. Heading into Tuesday’s game, Waukee has made 244 triples (first in the state), shooting 45.7 percent from downtown (third). Valley has made 162 3-pointers at a 35-percent rate.
The long-range trio of DeVries, Payton Sandfort, and Pryce Sandfort remains hard to beat. Together, they accounted for 182 3-pointers — more than the entire Valley team. Waukee averages 72.3 points per game, relying on an up-tempo style that loves the long-range shot.
Payton Sandfort was relatively quiet in the win over Lincoln, scoring 14 points. He averages 19.8 points on 47.4 percent shooting from 3-point range. When he’s knocking down shots, Waukee is at its best. If the Warriors can get avoid a repeat of their last game and get him going early,
Key to a Valley win: Slow the game down
Valley held Waukee to 71 points on average in their two meetings this season, and while that’s right on pace for what the Warriors average, the Tigers will win if that number gets cut down. Valley holds its opponents to 57.9 points per game, much lower than what Waukee averages. If the Tigers can force the Warriors offense out of rhythm, then this contest is up for Valley’s taking.
Auer is going to be one of the key pieces defensively with his ability to lock down defenders and steal the ball. Forcing Waukee into avoidable turnovers would pay dividends to Valley, as that’s what Lincoln was able to take advantage of in the first half of its loss to the Warriors. For as good as DeVries is with the ball, he leads Waukee with 48 turnovers (2.2 per game). Getting the Warrior’s do-it-all prospect out of rhythm can’t hurt at all.
Offensively, getting Ty Walker and Eli Raridon involved can help spread the scoring load off Auer’s shoulders.
Prediction: Waukee over Valley
Waukee got away with a slow start offensively against Lincoln in its first game of the substate playoffs — Payton Sandfort scored just five points in the first half and DeVries went scoreless until the third quarter. I have a hard time seeing that happening again.
This one will be close, but I think the Warriors’ 3-point barrage and pace will be too much for the Tigers.