Friday’s Games to Watch

Tony Roe February 12, 2021 @ 03:48 PM

Top-ranked Cedar Falls holds a commanding two-game lead over Western Dubuque in the MVC Mississippi Division, and can essentially wrap up the league title with a win here. The Tigers have been an absolute juggernaut this year, averaging 78.8 points a game, which ranks first in 4A. They’re averaging 87.4 points a game in the last five, led by senior wing Landon Wolf Landon Wolf 6'5" | CG Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (16.6, 49.0 3P%), a hyper-efficient wing who makes everything look easy. He and fellow senior big man Chase Courbat Chase Courbat 6'9" | C Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (11.5, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 blocks) are both signed to play at Northern Iowa, while junior guard Trey Campbell Trey Campbell 6'4" | PG Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA (15.6, 5.0 assists, 59.0 FG%) recently picked up an offer from the Panthers. Senior wing Carter Janssen Carter Janssen 6'5" | SF Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (9.9, 4.7 assists), sophomore wing Dallas Bear Dallas Bear 6'8" | SF Cedar Falls | 2023 State #276 Nation IA (6.7, 45.3 3P%) and senior big man Joe Knutson Joe Knutson 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (7.6, 68.3 FG%) round out an extremely talented top-six.

Western Dubuque is led by a pair of talented seniors who have been varsity contributors for a long time in stretch-4 Dylan Johnson Dylan Johnson 6'6" | SF Western Dubuque | 2021 State IA (15.2, 7.3 rebounds) and guard Garrett Baumhover Garrett Baumhover 6'0" | PG Western Dubuque | 2021 State IA (14.6, 5.4 assists). Junior guard Nick Bryant Nick Bryant 5'9" | PG Western Dubuque | 2022 State IA (11.3) is another double-figure scorer for the Bobcats, who shoot 39.1% from behind the arc as a team. They’ll need to knock down a bunch of 3s if they want to keep pace with the Tigers high-powered attack.

Newman Catholic (17-3) at 1A #3 Lake Mills (20-0)

These two Top of Iowa teams don’t meet very often, as they’re in different divisions, but this should be a great game between a pair of contenders in 1A. Newman Catholic has a young roster, with three sophomores and a junior making up their top four scorers. Douglas Taylor Douglas Taylor 6'5" | SF Newman Catholic | 2023 State IA (18.1, 7.0 rebounds), a long, athletic, slashing wing, leads the way, while junior James Jennings (12.6) also averages in double figures. Sophomore lead guard Max Burt Max Burt 6'0" | PG Newman Catholic | 2023 State IA (9.0, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists) is a talented pure point who thrives on getting others involved, and sophomore forward Noah Hamilton (9.6, 63.8 FG%) is an efficient scorer in the paint.

Lake Mills is looking to close out an undefeated regular season. The Bulldogs have been great on both ends of the floor, winning games by an average score of 71.5-39.3. Senior guard Dashawn Linnen Dashawn Linnen 6'3" | SG Lake Mills | 2021 State IA (19.5) is the headliner, a talented scorer who can get red hot and fill it up in a hurry. He’s a big, physical guard who can get to the bucket but is also a high-level 3-point shooter. Caleb Bacon Caleb Bacon 6'4" | PF Lake Mills | 2021 State IA (12.2, 10.4 rebounds) is a physical force in the paint, and junior wing Wyatt Helming (12.5, 6.4 rebounds) has stepped up and become a quality scoring option as well. The ’Dogs aren’t a good free-throw shooting team (57.0% as a team), but they do everything else so well that the free-throw line rarely comes into play.

3A #3 Monticello (17-0) at West Branch (17-1)

Monticello has been dominant on the defensive end this year, allowing just 34.2 points a game, and they’re beating teams by an average of 31 a night. They’re coming off a scare against Camanche, a game they won by just one point, but West Branch should be a team that they match up better with. The Panthers are led by senior forward Justin Recker Justin Recker 6'6" | PF Monticello | 2021 State IA (15.0, 6.9 rebounds), a skilled big man who can stretch the floor, handle it a bit and control the glass. The senior backcourt of Luke Lambert Luke Lambert 6'3" | PG Monticello | 2021 State IA (10.4, 4.9 assists) and Connor Lambert Connor Lambert 6'4" | SF Monticello | 2021 State IA (8.5, 2.6 assists), plus sophomore Tate Petersen Tate Petersen 6'1" | PG Monticello | 2023 State IA (12.2, 3.9 assists, 40.3 3P%) are the key pieces for a team that dishes out 21.4 assists against just 9.4 turnovers a game.

West Branch had a nearly three-week break in January due to Covid protocols, but the Bears have played really good basketball since coming back from their hiatus, winning eight of nine games, with the one loss coming by one to Wilton, a shocking upset. They clinched the RVC South last night with their win over Mid-Prairie. The Bears are led by the senior forward tandem of Jeff Bowie Jeff Bowie 6'5" | PF West Branch | 2021 State IA (13.0) and Simon Palmer Simon Palmer 6'5" | PF West Branch | 2021 State IA (12.9), who combine to average 25.9 points and 13.3 rebounds a game. They rely on the physicality and athleticism that that tandem provides to help control the game on both ends of the floor. Like Monticello, West Branch does a good job protecting the basketball, turning the ball over just 10.6 times a game.

Newell-Fonda (14-5) at Ridge View (15-5)

This should be an entertaining non-conference game that will prepare these two teams for postseason play starting next week. Newell-Fonda uses a high-powered, up-tempo attack to outscore opponents, as the Mustangs average 72.3 points a game. Sophomore guard Carter Sievers (17.0) leads the charge, a potent shooter who pairs well with senior Tanner Gerke Tanner Gerke 6'1" | SF Newell-Fonda | 2021 State IA (9.2, 40.3 3P%) to pace the ’Stangs backcourt. Trey Jungers Trey Jungers 5'11" | SF Newell-Fonda | 2022 State IA (12.8) has stepped up as a solid secondary scoring option for this group that thrives on forcing turnovers, averaging 13.1 steals a game.

Ridge View likes to slow the game down, ranking fourth in scoring defense in 2A, allowing just 44.0 points a game, so this is an interesting contrast in styles. The Raptors like to crash the offensive glass and use their physicality to wear teams down on both ends of the floor. Senior guard Bo Clausen (16.9) and junior Cade Harriman (14.5) are the leading scorers for this team.