Playoff Preview: 4A-8

<p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/4A-8.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1130459" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/02/4A-8.png" alt="" width="744" height="701" /></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_1073099" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Payton-Sandfort.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1073099" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Payton-Sandfort-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="727863" first="Payton" last="Sandfort"][/caption] <p><strong>The favorite:</strong> Outside of maybe Cedar Falls in 4A-4, there isn’t a bigger favorite in a substate than<strong> Waukee</strong> is here. The Warriors have beaten Ankeny, the substate’s #2 seed, twice this year by a combined 65 points. The Warriors have a +23 point per game differential, and they’re winning games by an average of 28.5 points a game. Drake signee [player_tooltip player_id="727862" first="Tucker" last="DeVries"] (18.9, 6.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 3.5 steals) leads the team in scoring, while Iowa signee [player_tooltip player_id="727863" first="Payton" last="Sandfort"] (17.7, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 47.5 3P%) leads the team in rebounding. His younger brother [player_tooltip player_id="956868" first="Pryce" last="Sandfort"] (8.1, 57.5 3P%) is a sniper, and Dowling transfer [player_tooltip player_id="956447" first="Omaha" last="Biliew"] (11.3, 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 blocks) is one of the top 2023 prospects in the country. This Waukee team is loaded with talent and is an overwhelming favorite here. </p> <p><strong>The biggest threat: Ankeny</strong> has a young, talented group that will benefit from playing in a substate final. Among their top six scorers are three juniors, two sophomores and a freshman, so expect to see the Hawks among the top teams in 4A next year. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="962614" first="Ryan" last="Crandall"] (11.3, 7.2 rebounds) leads the team in scoring and rebounding, and freshman guard <strong>Carson Johnson</strong> (7.9, 38.7 3P%) has a very bright future. They’ve been demolished by Waukee twice this year, but they should make it to the substate final, which makes them the biggest threat to Waukee in this substate. </p> <p><strong>The dark horse:</strong> The best individual non-Waukee player in this substate is <strong>Marshalltown</strong> guard [player_tooltip player_id="682291" first="Armonniey" last="Thomas"] (16.8, 8.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists). The junior is quick, long and athletic and can impact the game on both ends of the floor. Sophomore wing <strong>Prince Jallah</strong> (12.6, 8.5 rebounds) is another impactful player for the Bobcats.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Players to watch</span><br /> 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="727862" first="Tucker" last="DeVries"], Waukee<br /> 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="727863" first="Payton" last="Sandfort"], Waukee<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956868" first="Pryce" last="Sandfort"], Waukee<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956447" first="Omaha" last="Biliew"], Waukee<br /> 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="796110" first="Malik" last="Allen"], Waukee<br /> 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="727899" first="Wyatt" last="Heston"], Waukee<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962614" first="Ryan" last="Crandall"], Ankeny<br /> 2024 Carson Johnson, Ankeny<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="682291" first="Armonniey" last="Thomas"], Marshalltown<br /> 2023 Prince Jallah, Marshalltown<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="784975" first="Corey" last="Miner"], Mason City<br /> 2021 Cole Tunender, Norwalk<br /> 2021 [player_tooltip player_id="964873" first="Jakari" last="Bradley"], Roosevelt</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Waukee vs. Ankeny</em></p> <p>There won’t be much intrigue in this one. <strong>Waukee</strong> has already swept the Hawks by an average of 32.5 points a game. The Warriors make their way to Wells Fargo, where they’ll be eyeing Championship Friday.</p>