Class 4A State Tournament Preview

[caption id="attachment_1052563" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Landon-Wolf.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1052563 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Landon-Wolf-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> Wolf[/caption] <h3>#1 seed: Cedar Falls (19-0)</h3> About the Tigers: The Tigers were overshadowed a bit by Waukee in the preseason, and I was certainly guilty of that as well, but this has been the most dominant team in the state this year, beating teams by an average of 28 points a game and leading the state in scoring at 76.0 a night. A roster that is absolutely loaded with talent is headlined by future Northern Iowa teammates [player_tooltip player_id="796127" first="Landon" last="Wolf"] (17.5, 47.4 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id="796099" first="Chase" last="Courbat"] (11.1, 8.3 rebounds). Wolf is an elite shooter with the explosiveness to get by defenders and finish at the rim as well, and Courbat is the anchor of their fantastic defense. Junior lead guard [player_tooltip player_id="682265" first="Trey" last="Campbell"] (14.4, 5.3 assists, 41.2 3P%) is enjoying a great junior season and recently picked up his own offer from Northern Iowa. That trio is joined in the starting lineup by a pair of Division II commits in Upper Iowa signee [player_tooltip player_id="796116" first="Carter" last="Janssen"] (10.2, 4.3 assists), a big, 6-7 point-forward who is also knocking down 47% of his 3s, and Truman State-bound [player_tooltip player_id="727896" first="Joe" last="Knutson"] (7.1, 5.2 rebounds), a big, physical and athletic 6-8 forward. Throw in 6-8 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="956870" first="Dallas" last="Bear"] (5.5, 40.8 3P%), who picked up a D1 offer from Bryant before playing in a high school game, and junior Hunter Jacobson (4.7, 48.3 3P%), son of Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson, and the Tigers are loaded with talent. They are posting eye-popping shooting splits of 53-43-73 as a team, and it’s going to take a Herculean effort by someone on the defensive end to hold this team down. Why they can win it all: They may not have the high-end talent that Waukee has, but there might be a better depth of talent on the Cedar Falls roster. This team comes at you in waves and can drop 30 in any quarter with their multitude of weapons. Coach Ryan Schultz has built a juggernaut in Cedar Falls. Chances they win it all: 40.5%. It’s hard to see anyone other than the Tigers or Waukee taking home the title, and we really want to see that game materialize on Championship Friday. We’re making them a slight favorite if that game happens.   [caption id="attachment_1073098" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Tucker-DeVries.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1073098" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Tucker-DeVries-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> DeVries[/caption] <h3>#2 seed: Waukee (13-2)</h3> About the Warriors: Waukee came into the season as one of the most hyped teams in Iowa high school history, drawing comparisons to the Ames teams that featured Harrison Barnes and Doug McDermott. They suffered an upset loss against Johnston early in the year (although star [player_tooltip player_id="727862" first="Tucker" last="DeVries"] was sitting due to COVID contact tracing protocols) and have also lost to Nebraska power Bellevue West. DeVries (19.2, 46.8 3P%) leads a potent offensive attack that averages 67.8 points a game and shoots nearly 41% from the arc. The future Drake Bulldog has limitless range, and at 6-7 is nearly impossible to defend at this level. Iowa-bound [player_tooltip player_id="727863" first="Payton" last="Sandfort"] (17.1, 47.1 3P%) is one of the smoothest players in the state, a strong all-around player who does everything well, while other regulars [player_tooltip player_id="956868" first="Pryce" last="Sandfort"] (7.7, 52.2 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id="727899" first="Wyatt" last="Heston"] (3.9, 43.8 3P%) are also fantastic shooters. This team is long and skilled, and they got bigger and more athletic with the addition of Dowling transfer [player_tooltip player_id="956447" first="Omaha" last="Biliew"] (10.7, 3.3 blocks), who is one of the top five prospects in the 2023 class nationally. Biliew’s ability to dominate games on the defensive end and protect the rim have been huge for the Warriors. Why they can win it all: They almost won it all last year and brought back a majority of that roster. The DeVries-Sandfort pairing is the best in the state, and this group has the highest ceiling of any team in the state. Chances they win it all: 39.5%. Cedar Falls has been the more consistent and seemingly cohesive team this season, so we’re giving the Tigers the slight edge, but Waukee is a fantastic basketball team that we expect to see playing for the title on Friday night.   [caption id="attachment_1032394" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/phcircuit-27.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1032394 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/phcircuit-27-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="188" /></a> Lipsey[/caption] <h3>#3 seed: Ames (17-3)</h3> About the Little Cyclones: An elite defensive team, the Little Cyclones are allowing just 38.4 points a game and enter the tournament red-hot, winning 12 straight. They’re led by 6-2 junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="682279" first="Tamin" last="Lipsey"] (16.9, 4.9 assists), who established himself as one of the top 2022 prospects in the country as a freshman before losing his sophomore year with a torn ACL. A dynamic playmaker on both ends of the floor, Lipsey paces an offensive unit that likes to play at a slower pace and work to get good looks. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="682277" first="Trevion" last="Labeaux"] (11.5) has given them a solid secondary scoring option, following his transfer from Waterloo East, while senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="796163" first="Keyshaun" last="Brooks"] (10.9, 44.9 3P%) is the team’s top perimeter shooting threat. Why they can win it all: Lipsey is one of the best individual players in the field, and this group can really defend. They’re playing excellent, efficient basketball on both ends of the floor and enter the week hot. Chances they win it all: 8%. The Little Cyclones are on fire and have one of the field’s best players in Lipsey, but it will be a major upset if the final isn’t Cedar Falls vs. Waukee.   [caption id="attachment_237030" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2017/09/ReidGrant-1.jpg"><img class="wp-image-237030 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2017/09/ReidGrant-1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Grant[/caption] <h3>#4 seed: Johnston (10-4)</h3> About the Dragons: Like many of the suburban Des Moines schools, Johnston got a late start to the year, not playing their first game until after the holiday break due to being in virtual learning. They shook off a shaky end to the regular-season in which they lost three of their last four games (albeit all to tournament teams - Waukee, Dowling and Ames) by blasting Linn-Mar in the semifinals and escaping with an overtime win over Kennedy in the substate final. North Dakota-bound senior [player_tooltip player_id="796107" first="Reid" last="Grant"] (14.0) leads a guard-heavy lineup and he has really taken his offensive game up a level this year, shooting 50.8% from the arc. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="682278" first="Trey" last="Lewis"] (12.9) is a talented shooter who pairs well with Grant in the backcourt, and 6-5 junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="784982" first="Steven" last="Kramer"] (11.9) has carried the momentum from a huge summer with Kingdom Hoops into the high school season. His length and versatility on both ends is invaluable for the Dragons. Senior big [player_tooltip player_id="796153" first="Max" last="Roquet"] (8.1, 10.3 rebounds) is an animal on the glass, pulling down 4.9 offensive boards a game, and is someone that opponents definitely need to account for. Why they can win it all: Guard play wins in high school basketball, and the Dragons have three really strong guards. Chances they win it all: 4%. Like we said earlier, it’s hard to see anything other than a Cedar Falls vs. Waukee championship game next week.   <h3>#5 seed: Dowling Catholic (12-8)</h3> About the Maroons: No team in the state put together as many impressive wins as the Maroons did this season, as they were big-game hunters notching wins over Ames, Valley (twice), Centennial, Johnston and Council Bluffs Lincoln. A big, physical team, the Maroons are led by senior big man [player_tooltip player_id="796103" first="Ryan" last="Riggs"] (15.3, 65.3 FG%), a mobile forward who can control the game on both ends of the floor. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="964878" first="Matt" last="Riedl"] (12.6, 5.2 assists) has taken a major step up this season, emerging as a solid scorer and playmaker, and 6-10 stretch-five [player_tooltip player_id="796134" first="Jack" last="Groeteke"] (9.8, 42.7 3P%) is a big-time shooter with excellent size and length. Why they can win it all: As they’ve shown with their huge wins, they’re capable of beating just about anyone on any given night. They’re big, athletic, physical and talented. Chances they win it all: 2%. While they’re certainly notched some huge wins, the one team that they really struggled with this year is Waukee (losses by 28 and 29 points). So even if they make it to Championship Friday, their odds will be long if the Warriors are waiting for them.   <h3>#6 seed: Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln (19-4)</h3> About the Lynx: The Lynx have lost just once to an Iowa team this year, a 66-62 loss to Dowling Catholic late in the regular season. Their other three losses came to out-of-state powers Blue Valley Northwest (KS) and the top two teams in Nebraska - Millard North and Bellevue West. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="682266" first="Josh" last="Dix"] (19.4) is one of the most talented prospects in the state, a 6-5 guard who can completely dominate games on either end of the floor. He has an excellent feel for the game, letting the game come to him and knowing just the right time to take over. Fellow junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="784974" first="Jamison" last="Gruber"] (11.9, 4.3 assists) is a solid lead guard, and the frontcourt tandem of [player_tooltip player_id="964930" first="Christian" last="Tidiane"] (7.6) and Noah Sandbothe (13.4) combine to pull down 14.7 rebounds and block 4 shots a game. Why they can win it all: They have a dominant player in Dix who can take over a game at any point in time, and has the handful of mid-major offers to prove it. This is a balanced team that plays strong defense and can fill it up. Chances they win it all: 4%. They’ll have to run the CIML gauntlet to win the title.   <h3>#7 seed: Pleasant Valley (19-3)</h3> About the Spartans: Nobody in the state wants to play at a more deliberate pace than the Spartans, who are perfectly comfortable playing games that end in the 20s. In fact, their substate semifinal win over Bettendorf was a 21-19 win. Coach Steve Hillman does a great job getting his team to buy into this system, and the results speak for themselves, as they allow just 34.0 points a game, and have held eight teams below 30 points this year. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="727880" first="Jacob" last="Townsend"] (12.7) leads the team in scoring and is remarkably efficient, shooting 61.6% from the floor. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="682267" first="Ryan" last="Dolphin"] (10.9) is the other primary scoring threat. Why they can win it all: Nobody in the state is more comfortable playing at the slow pace than PV, and if they can drag teams down into their comfort zone and make them uncomfortable, they’ve got a shot. Chances they win it all: 1%. It’s hard to see them slowing down that high-powered Waukee offense enough to win their quarterfinal game.   <h3>#8 seed: Senior (12-8)</h3> About the Rams: We had high expectations for the Rams this year, ranking them #7 in our preseason poll. They got off to a brutal start, going 3-8 before catching fire down the stretch and entering the tournament on a nine-game winning streak. The difference has come with their play on the defensive end of the floor, as they allowed 60.2 points a game during the 3-8 start, and that number has dropped down to 48.2 during the winning streak. A deep and balanced team, four players average in double-figures, led by future Iowa State offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="964846" first="Jim" last="Bonifas"] (12.2). Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="964842" first="Cain" last="McWilliams"] (10.1) and Max Link (10.0), and wing [player_tooltip player_id="964827" first="Kendrick" last="Watkins-Hogue"] (10.1) are the other primary scoring threats for this group, while [player_tooltip player_id="964834" first="Tyler" last="Schuster"] (7.3) and [player_tooltip player_id="962632" first="Sam" last="Akins"] (6.7) give them plenty of depth in that department. This group likes to throw a number of different defensive looks at opponents, and expect coach Wendell Eimers to come up with some sort of crazy game-plan to try and slow down Cedar Falls in the quarters. Why they can win it all: They’re deep and talented, and they’re finally playing up to expectations. Eimers is a fantastic coach who will come up with something to throw Cedar Falls off, and if they can pull off that upset, they can make the run. Chances they win it all: 1%. While Eimers will certainly come up with something, it’s difficult to see Senior slowing down the Tigers enough to pull off that upset in the quarters and advance.   <h3>Staff Picks</h3> Tony Quarterfinals: Cedar Falls, Dowling Catholic, Waukee, Ames Semifinals: Cedar Falls, Waukee Champion: Cedar Falls   Josh Quarterfinals: Cedar Falls, Johnston, Waukee, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln Semifinals: Cedar Falls, Waukee Champion: Cedar Falls   Kegan Quarterfinals: Cedar Falls, Johnston, Waukee, Ames Semifinals: Cedar Falls, Waukee Champion: Waukee