STATE TOURNAMENT: Championship Game Recaps

Class 1A All-Tournament team captain [player_tooltip player_id="796108" first="Trey" last="Shearer"]

1A Championship: #7 Montezuma 44, #1 North Linn 41

In 2019, it was Jake Hilmer. In 2020, it was Bowen Born Bowen Born 5'11" | PG Norwalk | 2020 State #401 Nation IA . In 2021, it’s Trey Shearer Trey Shearer 5'10" | PG Montezuma | 2021 State IA who ends an iconic Iowa high school basketball career with a state title. Shearer and the seventh-seeded Montezuma Braves prevailed over top-ranked and undefeated North Linn on Friday afternoon, 44-41, securing the school’s first state championship since 1990.

North Linn took a quick 4-0 lead, and held another brief 6-4 lead, but Montezuma led the rest of the way. The Braves built up a lead as large as 13 in the second quarter and took an eight-point edge, 27-19, into the break.

A late North Linn rally in the third quarter drew the Lynx within one, 31-30, late in the quarter, but a Cole Watts Cole Watts 5'10" | SG Montezuma | 2021 State IA 3 pushed the Braves lead back out to 34-30, giving them a bit of breathing room.

On a team with a star player in Trey Shearer Trey Shearer 5'10" | PG Montezuma | 2021 State IA , it was the role players who stepped up in a big way in this championship game. Montezuma big man Eddie Burgess Eddie Burgess 6'4" | PF Montezuma | 2022 State IA appeared to suffer a knee injury late in the first half (he missed the first portion of the season nursing an injury to that knee suffered in the football championship game), but he gutted it out and was probably the biggest reason that the Braves are 1A champions. The 6-4 junior was huge in the paint for the Braves, helping limit a potent North Linn attack to just 34% shooting. A large number of the Lynx’s 47 field goal attempts came inside the paint, but Burgess made life extremely difficult for them to finish, and the Braves held the Lynx 35 points below their scoring average. Montezuma has made their name with their potent offense, but it was their stellar defense that locked up a championship.

After coming so close in the 8-man football championship game, the same core group of players (Shearer, Burgess, Watts) led the school to a basketball title. Up by just one with 25 seconds to play, Burgess confidently sank a pair of free throws. After an Austin Hilmer Austin Hilmer 5'10" | PG North Linn | 2022 State IA layup, role player Cam Johnson stepped up and calmly sank another two to give Montezuma a 44-41 lead. Hilmer got a good look at a 3 with five seconds left, but Burgess came out of nowhere to block it and preserve the win.

Montezuma’s season ends with a 25-2 record. The Braves didn’t lose a game this year with their full, healthy lineup, and entered the week under-seeded. They used that slight to help fuel them this week and carry the group to a state title. They were led by Trey Shearer Trey Shearer 5'10" | PG Montezuma | 2021 State IA , who closes a sterling high school career with 2,299 career points. The Truman State signee had 13 points in this one and was held in check in the second half, but he’ll be adding a state title to his impressive resume. Cole Watts Cole Watts 5'10" | SG Montezuma | 2021 State IA added 10 points and Eddie Burgess Eddie Burgess 6'4" | PF Montezuma | 2022 State IA had 8 points, 12 rebounds and 4 big blocks.

North Linn’s season ends with a 27-1 record. The Lynx have just one senior in the rotation, and none in the starting lineup, so expect to see this powerhouse right back in this game next year. They were led by Tate Haughenbury, who had 13 points, and Austin Hilmer Austin Hilmer 5'10" | PG North Linn | 2022 State IA added 11 in the loss.

MVP: Eddie Burgess Eddie Burgess 6'4" | PF Montezuma | 2022 State IA , Montezuma (2022) -- 8 points (3-4 FG, 2-2 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal

Burgess gutted through an injury and provided some huge plays late for the Braves. His presence in the paint was huge throughout, but his clutch free throws and block late secured his championship game MVP.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Montezuma	12	15	7	10	44
North Linn	8	11	11	11	41

Team stats
Montezuma: 17-37 FG (45.9%), 3-11 3P (27.3%), 7-8 FT (87.5%), 28 rebounds (7 offensive, 21 defensive), 7 assists, 13 turnovers
North Linn: 16-47 FG (34.0%), 4-18 3P (22.2%), 5-6 FT (83.3%), 23 rebounds (10 offensive, 13 defensive), 7 assists, 10 turnovers

2A Championship: #2 Western Christian 56, #1 Boyden-Hull 50

In the battle for Hull, it was second-seeded Western Christian who prevailed, knocking off previously unbeaten and top-ranked Boyden-Hull on Friday afternoon, 56-50, to win the school’s record-setting 10th state championship.

The Wolfpack took the lead for good at the 3:20 mark of the first quarter, extending the margin to as much as 11 late in the second quarter, and taking a 29-20 lead into the break. But you knew that the defending champions weren’t going to go down without a fight.

Boyden-Hull scored the first six points of the second half to trim the lead down to three before Western Christian responded with five straight of their own. Star junior wing Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA just kept coming though, and Boyden-Hull tied the game at 36 with 1:46 left in the third quarter, and at 38 with 1:09 remaining. Western Christian seemed to grab control back, leading from that point until a Marcus Kelderman Marcus Kelderman 6'1" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2021 State IA putback tied it back up at 46 with 2:30 left in the game.

A pair of free throws from Wyatt Gulker gave the Wolfpack the lead with 2:18 left, then they forced a turnover and Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA knocked down a pair of free throws to push the lead up to 4, 50-46, with 1:00 left. The Wolfpack went 10-11 from the free throw line in the last 2:18, and came up with just enough stops, to turn it into a record-setting afternoon.

Junior forward Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA was absolutely unstoppable for the Wolfpack, showcasing his ability to score inside and out at a highly efficient clip. The 6-4 forward knocked down 4 of his 6 attempts from behind the arc and dominated the glass. Boyden-Hull simply didn’t have an answer for him, and he was the difference. The Pack also did a fantastic job against Boyden-Hull’s two stars - Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA and Marcus Kelderman Marcus Kelderman 6'1" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2021 State IA - really making them work to get whatever they were going to get. Te Slaa ended up getting his, but Kelderman had an off game for the first time at Wells Fargo in the last two years. Western’s game plan wasn’t anything crazy, just tough, hard-nosed man-to-man and contesting shots. They executed it perfectly.

Western Christian’s season ends with a 22-5 record and a 10th state title. The Wolfpack were led by Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA , who had a huge game, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Wyatt Gulker added 10 points in the win. The Wolfpack return their top three scorers, and five of their top six, so they’ll have a great chance to defend their title next year.

Boyden-Hull ends with a 26-1 record. The Comets fell short of defending their 2A title, but have played in three straight championship games, and that’s no small feat. They were led by Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA , who had 22 points. Marcus Kelderman Marcus Kelderman 6'1" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2021 State IA added 10 points in the loss. Te Slaa returns, as do role players Bryan Zylstra and Dylan Francis, so don’t expect to see Boyden-Hull having a down year next year either.

MVP: Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA , Western Christian (2022) -- 32 points (9-18 FG, 4-6 3P, 10-10 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Van Essen was simply unstoppable on Friday afternoon, showing off his all-around offensive skill set. He moves so well off the ball, has a quick release on his jumper and is a fantastic rebounder. He capped off a huge week by being named the captain of the all-tournament team.

All-tournament team: Wyatt Gulker (Western Christian), Marcus Kelderman Marcus Kelderman 6'1" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2021 State IA (Boyden-Hull), Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (Boyden-Hull), Jayden Mackie Jayden Mackie 6'2" | PG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2022 State IA (Aplington-Parkersburg) and captain Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA (Western Christian)

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Western Christian	13	16	13	14	56
Boyden-Hull	10	10	18	12	50

Western Christian: Ty Van Essen Ty Van Essen 6'4" | PF Western Christian | 2022 State IA 32, Wyatt Gulker 10, Ashtin Van’t Hul 8, Brayden Van Meeteren 4, Dalton Westra 2
Boyden-Hull: Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA 22, Marcus Kelderman Marcus Kelderman 6'1" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2021 State IA 10, Dayton Brunsting 9, Bryan Zylstra 4, Dylan Francis 3, Kody Noble 2

Team stats
Western Christian: 16-37 FG (43.2%), 4-12 3P (33.3%), 20-23 FT (87.0%), 30 rebounds (6 offensive, 24 defensive), 10 assists, 11 turnovers
Boyden-Hull: 20-47 FG (42.6%), 2-15 3P (13.3%), 8-16 FT (50.0%), 26 rebounds (9 offensive, 17 defensive), 6 assists, 10 turnovers

[player_tooltip player_id="796167" first="Grant" last="Nelson"] was named captain of the 3A All-Tournament team

3A Championship: #2 Pella 68, #1 Ballard 59

The second-seeded Pella Dutch led nearly wire-to-wire on Friday night, taking home the school’s third state title by knocking off top-seed Ballard, 68-59.

Ballard scored the first point of the game, but didn’t lead the rest of the way, as the combination of Pella’s balanced scoring and stingy defense helped limit a potent Ballard team and control the game throughout.

A team that has become known around the state over the last several years for their high-powered, up-tempo, 3-point firing offense, Pella won this championship on the defensive end of the floor, no doubt about it. They held Ballard star Ashton Hermann Ashton Hermann 6'4" | SG Ballard | 2022 State IA to just one point in the first half, and while he took control of the game for the Bombers in the second half, finishing with 17, they really made him work hard for it. They also did a great job against Ballard’s other star, Connor Drew Connor Drew 6'6" | PF Ballard | 2021 State IA . Drew battled foul trouble all night and could never find his footing, as Pella held him to 10 points on 4-11 shooting.

Offensively for the Dutch, the free-flowing offense got a major boost from junior guard Noah Allen Noah Allen 5'11" | PG Pella | 2022 State IA , who came off the bench to provide a real spark, netting a game-high 19 points. The Newton transfer has always been an explosive scorer, and he carved out a valuable role for Pella this year with his scoring spark off the bench. The Dutch were 4-10 from behind the arc in the second half.

Pella ends the season with a 25-2 record and the school’s third state championship, the first since 2003. The Dutch were led by Noah Allen Noah Allen 5'11" | PG Pella | 2022 State IA , who had 19 points. Grant Nelson Grant Nelson 6'1" | SF Pella | 2021 State IA had 15, Karl Miller Karl Miller 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA 14 and Parker Elder Parker Elder 6'4" | SF Pella | 2022 State IA chipped in 12 in a balanced effort. The Dutch return Miller, Allen and Elder next year and will have to be considered one of the favorites in 3A again next season.

Ballard’s season ends with an identical 25-2 record and the school’s best boys basketball season ever, as they advanced to their first state championship game. The Bombers were led by junior Ashton Hermann Ashton Hermann 6'4" | SG Ballard | 2022 State IA , who finished with 17 points. Mason Murphy Mason Murphy 5'9" | PG Ballard | 2021 State IA finished a strong career with 12 points and 6 assists. Arguably the best player in program history, Connor Drew Connor Drew 6'6" | PF Ballard | 2021 State IA , finished his career with a 10-point, 9-rebound game, and Sam Petersen added 10 off the bench. Hermann and Kale Krogh Kale Krogh 6'6" | C Ballard | 2022 State IA return for the Bombers next year, and they should be solid again.

MVP: Noah Allen Noah Allen 5'11" | PG Pella | 2022 State IA , Pella (2022) -- 19 points (7-11 FG, 2-5 3P, 3-4 FT), 2 rebounds, 2 assists

Allen was sensational off the bench, hitting big shot after big shot for the Dutch and providing a real spark.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Pella	15	19	15	19	68
Ballard	11	19	15	14	59

Team stats
Pella: 23-45 FG (51.1%), 7-19 3P (36.8%), 15-24 FT (62.5%), 31 rebounds (9 offensive, 22 defensive), 14 assists, 12 turnovers
Ballard: 21-57 FG (36.8%), 9-26 3P (34.6%), 8-16 FT (50.0%), 33 rebounds (17 offensive, 16 defensive), 10 assists, 12 turnovers

4A Championship: #2 Waukee 61, #4 Johnston 50

Waukee entered this season as one of the most hyped teams in Iowa high school history. They blasted their first two opponents this week, essentially ending those games in the first quarter. But the second-seeded Warriors faced some adversity on Friday night, as fourth-seed Johnston flipped the script on them and jumped out to a 12-point first quarter lead. A little adversity proved to be a good thing, though, as Waukee rallied in the second half and grabbed the school’s first ever boys basketball state title with a 61-50 win over the Dragons.

A red-hot Johnston team that was reminiscent of last year’s Ankeny squad that won the 4A title got off to a scorching start, putting the Warriors on their heels as they jumped out to a 14-2 lead. Waukee closed the quarter on a 10-2 run to pull back to within four by the end of the quarter. Johnston held a 32-25 lead at the half after a Carter Borwick 3 before the horn. The quick Dragons did an excellent job in the first half limiting Waukee’s stars Payton Sandfort Payton Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #138 Nation IA and Tucker DeVries Tucker DeVries 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #123 Nation IA .

Enter Malik Allen Malik Allen 5'11" | PG Des Moines North | 2021 State IA . The Des Moines North transfer, who led 4A in scoring last year at 26.4 points a game, provided some much needed offensive firepower for the Warriors when they were struggling, and his blow-by layup gave Waukee their first lead fo the game with 38 seconds left in the third quarter.

Waukee won the third quarter 16-7 and then expanded upon that lead throughout the fourth. Omaha Biliew Omaha Biliew 6'8" | SF Link Academy | 2023 #14 Nation FL put an exclamation point on the championship with a double-pump alley-oop dunk with just over a minute left to put the Warriors up by 13.

After last year’s heartbreak in the 4A championship game loss to Ankeny, Waukee slammed the door shut this time around.

Waukee’s season ends with a 16-2 record and a state title in the last year as the lone high school in Waukee. The Warriors were led by Tucker DeVires, who had 18 points. Omaha Biliew Omaha Biliew 6'8" | SF Link Academy | 2023 #14 Nation FL added 16 points, Payton Sandfort Payton Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #138 Nation IA 13 and Malik Allen Malik Allen 5'11" | PG Des Moines North | 2021 State IA chipped in 10.

Johnston’s season ends with a 12-5 record and a runner-up finish in their first championship game appearance since 2000. The Dragons were led by the junior tandem of Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA , who had 16, and Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA , who finished with 13 points. Carter Borwick added 11. Lewis and Kramer return next year, so expect the Dragons to be potent again.

MVP: Malik Allen Malik Allen 5'11" | PG Des Moines North | 2021 State IA , Waukee (2021) -- 10 points (4-6 FG, 2-2 3P, 0-1 FT), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals

Tucker DeVries Tucker DeVries 6'7" | SF Waukee | 2021 State #123 Nation IA took it over in the second half, but the Warriors may not have been within striking distance if it weren’t for the fantastic play on both ends of the floor by the 5-10 guard. Nobody on this roster sacrificed as much as Allen did when he decided to transfer to Waukee from North, where he led 4A in scoring. He bought into his role, and he was the key player in Waukee’s state championship win.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Johnston	16	16	7	11	50
Waukee	12	13	16	20	61

Team stats
Johnston: 22-51 FG (43.1%), 5-17 3P (29.4%), 1-2 FT (50.0%), 26 rebounds (9 offensive, 17 defensive), 9 assists, 7 turnovers
Waukee: 23-42 FG (54.8%), 6-15 3P (40.0%), 9-13 FT (69.2%), 25 rebounds (4 offensive, 21 defensive), 8 assists, 3 turnovers