Friday’s Top Games
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[player_tooltip player_id="1171693" first="Cade" last="Courbat"] 4A #10 Prairie (10-2) at 4A #6 Cedar Falls (8-2) Since their 64-56 loss to Prairie on January 4, Cedar Falls has been rolling, winning five straight games by an average of 21.6 points a game.…
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Continue Reading4A #10 Prairie (10-2) at 4A #6 Cedar Falls (8-2)
Since their 64-56 loss to Prairie on January 4, Cedar Falls has been rolling, winning five straight games by an average of 21.6 points a game. Senior guard Trey Campbell Trey Campbell 6'4" | PG Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA (25.8, 61.3 FG%) has been exceptional this season, using his unique blend of length, athleticism, quickness, and talent to dominate games on both ends of the floor. The future Northern Iowa guard is posting eye-popping efficiency numbers, but it has been the play of the role players around Campbell that has helped lead to the resurgence for the Tigers. This is a group that lacked experience coming into the year, but the new faces are stepping up and playing well now. Junior wing Dallas Bear Dallas Bear 6'8" | SF Cedar Falls | 2023 State #276 Nation IA (13.9, 6.7 rebounds) seems to have come out of an early-season shooting slump, and Cade Courbat Cade Courbat 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2024 State IA (7.5, 6.3 rebounds) and Aaron Brost Aaron Brost 6'2" | SF Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA (5.8) have provided solid production on both ends of the floor.
Prairie shot a blistering 54.8% from the floor and 55.6% from 3-point range in the win over Cedar Falls earlier this month, while also outrebounding the Tigers 30-17. The Hawks do a good job on the glass on a nightly basis, so that’s no surprise, but the 3-point shooting in that game may have been a bit of an aberration for a team that shoots 33.7% from the arc as a group. They’re led by a trio of double-figure scorers in Gabe Burkle Gabe Burkle 6'7" | PF Prairie | 2022 State IA (14.8), Jake Walter Jake Walter 5'10" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA (13.5), and Elijah Ward Elijah Ward 6'2" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA (10.9), an experienced senior core that won’t back down from anyone on either end of the floor. The Hawks will need to shoot it well again and lean on their advantage on the glass if they want to complete the season sweep against a red-hot Tigers squad.
1A #1 Grand View Christian (18-0) at North Polk (10-4)
The top-ranked team in 1A has trucked their competition this year, winning their first 18 games by an average of 41.4 points a game. They’ve posted quality wins over 4A teams like Des Moines North and Des Moines East, and good 2A teams like Treynor and Roland-Story. They’ll have another tough test against a really good 3A North Polk team that has a number of quality wins of their own. Manny Hammonds Manny Hammonds 6'2" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA (26.0) paces a high-powered offense that loves to play up-tempo and use their athleticism edge to their advantage. The Thunder love to press and create turnovers, and they’ve got a number of talented scorers. Josh Baucum Josh Baucum 6'1" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA (19.4) is the other big-time scorer on the perimeter, but there are four others averaging between 7.7 and 9.5 points a game. The anchor of this team is Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA (8.1, 14.4 rebounds, 4.7 blocks), a 7-0 junior who erases everything at the back end of their defense.
North Polk has solid wins over some good 3A teams like Winterset, Ballard, and Bondurant-Farrar. The Comets are led by senior wing Jevin Sullivan Jevin Sullivan 6'5" | SG North Polk | 2022 State IA (17.2, 8.5 rebounds), a dynamic three-level scorer with the length and size to create some issues for the Thunder on the perimeter. Sullivan is a big, physical wing who can get to the rim, and they’ve gotten solid production out of players like Jackson Nemmers (8.5), Marcus Haupert (8.2), and Austin Parkins (6.0) this season. A good defensive team, allowing 48.2 points a game, they’ll have their hands full with the high-powered, up-tempo Thunder.
4A #7 Johnston (11-2) at Valley (11-3)
Johnston won the first meeting between these teams, 62-59, on January 7, one of the first games that Valley was playing without star forward Eli Raridon Eli Raridon 6'7" | PF Valley | 2022 State IA . Despite losing that major interior presence, the Tigers still pulled down 13 offensive rebounds and nearly pulled off the upset. Johnston will need to focus on limiting second-chance points in this rematch. Valley is led by senior forward Ruot Bijiek Ruot Bijiek 6'8" | PF Valley | 2022 State IA (14.3), a springy and long forward who can score inside and out as well as protect the rim on the defensive end. Freshman guard Curtis Stinson (9.5) has been really strong on both ends of the floor, and the Tigers have gotten increased production out of senior guards Mason Morrow Mason Morrow 5'11" | CG Valley | 2022 State IA (7.1) and Cade Grevengoed Cade Grevengoed 6'1" | SG Valley | 2022 State IA (7.0) since Raridon went down. The Tigers are deep and talented despite the loss of Raridon, and BJ Windhorst is always going to have them competing on the defensive end.
Johnston is led by senior guard Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA (23.2, 7.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists), who is playing as well as anyone not named Pryce Sandfort Pryce Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee Northwest | 2023 State #123 Nation IA . Lewis, a 5-10/5-11 guard, has really developed his all-around game this season, showing his ability to break down the defense and get to the rim for finishes to pair with his limitless range. Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA (16.2), a South Dakota signee, gives them athleticism and talent on the perimeter, and they’ve gotten strong production out of role players like Masen Ryan Masen Ryan 6'3" | SF Johnston | 2022 State IA (9.7), Nathan Ruisch Nathan Ruisch 6'4" | SF Johnston | 2023 State IA (8.7), and Jacob Simpson Jacob Simpson 6'5" | SF Johnston | 2024 IA (5.1, 5.5 rebounds). The Dragons are shooting 42.9% from behind the arc as a team and have a high-powered attack that can explode at any time.
4A #4 Ankeny (10-2) at 4A #2 Waukee Northwest (12-2)
Northwest won the first meeting between these teams back on December 17, 57-50, behind 30 points and 13 rebounds from star wing Pryce Sandfort Pryce Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee Northwest | 2023 State #123 Nation IA (28.9, 11.3 rebounds). The Wolves held the Hawks to just 1-17 shooting from behind the arc in that win but gave up 19 offensive rebounds, an area that they will need to focus on in this rematch. Nobody in the state is playing at a higher level than Sandfort, who is averaging nearly 31 points a game in his last 10 games and shooting well over 50% from behind the arc. With his size, length, and skillset, he’s a really difficult matchup for the Hawks here. Cade Kelderman Cade Kelderman 6'0" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2023 State IA (17.4, 5.4 assists) and Henry Manning Henry Manning 6'1" | SG Waukee | 2023 State IA (11.2) are the other double-figure scorers for the Wolves, who have been really impressive on the defensive end as well.
Ankeny comes into this one hot, winning seven straight games since that loss to Northwest. Their two losses this year have come against the Wolves and #1 Ames. The Hawks have a really balanced team, with five players averaging between 8.8 and 11.7 points a game, led by senior forward Ryan Crandall Ryan Crandall 6'1" | SF Ankeny | 2022 State IA (11.7). Lio Aguirre Lio Aguirre 6'3" | SF Ankeny | 2024 State IA (11.5) is an athletic, physical wing who can score and distribute, and sophomore point guard Carson Johnson Carson Johnson 5'11" | PG Ankeny | 2024 State IA (8.9) does a good job limiting turnovers. The balanced and deep Hawks will likely throw a number of different defenders at Sandfort (Crandall, Aguirre, Alex Aguirre Alex Aguirre 6'2" | SF Ankeny | 2022 State IA , Karson Wehde Karson Wehde 6'4" | SG Ankeny | 2023 State IA ) in an effort to wear him down. A win here would certainly cement Ankeny as a legitimate state title contender in 4A.
1A #9 Danville (14-1) at 1A #10 New London (12-1)
Both teams come into this game with identical 11-1 conference marks, but New London holds the head-to-head edge by virtue of their 55-54 win back on December 17. The Tigers got 25 points on 10-14 shooting from star guard Blaise Porter Blaise Porter 6'1" | PG New London | 2023 State #298 Nation IA (19.4, 4.6 assists) in that win, as Danville struggled to contain him, and New London was able to come away with a win despite the Bears turning it over just 7 times. Fellow junior standout Kade Benjamin Kade Benjamin 6'6" | PF New London | 2023 State IA (16.7, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 blocks) got a scare last week with a potential knee injury and missed the Tigers loss to WACO, but it turned out to be a sprain and he was back on the floor for their win over West Burlington on Tuesday. Benjamin’s presence in the paint will be big against a Danville team that crashes the glass hard. Expect to see more involvement from Devin Swanson Devin Swanson 6'3" | PF New London | 2022 State IA (12.9) in this one after he posted just 2 points on 1-4 shooting in the win over Danville earlier this year.
The Soukup twins, former standouts at Danville, have the Bears playing excellent ball, especially on the defensive end, where they are forcing a bevy of turnovers. They average 17.3 steals a game, and they pound the offensive glass hard (12.9 offensive boards a night), generating a ton of second-chance opportunities and extra possessions. Senior Drake Johnson Drake Johnson 6'0" | SF Danville | 2022 State IA (13.6) is the team’s leading scorer, one of three in double-figures – junior Caiden Gourley Caiden Gourley 6'5" | SG Danville | 2023 State IA (13.3) and senior Sawyer Nelson Sawyer Nelson 6'6" | PF Danville Community School | 2022 State IA (10.5, 10.5 rebounds). The senior backcourt of Ty Carr Ty Carr 5'11" | PG Danville | 2022 State IA (8.9, 5.4 assists) and Cadence Williams (4.1 assists) has done a solid job limiting turnovers and running the offense. If Danville can force some turnovers and get easy buckets in transition, they’ll have a real chance at managing a season split in this series and grabbing control of the SEISC South division.