Tuesday’s Top Games

Edgewood-Colesburg (10-2) at 1A #4 North Linn (14-1)

Back on December 21, Ed-Co ended a 107-game regular-season winning streak that the Lynx had going, while also handing them their first league loss since 2014. So it’s safe to say that the Lynx will be looking for a bit of revenge tonight when they meet up. North Linn has gotten back to what they do best, winning all six games after the holiday break by an average of 49.3 points a game, led by a quartet of double-figure scorers. Austin Hilmer Austin Hilmer 5'11" | PG North Linn | 2022 State IA (22.7, 8.1 assists, 4.9 steals) paces the attack on both ends of the floor, while Tate Haughenbury Tate Haughenbury 6'5" | PF North Linn | 2023 State IA (18.4), Dylan Kurt Dylan Kurt 6'3" | SF North Linn | 2022 State IA (12.5), and Cade Haughenbury Cade Haughenbury 6'2" | SF North Linn | 2022 State IA (10.6) are also big scorers. They average 18 steals a game and thrive on forcing turnovers. They shot just 29.8% in the first meeting, and it’s doubtful that that happens again. 

The experienced Vikings have a roster comprised entirely of seniors, and that experience showed in the first meeting, holding one of the most potent offenses in the state to just three points in the second quarter en route to their win. Mason Ashline (13.9) is the team’s leading scorer, but the length of Jack Wiskus (11.4) on the perimeter can cause issues. This is a balanced team with a number of different options that can hurt you.

Rock Valley (10-3) at 2A #3 Boyden-Hull (13-1)

It’s time to add another chapter to this fantastic rivalry. These two schools share a football program, so there is a lot of familiarity with the players who will take the court here. Boyden-Hull has been rolling since their loss to Central Lyon in the second game of the year, winning their last 12 games by an average of 20.1 points a game behind the stellar play of Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (23.6, 9.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists). The future South Dakota State wing has taken his game to another level this year and has been absolutely dominant on both ends of the floor. Spirit Lake transfer Vance Katzfey Vance Katzfey 6'3" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (19.2) has emerged as a secondary scorer on the wing for the Comets, and Bryan Zylstra Bryan Zylstra 6'2" | PF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (15.5) is a stretch-4 who can really shoot it. The Comets are playing really well on both ends of the floor and will be looking to lock down a dynamic Rockets offense.

Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (18.7) leads a trio of double-figure scorers for Rock Valley, posting impressive 54-37-72 shooting splits and leading the team in assists as well. Sam Remmerde Sam Remmerde 6'3" | PF Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (13.9) is a stretch-4 who can also protect the rim, and future Iowa football player Landyn Van Kekerix Landyn Van Kekerix 5'11" | SG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (12.8) gives them some toughness and physicality on the wing. In what figures to be another competitive, tight game between these rivals, the deciding factor could be the free-throw line, where Boyden-Hull has a major edge. 

Davenport North (8-3) at 3A #7 Central DeWitt (11-2)

After getting off to a bit of a slow start this year, North is now playing excellent basketball, winning seven straight games. The Wildcats can essentially knock the Sabers out of the MAC title race if they are able to complete the season sweep here, as North enters with an 8-1 record in league play, and Central DeWitt is 7-2 (Pleasant Valley sits at the top with a 10-0 mark). Senior guard Mike Lowery (16.8) leads the ’Cats attack, a quick guard who can score from all three levels. Sophomore wing Kyle Lamonte Kyle Lamonte 6'3" | SF Rock Island | 2024 IL (13.8) is the next big thing in the MAC, and senior forward Cade Guinn (10.4, 8.4 rebounds) has been really solid in the paint. The Wildcats shot 62.5% in the first meeting this year, a 66-45 triumph, and they were able to hold the Sabers to just 32.8% shooting. 

In that early-season loss to North, the Sabers were just 3-18 from the free-throw line (16.7%). If they want to manage a season split here, they’ll need to perform much better from the charity stripe. They’re led by senior forward Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA (22.5, 8.8 rebounds), a big presence in the paint on both ends of the floor who also has nimble feet and good touch from behind the arc. Gibson McEwen Gibson McEwen 6'1" | SG Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA (14.8) is the team’s best perimeter scoring threat, and Matthew Watters Matthew Watters 6'2" | SF Central DeWitt | 2023 State IA (7.9, 3.2 assists) has performed well as the team’s lead ball-handler. 

1A #6 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (15-0) at 2A #1 Aplington-Parkersburg (12-1)

These two North Iowa Cedar League foes don’t meet too often, as they’re in different divisions, but this game could be special. The Rebels enter with a perfect record, winning games by an average of 22.8 points a game and holding teams to just 47.8 points a night, but they will have a huge task in front of them with the Falcons’ high-powered attack that leads the state in scoring at 87.0 points a game. Gladbrook-Reinbeck is led by junior guard William Kiburis William Kiburis 6'4" | PG Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2023 State IA (23.1, 8.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists), a long, 6-2/6-3 point guard who is a nightly triple-double threat. He’s the type of player who can dominate a game even when he isn’t scoring, but in this matchup, the Rebels will need him to be highly aggressive. Tristen Sanford-Anders Tristen Sanford-Anders 6'5" | PF Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 2022 State IA (14.7, 9.1 rebounds) is a big, physical interior presence who likes to pound the offensive glass, and G-R will need to generate as many second-chance opportunities as they can. Junior wings Caleb Egesdal (11.3, 46.2 3P%) and Luke Riffey (10.9, 37.5 3P%) will also be huge tonight, they’ll need to knock down shots if they want to keep pace. 

Simply put, Aplington-Parkersburg is an offensive juggernaut. They have four players averaging well into double-figures in Jayden Mackie Jayden Mackie 6'2" | PG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2022 State IA (22.5), Garrett Hempen Garrett Hempen 6'1" | PG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2023 State IA (16.1), Gavin Thomas Gavin Thomas 6'0" | SG Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024 State IA (15.3), and Christian Haugstad Christian Haugstad 6'7" | C Aplington-Parkersburg | 2022 State IA (13.0). Mackie, an Upper Iowa commit, is an athletic guard who scores from all three levels and is capable of a 35+ point game on any given night. Hempen is the team’s leader in assists and is a fantastic three-level scorer in his own right, as is the sophomore Thomas. Haugstad provides size and rebounding (11.6 a game) in the paint, and they get quality production off the bench as well. As a team, the Falcons are posting 53-40-73 shooting splits, and they love to get up-and-down and fly all over the floor on the defensive end. 

Indianola (8-3) at 2A #5 Pella Christian (10-4)

Indianola is starting to play exceptional basketball, winning six straight games by an average of 23.5 points a game, and they’re coming in off a very impressive win over then 3A #1 Pella, 83-68. The Indians got off to a bit of a slow start under their new coach, but are showing now why we thought so highly of them heading into the season. Drew Kingery Drew Kingery 6'4" | SF Indianola | 2023 State IA (16.2, 8.0 rebounds) is a long, athletic wing who can defend multiple positions and is a dynamic scorer, while the backcourt of Brayden Drea Brayden Drea 5'10" | PG Indianola | 2023 State IA (14.2) and Cooper Nailor Cooper Nailor 5'11" | PG Indianola | 2022 State IA (7.7) is one of the best in the state. Add in combo forward Charlie Willmott Charlie Willmott 6'4" | PF Indianola | 2023 State IA (10.5), and athletic wing Casey Glascock Casey Glascock 6'0" | PG Indianola | 2023 State IA (4.9), and Indianola is loaded with offensive options.

Pella Christian is coming off a tough, physical game against Des Moines Christian last night, and now has a quick turnaround for a game against a very different team. Levi Schelhaas Levi Schelhaas 5'9" | PG Pella Christian | 2022 State IA (13.0, 3.1 assists) leads the team in scoring and assists, while Eric Mulder Eric Mulder 6'8" | PF Pella Christian | 2022 State IA (11.3, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks) is the team’s defensive focal point. The Eagles don’t shoot the ball very well from 3 (31.6% as a team), and they’ll need to shoot it better tonight if they want to keep pace with a high-powered Indianola attack.