4A Substate Semifinal Preview
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Substate 1 [player_tooltip player_id="1171676" first="Lio" last="Aguirre"] Sioux City West (7-14) at Ankeny (17-4) One of the state’s most potent and balanced offensive attacks in Ankeny shouldn’t face too much resistance in this one, as Sioux City West ranks 45th (out…
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Continue ReadingSubstate 1
Sioux City West (7-14) at Ankeny (17-4)
One of the state’s most potent and balanced offensive attacks in Ankeny shouldn’t face too much resistance in this one, as Sioux City West ranks 45th (out of 48 4A teams) in scoring defense, allowing 67.2 points a game. The Hawks are averaging 66.8 points a game behind three double-figure scorers in senior
Ryan Crandall
Ryan
Crandall
6'1" | SF
Ankeny | 2022
State
IA
(11.3, 8.5 rebounds), sophomore
Lio Aguirre
Lio
Aguirre
6'3" | SF
Ankeny | 2024
State
IA
(10.7), and junior
JJ Kohl
JJ
Kohl
6'8" | PF
Ankeny | 2023
IA
(10.6). Four others average between 6.2 and 9.9 points a game, giving the Hawks seven players they can comfortably look towards to score. Junior point guard
Keavian Hayes
Keavian
Hayes
6'2" | SG
Sioux City West | 2023
State
IA
(17.1) is the catalyst for West, an athletic and quick guard who is efficient from all three levels, while Lamarion Mothershead (11.7) gives them some additional punch on the wing. The Wolverines are athletic enough to stick around for a while, but eventually the overcoming depth and number of options that Ankeny possesses will overtake West as the Hawks cruise into the substate final.
Our pick: Ankeny
Waukee (13-10) at Sioux City East (16-5)
Sioux City East is one of the best offensive teams in 4A, averaging 71.0 points a game, led by senior forward
Bie Ruei
Bie
Ruei
6'4" | SF
Sioux City East | 2022
State
IA
(13.9) and juniors
Preston Dobbs
Preston
Dobbs
6'5" | SF
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
(12.3) and
Cole Ritchie
Cole
Ritchie
6'2" | SG
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
(10.6). Fellow junior wing
Brandt Van Dyke
Brandt
Van Dyke
6'8" | PF
Sioux City East | 2023
State
IA
(9.9) leads the team in assists, and the Black Raiders really like to get out and play with some tempo. They’ll look to force turnovers against a young Waukee team that lacks much postseason experience, but they’ve done a good job limiting turnovers throughout the season, giving it away under 11 times a game. Junior forward
Vance Peiffer
Vance
Peiffer
6'7" | C
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
(11.5, 6.7 rebounds) is a mobile big man who could give the Raiders some trouble in the paint, and
Cade Littlefield
Cade
Littlefield
6'1"
Waukee | 2023
IA
(10.8, 48.8 3P%) is a heady, high IQ guard who can really shoot it. The Warriors are young, with only one senior on the roster, but they’re deep, athletic, and talented. Playing on the road in a hostile environment in a game of this magnitude will be tough, and should give the edge to East, but this figures to be one of the best games of the night.
Our pick: Sioux City East
Substate 2
Mason City (6-16) at Ames (18-3)
Ames swept the season series, 60-38 and 66-48. The biggest question in 4A right now is what is going on with
Tamin Lipsey
Tamin
Lipsey
6'2" | PG
Ames | 2022
State
#163
Nation
IA
‘s hamstring? Lipsey (16.5, 6.1 assists) has missed the last six games, and while the Little Cyclones won’t need him to get by the Mohawks in this one, they will certainly need him on Tuesday night and if they reach the state tournament. Senior forwards
Trevion Labeaux
Trevion
Labeaux
6'3" | SF
Ames | 2022
State
IA
(15.0, 6.5 rebounds) and
Corey Phillips
Corey
Phillips
6'5" | PF
Ames | 2022
State
IA
(11.6, 5.7 rebounds) have played well in Lipsey’s absence, and Ames’ fantastic defense should be enough to carry them through this one. Mason City is led by their senior tandem of
Corey Miner
Corey
Miner
6'0" | PG
Mason City | 2022
State
IA
(14.5) and
Isaiah Washington
Isaiah
Washington
6'5" | PF
Mason City | 2022
State
IA
(12.1). Miner hasn’t shot it well from the arc this season, but he’s a capable shooter who could get hot and keep the Mohawks around for a while. But at the end of the day, there is a significant talent gap here and Ames shouldn’t have too many issues in advancing to the substate final.
Our pick: Ames
Hoover (15-8) at Centennial (12-9)
Centennial won the regular-season meeting, 50-41, back on January 18, but Hoover was playing without star guard
Chase Henderson
Chase
Henderson
6'0" | PG
Hoover | 2023
State
IA
(23.1, 4.1 assists) in that one, who was out for a handful of games after an appendectomy. The Huskies turned it over 15 times (to just 6 Jaguars turnovers) in that loss, nearly double their season average. That number should improve with Henderson back on the floor. Junior wing
Elijah Vos
Elijah
Vos
6'4" | SF
Hoover | 2023
State
IA
(15.4) is a difficult matchup with his big 6-6 frame and ability to score from all three levels, and Centennial will really need to focus on that tandem. Centennial is led by a trio of senior guards –
Chris Louis
Chris
Louis
6'0" | SG
Centennial | 2022
State
IA
(12.3),
Jackson Snyder
Jackson
Snyder
6'0" | SG
Centennial | 2022
State
IA
(11.3), and
Caden Kelling
Caden
Kelling
5'10" | SG
Centennial | 2022
State
IA
(10.7, 4.2 assists) – as well as a pair of younger bigs in sophomores
Reece Robinson
Reece
Robinson
6'7" | PF
Saint Ignatius | 2024
State
OH
(10.0, 6.7 rebounds) and Chase Schutty (4.0, 4.5 rebounds). The Jags are able to comfortably go deep into their bench with scoring options, and they have the quickness and athleticism to defend Henderson on the perimeter. They’ll need to keep Hoover, and
Chevelle Ruchti
Chevelle
Ruchti
6'6" | C
Hoover | 2022
State
IA
(7.1, 8.7 rebounds) in particular, off of the offensive glass and make the Huskies beat them with one shot.
Our pick: Hoover
Substate 3
Cedar Rapids Jefferson (8-14) at Valley (19-3)
Jefferson was one of the most pleasant surprises of the early season this year, getting off to a 5-1 start that included wins over Davenport North, Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids Washington, but the magic rubbed off following the holiday break. The J-Hawks have won just three games since the calendar turned, with two of them coming against Waterloo West. They have a talented trio of guards in seniors
Andreas Williams
Andreas
Williams
6'1" | SG
Cedar Rapids Jefferson | 2022
State
IA
(16.2),
Ayrondus Hodges
Ayrondus
Hodges
5'10" | SG
Cedar Rapids Jefferson | 2022
State
IA
(15.7), and
Caden Schroeder
Caden
Schroeder
6'0" | SG
Cedar Rapids Jefferson | 2022
State
IA
(10.0) who can get to the rim, but they’ll have their work cut out for them against the big, physical, athletic guards that Valley possesses, and they’ll have no answer for Valley big man
Ruot Bijiek
Ruot
Bijiek
6'8" | PF
Valley | 2022
State
IA
(17.3, 7.0 rebounds). Perhaps no team in the state is playing at a higher level than the Tigers right now, winning 13 straight games and one of just three teams (Council Bluffs Lincoln, Cedar Falls) to rank within the top-10 in scoring offense and defense. Bijiek has taken his game up another level since the injury to
Eli Raridon
Eli
Raridon
6'7" | PF
Valley | 2022
State
IA
, and the 6-8/6-9 big is the type of athletic, rangy big who is a matchup problem for anyone at this level.
Curtis Stinson Jr
Curtis
Stinson Jr
6'5" | PG
Valley | 2025
State
#157
Nation
IA
(9.8) and
Kiki Deng
Kiki
Deng
6'4" | SG
Valley | 2025
State
IA
(6.8) are key pieces of a very talented 2025 class at Valley, and they’re able to put a number of talented athletes on the floor who will defend and play their roles. This should be one of the most lopsided games of the evening.
Our pick: Valley
Marshalltown (11-11) at Cedar Falls (18-2)
Marshalltown is the team that played Waukee the toughest in their march to the state title last year, losing to the Warriors by just six points in the postseason, the only team to stay within single-digits. Many of those pieces are back this year, led by senior guard
Armonniey Thomas
Armonniey
Thomas
6'2" | PG
Marshalltown | 2022
State
IA
(21.8, 4.0 assists), a hyper-athletic and quick guard who is one of the top unsigned 2022s in the state.
Prince Jallah
Prince
Jallah
6'1" | SG
Marshalltown | 2023
State
IA
(12.7) is an athletic wing who can get to the rim and defend multiple positions, and the duo of
Drake Kapayou
Drake
Kapayou
6'0" | PG
Marshalltown | 2023
State
IA
(11.0, 38.5 3P%) and Jaxson Eisenbarth (6.1, 50.0 3P%) can really shoot it alongside that tandem. Kapayou turned his ankle in the Bobcats’ quarterfinal game, and his status is in question, which would be a significant blow. Cedar Falls has won 14 straight games behind the ridiculous play of senior guard
Trey Campbell
Trey
Campbell
6'4" | PG
Cedar Falls | 2022
State
IA
(24.4, 4.3 assists), a future Northern Iowa guard who is posting 56-41-85 shooting splits and dominating games on both ends of the floor on a nightly basis.
Dallas Bear
Dallas
Bear
6'8" | SF
Cedar Falls | 2023
State
#276
Nation
IA
(15.0) is a sharpshooting junior wing with length, and the new faces who took a little while to get acclimated to varsity run have really played well down the stretch. Campbell is a dominant player, and the matchup between him and Thomas will be a ton of fun to watch.
Our pick: Cedar Falls
Substate 4
Linn-Mar (12-10) at Kennedy (18-3)
One of the best rivalries in 4A will add another chapter on Friday night. These teams split their regular-season meetings, with Linn-Mar winning 70-63 on December 17 and Kennedy taking the rematch 58-54 on January 21. Linn-Mar has had an up-and-down season, but they’ll always get up to play Kennedy, especially if it means a chance to end the Cougars’ season. The Lions are led by athletic senior guard
Jaxson Young
Jaxson
Young
6'0" | SG
Linn-Mar | 2022
State
IA
(15.2), a 6-2 guard who can get to the rim and who is armed with a dynamic mid-range game. Freshman big
Davis Kern
Davis
Kern
6'8" | PF
Linn-Mar | 2025
State
#244
Nation
IA
(10.0, 42.4 3P%) is a high-upside stretch-4 who can protect the rim, and the Lions have a slew of solid role players who understand their roles and play them well. Kennedy is led by a quartet of talented guards in
Colby Dolphin
Colby
Dolphin
5'10" | PG
Kennedy | 2023
State
IA
(14.2, 42.0 3P%),
Kenzie Reed
Kenzie
Reed
5'11" | PG
Kennedy | 2023
State
IA
(12.7, 7.2 assists),
Carson Blietz
Carson
Blietz
5'11" | SG
Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(9.3, 42.2 3P%), and
Cyrus Courtney
Cyrus
Courtney
6'1" | SG
Kennedy | 2024
State
IA
(7.5, 2.6 steals), each of whom gives the Cougars a little something different. Senior big men
Jackson Bowman
Jackson
Bowman
6'7" | PF
Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(10.8) and
Craig Mills
Craig
Mills
6'5" | PF
Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(7.9, 7.1 rebounds) provide some size and physicality in the paint as well. The Cougars are the deeper and more talented team, but expect another tight one between these rivals that will be decided late.
Our pick: Kennedy
Liberty (10-12) at Cedar Rapids Washington (12-9)
Washington won the regular-season meeting 57-47 two weeks ago by forcing 22 Lightning turnovers, and if Liberty doesn’t get that under control, they’ll face a similar fate against the Warriors. Washington has a young but super athletic team that flies all over the court on both ends. Junior wing
Traijan Sain
Traijan
Sain
6'5" | SF
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2023
State
IA
(17.2, 6.5 rebounds) leads the team in scoring and rebounding, while the backcourt of
Jesse Sellers
Jesse
Sellers
5'10" | PG
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2023
State
IA
(11.3),
Jaden Harris
Jaden
Harris
6'0" | PG
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2023
State
IA
(6.9, 3.7 assists), and
Willie Hodges
Willie
Hodges
6'2" | PG
Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024
IA
(4.2, 3.0 assists) provides a ton of quickness on the perimeter, and
JJ Willis
JJ
Willis
6'3" | PF
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2024
State
IA
(6.6, 53.9 FG%) has been solid in the paint despite being undersized. Like Washington, Liberty is young and athletic, led by junior wing
Da’Shon Fisher
Da’Shon
Fisher
6'2" | SG
Liberty | 2023
IA
(16.9), a walking highlight-reel who loves to dunk on people. The Lightning go deep into their bench and have a lot of quickness and athleticism alongside Fisher, but they’ll need to protect the ball (14.8 turnovers a game) if they want to pull off the upset and move onto the substate final.
Our pick: Cedar Rapids Washington
Substate 5
Davenport West (11-12) at Pleasant Valley (21-0)
Pleasant Valley is the only undefeated team left in 4A, so they obviously swept this season’s series, but the games were close – 48-40 and 40-38. The Spartans play at one of the more methodical paces in the state, relying on their strength, athleticism, and skill on the defensive end to suffocate teams, but that slower style can make them vulnerable to upsets. Senior guard
Ryan Dolphin
Ryan
Dolphin
5'8" | PG
Pleasant Valley | 2022
State
IA
(16.8, 45.2 3P%) has emerged as one of the top perimeter shooting threats in the state, and the tandem of
Connor Borbeck
Connor
Borbeck
6'2" | SG
Pleasant Valley | 2023
State
IA
(14.0, 38.9 3P%) and
Joel Lawlor
Joel
Lawlor
6'3" | PG
Pleasant Valley | 2022
State
IA
(9.8, 42.6 3P%) give the Spartans even more 3-point shooting. This is a group that limits turnovers and plays excellent defense. In the two regular-season meetings, West turned the ball over an average of 17.5 times a game, and that number has to improve against this staunch defense if they want to pull off the upset. The backcourt of
Jermaine Gardner
Jermaine
Gardner
5'11" | PG
Davenport West | 2022
State
IA
(13.7, 3.2 assists),
NaZion Caruthers
NaZion
Caruthers
6'0" | CG
Davenport West | 2022
State
IA
(10.9, 5.0 rebounds), and
Jermilyn Gardner
Jermilyn
Gardner
5'8" | PG
Davenport West | 2024
IA
(8.9) will have a lot on their plate against the length and athleticism of PV. If they can protect the ball, the Spartans could be ripe for an upset.
Our pick: Pleasant Valley
Burlington (15-7) at Iowa City West (14-8)
West got off to a strong 7-0 start before going just 7-8 in their last 15 games, which coincides with an injury sustained by junior wing
Savion Taylor
Savion
Taylor
6'4" | SF
The Burlington School | 2024
State
NC
, who was the team’s best shooter and a really good perimeter defender. They are limping into the postseason, losing five of their last six games, but in senior forward
Peter Moe
Peter
Moe
6'9" | PF
Iowa City West | 2022
State
IA
(21.7, 9.1 rebounds), the Trojans have a player that Burlington will really struggle to defend. These teams met at the beginning of the year, and Moe had 28 points on 12-17 shooting with 14 rebounds. The smaller Grayhounds simply don’t have an answer for his size and ability to score inside and out.
Jack McCaffery
Jack
McCaffery
6'8" | SF
Iowa City West | 2025
State
#70
Nation
IA
(9.6, 5.1 rebounds),
Jacob Koch
Jacob
Koch
6'1" | PG
Iowa City West | 2024
State
IA
(8.9, 42.3 3P%),
Kareem Earl
Kareem
Earl
6'5" | SF
Iowa City West | 2024
State
IA
(8.3), and
Christian Barnes
Christian
Barnes
5'10" | PG
Iowa City West | 2022
State
IA
(7.9, 4.1 assists) round out a balanced attack for the Trojans. Burlington is led by a pair of athletic, slashing wings in
Amarion Davis
Amarion
Davis
6'3" | SF
Burlington | 2022
State
IA
(14.7) and Merquiche Lewis Jr (12.8). They like to play downhill and get to the rim, and keeping them out of the paint will be key for the Trojans in this one.
Our pick: Iowa City West
Substate 6
Senior (12-10) at Prairie (15-6)
Prairie won the regular-season meeting 67-54 during the last week of the season, despite Senior shooting 55.3% from the floor. In that game, the Rams were just 8-23 (34.8%) from the free-throw line, and they turned it over 15 times. A young team with a ton of athleticism, they have the type of length and quickness that could make this game interesting if they can cut down on the turnovers and knock down some free throws.
Jacob Williams
Jacob
Williams
6'4" | PF
Senior | 2024
State
IA
(10.8), an athletic, rim-running sophomore, leads the team in scoring and rebounding, but this is a balanced team with nine other players averaging between 3.3 and 7.0 points a game. Prairie has a bigger, more physical team headlined by future Iowa State football player
Gabe Burkle
Gabe
Burkle
6'7" | PF
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
(15.0, 5.9 rebounds), who is not a good matchup for the leaner, quicker Rams.
Jake Walter
Jake
Walter
5'10" | CG
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
(13.3, 3.9 assists) is a three-level scorer who can get others involved, and they’ve gotten strong production off the bench from
Makelle Taylor
Makelle
Taylor
5'11" | PG
Prairie | 2023
State
IA
(4.7) and
Reid Burkle
Reid
Burkle
6'5" | PF
Prairie | 2024
State
IA
(4.1) following
Elijah Ward
Elijah
Ward
6'2" | CG
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
‘s injury. Prairie is the more experienced, more physical team and they should come away with the home win here to move into the substate final.
Our pick: Prairie
Hempstead (12-10) at Davenport North (15-6)
This figures to be one of the most interesting games on Friday night, as North will struggle to contain Hempstead big man
Cameron Fens
Cameron
Fens
7'0" | C
Hempstead | 2022
State
IA
(19.2, 11.4 rebounds, 2.2 blocks), a 6-10 forward who is playing at an incredibly high level and picking up Division I offers, while Hempstead will struggle to contain the quickness and penetration of the Wildcats perimeter options. Hempstead has gotten strong production out of senior wing
Kellen Strohmeyer
Kellen
Strohmeyer
6'3" | SG
Hempstead | 2022
State
IA
(14.6), but it will be Fens, and how North is able to defend him, that decides this one for the Mustangs. North is led by senior guard
Michael Lowery Jr
Michael
Lowery Jr
6'1" | PG
Davenport North | 2022
State
IA
(16.5, 46.5 3P%) and sophomore wing
Kyle Lamonte
Kyle
Lamonte
6'3" | SF
Rock Island | 2024
IL
(13.0), who are both quick guards who can break down a defense and get to the rim, and Lowery has really developed as a shooter. A lot will be asked out of Cade Guinn (9.7, 7.8 rebounds), an undersized but physical forward who will get the first crack at Fens, and if he can hold his ground, the ‘Cats can win.
Our pick: Davenport North
Substate 7
Southeast Polk (7-15) at Northwest (18-4)
Northwest rolled in the regular-season meeting early this season, 79-52, behind 27 points and 13 rebounds from
Pryce Sandfort
Pryce
Sandfort
6'7" | SF
Waukee Northwest | 2023
State
#123
Nation
IA
. That should come as no surprise, as Sandfort (27.5, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks) has been the best player in the state this season, putting up ridiculous numbers while posting incredibly efficient shooting splits of 53-41-90. A 6-7 junior who has been dominant on both ends of the floor, he’s an impossible matchup at this level. Junior guard
Cade Kelderman
Cade
Kelderman
6'0" | PG
Waukee Northwest | 2023
State
IA
(16.3, 5.6 assists) has been really good initiating the offense and knocking down the open looks that Sandfort can provide, and
Henry Manning
Henry
Manning
6'1" | SG
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
(11.7, 38.7 3P%) and
Grant Tigges
Grant
Tigges
6'4" | SG
Waukee Northwest | 2024
State
IA
(8.0, 44.0 3P%) provide some more floor stretching. For the Rams, it’s the
Riley Edwards
Riley
Edwards
6'3" | SG
Southeast Polk | 2023
State
IA
(19.4) show. A long 6-3/6-4 guard who can score from all three levels, he’s emerged as one of the top scorers in the Des Moines area.
Kadyn Proctor
Kadyn
Proctor
6'6" | PF
Southeast Polk | 2023
IA
(9.8, 7.3 rebounds) provides some size and physicality, and
Lincoln Cantrall
Lincoln
Cantrall
6'8" | PF
Southeast Polk | 2023
State
IA
(9.0, 44.0 3P%) is a long 6-7 shooter. Northwest has too much firepower and should win this one fairly comfortably.
Our pick: Northwest
Urbandale (12-10) at Indianola (17-4)
Indianola has been one of the best offensive teams in the state this season, averaging 69.0 points a game, fifth in the class. The Indians are led by future Division I wing
Drew Kingery
Drew
Kingery
6'4" | SF
Indianola | 2023
State
IA
(18.9, 7.6 rebounds), a long 6-6 wing who can score from all three levels.
Brayden Drea
Brayden
Drea
5'10" | PG
Indianola | 2023
State
IA
(12.2, 44.8 3P%) has provided more perimeter shooting, and
Cooper Nailor
Cooper
Nailor
5'11" | PG
Indianola | 2022
State
IA
(8.1, 5.1 assists) is an excellent ball-handler and decision-maker. The Indians are able to comfortably go eight deep on the bench with scoring options. These teams met 10 days ago, a 64-63 Indianola win in which they knocked down 14 3-pointers, but were outrebounded 34-25. Expect rebounding to be a focus for the Indians in this rematch. Urbandale has been one of the most improved teams in the state over the last month of the season, going 6-3 since January 18, with the three losses coming by 3 points (Dowling), 3 (Valley), and 1 (Indianola). The J-Hawks are led by sophomore guard
Grant Uecker
Grant
Uecker
6'3" | PG
Urbandale | 2024
State
IA
(11.3, 46.1 3P%), an excellent shooter both off the dribble and the catch who leads the team in scoring, rebounding, and assists. Behind Uecker, the J-Hawks have a lot of experienced pieces like
Brice Lange
Brice
Lange
5'10" | SG
Urbandale | 2023
State
IA
(10.7), Gresyn Schmitz (9.8), and
Kirby Schmitz
Kirby
Schmitz
6'6" | C
Charlotte | 2023
State
FL
(6.2), which will help in this game. Urbandale knows that they can play with Indianola, and they’ve been playing really good ball over the last month. Don’t be surprised if the J-Hawks pull off the upset here.
Our pick: Urbandale
Substate 8
Norwalk (12-10) at Johnston (17-3)
Johnston has been playing some excellent basketball down the stretch, winning six straight heading into the postseason including victories over Northwest and Ames. Senior guard
Trey Lewis
Trey
Lewis
5'10" | PG
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(22.6, 7.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists) has played at a level matched by few in the state this year, showing off his unlimited range and ability to get to the rim at will while also getting others involved at a high clip. Wing
Steven Kramer
Steven
Kramer
6'5" | SG
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(15.7, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists), headed to play at South Dakota, provides length and athleticism on the perimeter, and the Dragons are able to put a ton of perimeter shooting on the floor alongside that dynamic duo, as they shoot 41.9% from behind the arc as a team. A young Norwalk team has just one senior among their top seven scorers, and they’re led by sophomore guard
Redek Born
Redek
Born
6'3" | PG
Norwalk | 2024
State
IA
(13.6), who will emerge as one of the state’s top scorers as soon as next year.
Braeden Carlson
Braeden
Carlson
6'4" | SF
Norwalk | 2023
State
IA
(13.0, 7.1 rebounds) has been remarkably efficient on the interior, but Johnston is just going to have too much talent, length, and athleticism in this matchup.
Our pick: Johnston
Dowling Catholic (8-14) at Council Bluffs Lincoln (15-5)
These teams met at the beginning of the year, a 65-54 Council Bluffs Lincoln win, and that came with a healthy
Josh Dix
Josh
Dix
6'5" | SG
Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2022
State
#149
Nation
IA
in the lineup, so Dowling Catholic has to feel as though they can play with the Lynx here. Senior guard
Jamison Gruber
Jamison
Gruber
6'1" | PG
Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2022
State
IA
(19.1, 44.7 3P%) has really stepped up and played at a high level for CBAL since Dix went down, averaging 26.5 points with 55-49-80 splits since the injury. Jaxson Jones (9.7, 42.6 3P%) gives them more perimeter shooting, and Jake Duffey (8.6, 65.5 FG%) is an athletic and physical interior presence. The Maroons are a physical and athletic team that likes to apply pressure on the ball, and they’ll look to get the ball out of Gruber’s hands and make the other players beat them.
Andrew Mauro
Andrew
Mauro
6'1" | SG
Dowling Catholic | 2023
State
IA
(13.9) is the team’s top scoring threat, and
Carson Brown
Carson
Brown
6'2" | SG
Dowling Catholic | 2022
State
IA
(8.5) is a fantastic athlete on the wing. The Maroons can struggle to score at times (39.0 FG%), and they’ll rely on their defense to keep them in this one late, where anything can happen.
Our pick: Council Bluffs Lincoln