Class 2A District Semifinal Preview

The district semifinals are Thursday night in Class 1A and 2A. We take a look at some of the top games in Class 2A action here.   <h3 style="text-align: center;">The Top Five Games</h3> [caption id="attachment_1073016" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Lucas-Lorenzen.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1073016 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/Lucas-Lorenzen-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="682280" first="Lucas" last="Lorenzen"][/caption] Okoboji vs. Sioux Central (at Estherville Lincoln Central) The top two scorers in 2A matchup in this game, with Okoboji’s [player_tooltip player_id="682280" first="Lucas" last="Lorenzen"] (30.9, 12.0 rebounds) and Sioux Central’s [player_tooltip player_id="1167698" first="Jacob" last="Hargens"] (25.6, 10.3 rebounds) set to square off. Lorenzen is a powerful 6-6 combo forward who can score inside and out, and has put together one of the best seasons in recent memory, while Hargens is an athletic and powerful 6-3 guard who gets to the bucket routinely and is a solid facilitator. Lorenzen has done his damage against one of the toughest schedules in 2A, playing in the Siouxland Conference, and that could come into play in this one. Sioux Central has the more dynamic supporting cast, with [player_tooltip player_id="1240102" first="Carter" last="Boettcher"] (18.3, 4.8 assists) and Ethan Mills (12.4) providing additional scoring alongside Hargens, but Lorenzen is the best player on the floor and they’ll have a really tough time slowing him down. [caption id="attachment_1287482" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Drew-Britson-crop-4852x3186-1632172958.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1287482 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Drew-Britson-crop-4852x3186-1632172958-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1147612" first="Drew" last="Britson"][/caption] Garner-Hayfield-Ventura at Osage Osage won the regular-season meeting between these teams 69-65 back on December 11, and that was despite the Cardinals shooting an eye-popping 14-23 (60.9%) from behind the arc in that game. Osage was able to force 17 turnovers and outscore the Cardinals by 9 at the free-throw line. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="962681" first="Nathan" last="Havel"] (15.4, 8.1 rebounds) is the focal point for Osage on both ends of the floor, an efficient scorer and excellent rebounder who should have his way against a smaller GHV frontline. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="1376718" first="Max" last="Knudsen"] (12.7) pairs well with senior lead guard [player_tooltip player_id="1235038" first="Tyler" last="Oberfoell"] (12.4), giving the Green Devils a pair of quality ball-handlers who protect the ball and get others involved. GHV is led by junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1147612" first="Drew" last="Britson"] (16.2, 3.3 assists), a stocky but quick guard who can score from all three levels. He shot 5-8 from 3 in that early-season loss, and Braden Boehnke (7.5, 31.9 3P%) was 6-9 from the arc. It’s unlikely that the Cardinals get that type of shooting again, but this team knows that they can play with Osage. [caption id="attachment_1289735" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Padraig-Gallagher-crop-4852x3186-1632360992.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1289735 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Padraig-Gallagher-crop-4852x3186-1632360992-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1067659" first="Padraig" last="Gallagher"][/caption] Beckman Catholic at West Branch Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1067659" first="Padraig" last="Gallagher"] (20.3, 8.8 rebounds) is one of the best pure scorers in 2A for Beckman Catholic, a 6-5/6-6 wing who is posting 51-41-87 shooting splits. He can also dominate games on the glass. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1158470" first="Logan" last="Goedken"] (12.4, 4.9 assists) has been a solid lead guard who can get others involved, and the Blazers play in the WaMaC against primarily 3A competition. West Branch counters with sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1171662" first="Holden" last="Arnaman"] (16.0, 5.4 assists), who is on his way to becoming one of the best players in 2A. A strong ball-handler and passer, he can get to the rim for finishes routinely, and the Bears are able to put four capable scorers around him. West Branch may struggle to match up with Gallagher, which could be the difference-maker here. [caption id="attachment_1254558" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Caden-Kirkman3.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1254558 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Caden-Kirkman3-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1167686" first="Caden" last="Kirkman"][/caption] Northeast at Wilton These teams met back on December 11, a 55-52 Wilton win at Northeast. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1167686" first="Caden" last="Kirkman"] (21.0, 11.0 rebounds, 3.9 blocks) was limited to just 13 points (4-9 FG) and 7 rebounds in that game, as the Rebels are one of the few teams in the area with the size needed to slow him down with 6-6 [player_tooltip player_id="1352965" first="Carter" last="Pataska"] (13.2, 5.7 rebounds) and 6-4 Cade Hughes (12.7). Northeast is always one of the best defensive teams in 2A, and this year has been no exception, allowing just 44.3 points a game, sixth in the class. The perimeter players for the Beavers, junior Aidan Walker (12.0) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1376706" first="Landyn" last="Putman"] (11.2), will need to make enough shots that Northeast needs to respect them and provide Kirkman some more space to operate on the interior. Wilton is the better team and should get the home win to advance to the district final, but this is a tricky matchup for them. Panorama vs. ACGC (at Van Meter) These teams split their regular-season meetings, with ACGC winning 65-64 on December 17, and Panorama taking a 65-57 decision on January 21. Each team won on the other’s home court. Panorama has held a huge edge on the glass in both games, winning the rebounding battle by a combined 89-57 in the two meetings. That could be a major factor in this third meeting. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1161172" first="Miles" last="Kading"] (18.9, 4.7 assists) leads a potent Chargers offense, flanked by juniors [player_tooltip player_id="1367402" first="Ben" last="Marsh"] (15.9) and Austin Kunkle (11.6). Kading has enjoyed a breakout year as both a scorer and playmaker, and he’ll need to have a huge night if ACGC is going to advance to the district final. Panorama is led by senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1234978" first="Jared" last="Wasson"] (16.2, 10.4 rebounds), a walking double-double who paces a team that pounds the glass hard. [player_tooltip player_id="1256305" first="Braylon" last="Dawes"] (11.9) and Brice Taylor (9.2) comprise a strong backcourt that gets others involved at a high clip. Rebounding and extra chances will be huge in this game, which gives an edge to the Panthers. <h3 style="text-align: center;">Upset Alert</h3> Sioux Central: As we mentioned earlier, two words: [player_tooltip player_id="682280" first="Lucas" last="Lorenzen"]. The 6-6 forward may be too much for the Rebels to handle in this one. Roland-Story: The Norsemen have been one of the best stories in 2A this year, but they’ll have their hands full with a Southeast Valley team that is peaking late, including a win over a good Clarion-Goldfield-Dows team. The Norsemen won the regular-season meeting by just 3 points despite winning the turnover battle by 8 and outscoring the Jaguars by a combined 17 points from the arc and free-throw line. Southeast Valley has a pair of experienced pieces in [player_tooltip player_id="682271" first="Aaron" last="Graves"] (21.4, 8.2 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id="962628" first="Kolson" last="Kruse"] (18.7, 40.0 3P%) who are looking to go out on a high note and will give everything they can here. South Central Calhoun: The Titans have a potent offense, but Kuemper Catholic has played a lot of bigger schools as a member of the Hawkeye Ten, and they’ll look to use their physicality and athleticism to slow this game down to their pace. SCC is the better team and has more potent offensive options, but they’ll need to focus on keeping the Knights off of the offensive glass if they want to advance to the district final. West Branch: The Bears earned the higher seed and a home game, but Beckman Catholic is probably the better team. They’ve played higher quality competition and will have the best player on the floor in [player_tooltip player_id="1067659" first="Padraig" last="Gallagher"]. Wilton: Northeast is one of the best defensive teams in the state, and they have the size to throw at Kirkman in the paint. If the Beavers perimeter threats aren’t knocking down shots to take some of the pressure off of Kirkman, the Rebels could certainly pull off the upset here. ACGC: The Chargers have been dominated on the glass in both meetings with Panorama this season, and all of those extra chances will prove to be extremely valuable in a postseason game in which each possession matters. Underwood: The Eagles won the regular-season meeting by just 4, 56-52. They forced 20 turnovers in that game and held a 12-point edge at the free-throw line. Red Oak has a sophomore guard named [player_tooltip player_id="1376714" first="Max" last="DeVries"] (16.1) who is an explosive scorer, and the Eagles will need to focus in on him if they want to avoid the upset.   Our Picks for All 32 District 1: Central Lyon over West Monona, West Sioux over Hinton District 2: Western Christian over East Sac County, OABCIG over Cherokee District 3: Boyden-Hull over West Lyon, Rock Valley over Unity Christian District 4: Estherville Lincoln Central over Manson-Northwest Webster, Okoboji over Sioux Central District 5: Roland-Story over Southeast Valley, South Central Calhoun over Kuemper Catholic District 6: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows over Forest City, Osage over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura District 7: Aplington-Parkersburg over Dike-New Hartford, Grundy Center over South Hardin District 8: Denver over New Hampton, Jesup over Union District 9: Monticello over Waukon, MFL-Mar-Mac over North Fayette Valley District 10: Williamsburg over Cascade, Beckman Catholic over West Branch District 11: Camanche over Durant, Wilton over Northeast District 12: Mid-Prairie over Mediapolis, Cardinal over West Burlington District 13: Pella Christian over Central Decatur, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont over Albia District 14: Des Moines Christian over West Marshall, Pleasantville over PCM District 15: Van Meter over Interstate 35, Panorama over ACGC District 16: Treynor over Clarinda, Red Oak over Underwood