Substate Preview: 1A-3

<h4><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-5.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383214" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-5.png" alt="" width="968" height="418" /></a></h4> <h4>District 5</h4> [caption id="attachment_1147251" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Austin-Hilmer-new-crop-2786x1829-1615315146-crop-536x352-1615315160.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1147251 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Austin-Hilmer-new-crop-2786x1829-1615315146-crop-536x352-1615315160-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"][/caption] The favorite: It should come as no surprise to anyone that Mike Hilmer has North Linn rolling yet again this year, compiling a 19-1 record and winning games by an average of 48 points a game. The Lynx are one of two teams that rank in the top 10 in both scoring offense (2nd, 83.4) and scoring defense (6th, 35.8) in the class, and they’ve shaken off a pre-holiday break loss to Edgewood-Colesburg by winning 11 straight by an average of 43.7 points a game, including a revenge win over Ed-Co (61-47) a week ago. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"] (20.6, 8.5 assists) paces a highly efficient attack that features four players scoring in double-figures, with [player_tooltip player_id="1167704" first="Tate" last="Haughenbury"] (16.3), [player_tooltip player_id="962641" first="Dylan" last="Kurt"] (13.6), and [player_tooltip player_id="962658" first="Cade" last="Haughenbury"] (11.2) joining him, while [player_tooltip player_id="1167744" first="Ben" last="Wheatley"] (8.5), Mason Bechen (4.9), and Ty Pflughaupt (3.5) are all capable scoring options as well. They go deep into their bench comfortably, play an up-tempo, pressing style that is really difficult for teams to prepare for because of their incredible speed, and they force tons of turnovers while rarely turning it over themselves. The Lynx are a significant favorite in this district and substate, and one of the top contender for the state title. The biggest threat: Right as Janesville got talented point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1158458" first="Leo" last="Dodd"] (4.0, 4.3 assists) back from injury, they lost star big man [player_tooltip player_id="962655" first="Wiley" last="Sherburne"] (19.9, 7.5 rebounds) to an injury. His status for the postseason is unknown to us, but even without him on the floor, the Wildcats are probably the second-best team in this district. [player_tooltip player_id="1352988" first="Jared" last="Hoodjer"] (14.1) has stepped up in a big way in Sherburne’s absence, giving the ’Cats some scoring on the perimeter, while Rogan Gergen (9.1) and Keegan Eastman (8.8) have also played really well in his absence. Dodd is a talented lead guard who thrives on getting others involved, and if Sherburne is able to make it back for postseason play, they’ll be a threat. The dark horse: Maquoketa Valley is probably the third most talented team in the district, but if they win their opener, they’ll get North Linn, who has beaten them by a combined 101 points in their two meetings this year. So we’ll turn our attention to the bottom of the bracket and the Redhawks of North Tama. They have a senior trio of double-figure scorers, led by [player_tooltip player_id="1158504" first="Gabe" last="Kopriva"] (22.0), a volume scorer who can put up points in a hurry. Devin McKinley (13.9) and Thomas Hulme (13.3, 10.7 rebounds) are the other big scoring threats, while [player_tooltip player_id="1158446" first="Adam" last="Greiner"] (6.9, 3.1 assists) has been a solid distributor. They have struggled with turnovers (18.9 a game), which could be an issue in postseason play, but they are also a potent offensive team that can get up and down in a hurry. Players to watch 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"], North Linn 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167704" first="Tate" last="Haughenbury"], North Linn 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962641" first="Dylan" last="Kurt"], North Linn 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158458" first="Leo" last="Dodd"], Janesville 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962655" first="Wiley" last="Sherburne"], Janesville 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158504" first="Gabe" last="Kopriva"], North Tama 2022 Thomas Hulme, North Tama 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1376713" first="Drew" last="Wagner"], Waterloo Christian 2023 Avery Holtz, Maquoketa Valley 2022 Daniel Stahl, AGWSR 2024 Eli Schmidt, Clarksville   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-6.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383215" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-6.png" alt="" width="987" height="426" /></a> <h4>District 6</h4> The favorite: An all-senior team from Edgewood-Colesburg has been really good this year, notably handing North Linn their first regular season loss in seven years earlier this season. The Vikings have a trio of double-figure scorers in Mason Ashline (13.9), Jack Wiskus (10.8), and Korey Putz (10.3), but have seven players who could lead the team in scoring on any given night. A big, physical team that does a solid job protecting the ball and crashing the offensive glass, their physicality on both ends of the floor is difficult for teams to match up with. They’re an ego-less team that has grown up together and doesn’t care who scores, as long as someone is putting the ball in the bucket. [caption id="attachment_1321277" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/113-Gunner-Meyer-crop-1596x1048-1635950122.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1321277 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/113-Gunner-Meyer-crop-1596x1048-1635950122-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="962601" first="Gunner" last="Meyer"][/caption] The biggest threat: Wapsie Valley recently knocked off Aplington-Parkersburg, the #1 team in 2A at the time, and the Warriors have the talent to make a run in this district. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="962601" first="Gunner" last="Meyer"] (15.4, 38.1 3P%) is an athletic, long, and dynamic three-level scorer who has really improved as a playmaker and is a versatile defender. Parker Landsgard (10.5) and [player_tooltip player_id="1240097" first="Andrew" last="Westpfahl"] (10.4) provide some perimeter scoring, while [player_tooltip player_id="956883" first="Mason" last="Harter"] (9.2, 9.7 rebounds) is a physical presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Meyer was a key contributor for the 2020 state championship team and will be looking to lead the Warriors back to Des Moines. The dark horse: Clayton Ridge is heading into postseason play on a roll, winning eight straight games going into their regular-season finale against South Winneshiek on Tuesday night. A veteran team that is led by a trio of senior scorers, the Eagles do a great job applying pressure and forcing turnovers (15.1 steals a game) and letting the tandem of William Spielbauer (16.7) and Caleb Helle (13.5) take care of a majority of the scoring. Helle is a solid lead guard who distributes the ball at a high level, and Spielbauer is a really good shooter (43.9 3P%) who can get hot in a hurry. Players to watch 2022 Mason Ashline, Edgewood-Colesburg 2022 Jack Wiskus, Edgewood-Colesburg 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962601" first="Gunner" last="Meyer"], Wapsie Valley 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956883" first="Mason" last="Harter"], Wapsie Valley 2022 William Spielbauer, Clayton Ridge 2022 Caleb Helle, Clayton Ridge 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158422" first="Trey" last="Kriener"], South Winneshiek 2022 Garrett Kurtenbach, Turkey Valley 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158479" first="Dalton" last="Dibert"], Kee 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1281340" first="Logan" last="Wescott"], West Central   <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> North Linn vs. Edgewood-Colesburg North Linn vs. Ed-Co, Round 3. Each team has taken a meeting this year, and while Ed-Co knows that they can play with the Lynx, the edge has to go to North Linn in this substate final. They’ve been absolutely rolling since that upset loss in December, which may have served as a wake-up call. [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"] leads North Linn to their sixth straight state tournament appearance.