Substate Preview: 1A-5

<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-9.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383226" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-9.png" alt="" width="1005" height="415" /></a> <h4>District 9</h4> [caption id="attachment_1290526" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/119-Caiden-Gourley.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1290526 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/119-Caiden-Gourley-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1288859" first="Caiden" last="Gourley"][/caption] The favorite: Danville earned the top seed in the district with strong play on the defensive end (17.0 steals a game, 41.0 points allowed) and fantastic offensive rebounding (13.3 a game), which the Bears use to help offset an offensive attack that doesn’t shoot it well from the arc (27.7% as a team). Co-head coach Steven and Michael Soukup have the Bears playing similarly to how they played when the Soukup twins were dominating 1A basketball - up-tempo, trapping, and forcing turnovers. Senior [player_tooltip player_id="1352966" first="Drake" last="Johnson"] (14.2) leads a trio of double-figure scorers, joined by [player_tooltip player_id="1288859" first="Caiden" last="Gourley"] (13.8) and [player_tooltip player_id="1235044" first="Sawyer" last="Nelson"] (10.0, 9.5 rebounds). This is an experienced team with four seniors and a junior in the starting lineup, and both of their losses have come to a very good New London team that just handled Winfield-Mt. Union without much trouble in the SEISC Shootout. The biggest threat: The best defensive team in 1A this year has been Winfield-Mt. Union, who are allowing just 33.0 points a game an beating teams by an average of 27.3. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="1171697" first="Cam" last="Buffington"] (19.6, 10.7 rebounds) leads an athletic young trio of dynamic players who will have WMU competing at a high level over the next few years. Buffington is a physical 6-2/6-3 forward with eye-popping athleticism who has already committed to play football at Iowa. His blend of physicality, talent, and athleticism is tough to match up with at this level. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id="1171698" first="Abram" last="Edwards"] (12.5, 9.0 rebounds) is the son of coach Klay Edwards, a former Iowa State big man. Edwards is the best college prospect of the bunch, a long, athletic, and talented big who can score from all three levels. His younger brother, [player_tooltip player_id="1381409" first="Jake" last="Edwards"] (6.6, 2.7 assists) is the team’s starting point guard and is filled with potential and talent as well. The Wolves don’t shoot it well from the free-throw line (55.3 FT%) and have taken advantage of playing in the worse division in the SEISC, but they certainly have the talent and defensive chops to push Danville in the district final. The dark horse: Hillcrest Academy has a solid defensive team, allowing 43.4 points a game, and they’ve played a solid game against Winfield-Mt. Union, who they’ll run into in the semifinals. The Ravens are led by junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1367447" first="Grant" last="Bender"] (18.2), an efficient scorer who is shooting 65.6% from the floor. Junior guard Luke Schrock (9.6) pairs with Noah Miller (5.0) to give them a reliable backcourt, and freshman Seth Ours (7.7, 40.8 3P%) has provided some strong perimeter scoring. Coach Dwight Gingerich has won over 700 games at Hillcrest/IMS and will have his team ready for postseason play. Players to watch 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1352966" first="Drake" last="Johnson"], Danville 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1288859" first="Caiden" last="Gourley"], Danville 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1235044" first="Sawyer" last="Nelson"], Danville 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1171697" first="Cam" last="Buffington"], Winfield-Mt. Union 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1171698" first="Abram" last="Edwards"], Winfield-Mt. Union 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1367447" first="Grant" last="Bender"], Hillcrest Academy 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962646" first="Maddox" last="Griffin"], Wapello 2023 Carsen Jones, Notre Dame 2024 Conner Gehling, Holy Trinity 2024 Timothy Hills, Columbus 2022 Chase Schultz, Highland   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-10.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383227" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-10.png" alt="" width="1021" height="418" /></a> <h4>District 10</h4> [caption id="attachment_1086716" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Blaise-Porter.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1086716 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Blaise-Porter-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="956871" first="Blaise" last="Porter"][/caption] The favorite: This district is really tricky, with four teams who have won at least 16 games this season - New London, Montezuma, Iowa Valley, and WACO. We’ll give the edge to New London, who has the district’s best player in junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="956871" first="Blaise" last="Porter"] (19.1, 5.1 assists), but this truly could go a number of different directions. The high-powered Tigers are averaging 71.6 points a game, and their lone loss came to WACO, with who they have split the season series. The loss came in a game that the Tigers played without standout junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="956872" first="Kade" last="Benjamin"] (14.8, 7.2 rebounds), the team’s top rebounder against a team that pounds the offensive glass hard. Having him back on the floor will be huge in a potential third meeting in the district final. [player_tooltip player_id="1158513" first="Devin" last="Swanson"] (13.1) gives them some additional scoring, and this is a group that does a good job limiting turnovers. Armed with the best player in the district, New London is our favorite to take home this loaded district. The biggest threat: One of the best offensive rebounding teams in the state resides down in Wayland, home of WACO. The Warriors average 13.0 offensive rebounds a game, and have an offensive rebounding rate of 46.0% (meaning they pull down 46% of their own misses). A young team that has three sophomores and three juniors comprising their top six scorers, they’re able to make up for lower efficiency numbers by gaining all of those extra possessions. Hunter Hughes (12.1, 3.5 assists) leads the team in scoring and assists, but this is a team that doesn’t mind going deep into their bench with a number of options that give them a balanced attack. They’ve been excellent on the defensive end, allowing just 39.4 points a game, and they hold a win over New London, so they aren’t going to back down from the Tigers should they reach the district final. The dark horse(s): Things aren’t going to be easy for New London and WACO in the semifinals, where fellow 16-win teams Iowa Valley and Montezuma will be waiting for them. Each of Iowa Valley’s four losses have come by single digits, including three losses by a single point (3A Vinton-Shellsburg, Lynnville-Sully, and Belle Plaine). The Tigers have put together their best season in over a decade and are led by a dynamic pair of guards who can score in bunches in seniors [player_tooltip player_id="1158460" first="Brody" last="Ward"] (20.5) and Peyton Loffer (15.9). That tandem is also averaging 7.3 assists and 7.7 steals combined, showing that they can make an impact on both ends of the floor even when they aren’t scoring. Defending champion Montezuma has won 10 of their last 12 games behind the dominant interior presence [player_tooltip player_id="962629" first="Eddie" last="Burgess"] (16.6, 15.8 rebounds), who can impact the game on both ends of the floor with his size, athleticism, and physicality. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="956886" first="Masin" last="Shearer"] (14.1, 4.5 assists) is playing at a high level, and Gavin Strong (11.1) and Nik Kotar (11.0) provide some additional scoring on the perimeter. A tough defensive team that knows how to win, Montezuma is going to be a tough out in this district. Players to watch 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956871" first="Blaise" last="Porter"], New London 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956872" first="Kade" last="Benjamin"], New London 2024 Hunter Hughes, WACO 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158460" first="Brody" last="Ward"], Iowa Valley 2022 Peyton Loffer, Iowa Valley 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962629" first="Eddie" last="Burgess"], Montezuma 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956886" first="Masin" last="Shearer"], Montezuma 2023 Luke Long, Pekin 2024 Evan Vittetoe, Keota 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1376716" first="Sawyer" last="Stout"], Keota 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962678" first="Kaden" last="Hall"], English Valleys 2022 Levi Crawford, Sigourney 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1235042" first="Jacob" last="Moel"], BGM   <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> Danville vs. New London Danville vs. New London, Round 3 for a trip to the state tournament? Sounds like fun to me. New London swept the regular season meetings, 55-54 and 63-54, and Danville really struggled to defend [player_tooltip player_id="956871" first="Blaise" last="Porter"], who averaged 24 points on 61.5% shooting in the two meetings. The Tigers have shot 53.2% from the floor, held Danville to 39.1%, and won the rebounding battle in both games, an area that Danville has really relied upon in their wins this season. All of those things point towards New London notching a third win over Danville and punching their ticket to the state tournament.