Substate Preview: 1A-7

<h3><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-13.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383191" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-13.png" alt="" width="1020" height="413" /></a></h3> <h3> </h3> <h3>District 13</h3> [caption id="attachment_1147288" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Daniel-Tobiloba-crop-2786x1829-1615315737-crop-540x355-1615315753.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1147288 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Daniel-Tobiloba-crop-2786x1829-1615315737-crop-540x355-1615315753-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="956875" first="Daniel" last="Tobiloba"][/caption] The favorite: Grand View Christian is the biggest favorite of any team in any district in 1A. The Thunder have 1A’s highest-scoring offense, averaging 83.8 points a game behind the dynamic play of senior guards [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"] (24.9) and [player_tooltip player_id="1141465" first="Josh" last="Baucum"] (19.2). Both are strong three-level scorers who can fill it up in a hurry. [player_tooltip player_id="1367400" first="Josh" last="Sanderson"] (9.2, 6.2 assists) has emerged as a solid lead guard, getting others involved and proving to be a solid 3-point shooting threat, while Caleb Parlee (9.0) is a long and athletic forward who scores efficiently around the rim. The real difference-maker for this group, however, is 7-0 junior big [player_tooltip player_id="956875" first="Daniel" last="Tobiloba"] (8.2, 14.6 rebounds, 4.4 blocks), the ultimate eraser at the back end of their defense. He does a great job staying out of foul trouble, and he allows his guards to play hyper aggressively on the perimeter, taking chances and turning defense into offense. This team is athletic, explosive, and talented. It would be a major upset if they don’t make it out of this district and substate. The biggest threat: Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="1174816" first="Toryn" last="Severson"] (20.3) has put together a remarkably strong debut season for Madrid, helping lead the Tigers to the district’s #2 seed and pacing an attack that averages nearly 67 points a game. Severson is a dynamic three-level scorer with good size at 6-3, and he’s the type of player who can take over a game and could make things interesting for GVC if he gets it rolling early. Older brother [player_tooltip player_id="1155054" first="Kadyn" last="Severson"] (15.1) is another strong perimeter scoring threat, while freshman wing Fabian Ortiz-Alaniz (8.4, 43.2 3P%) has shot the ball really well from deep. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1352890" first="Brady" last="Leonard"] (5.5, 13.0 rebounds) isn’t a scoring threat, but he’s a fantastic rebounder who will look to attack Tobiloba, and if they’re able to get Tobiloba out of the game, things could open up for them and make things interesting. The dark horse: It’s highly unlikely that Ogden or Murray knock off GVC in the semifinals, so for our dark horse in the district, we’ll go to the bottom of the bracket and Ankeny Christian. The Eagles always have a strong team, and this year is no different, with a quartet of double-figure scorers pacing their attack in [player_tooltip player_id="1352940" first="Logan" last="Fincham"] (13.9), [player_tooltip player_id="962662" first="Malachi" last="Johnson"] (11.6), Cade Wierck (10.2), and [player_tooltip player_id="1158467" first="Ben" last="McDermott"] (10.1). Johnson is a reliable ball-handler and decision-maker who rarely turns it over, and McDermott is a knockdown shooter (42.2 3P%) who could get hot and make things interesting. Players to watch 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"], Grand View Christian 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1141465" first="Josh" last="Baucum"], Grand View Christian 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956875" first="Daniel" last="Tobiloba"], Grand View Christian 2025 [player_tooltip player_id="1174816" first="Toryn" last="Severson"], Madrid 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1155054" first="Kadyn" last="Severson"], Madrid 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962662" first="Malachi" last="Johnson"], Ankeny Christian 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1352940" first="Logan" last="Fincham"], Ankeny Christian 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1234979" first="Ty" last="Heeren"], Ogden 2022 Dominic Braet, Earlham   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-14.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383187" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-14.png" alt="" width="987" height="434" /></a> <h3>District 14</h3> The favorite: St. Albert has the sixth-best record in this district, but it’s because they play against primarily 2A and 3A competition. They’ve gone 3-1 against 1A teams this year, with the lone loss coming to an AHSTW team that we’ve had ranked within the top-5 all season. The Falcons have a trio of double-figure scorers in Carter White (13.7), DJ Weilage (12.4), and Colin Lillie (11.2), and they’re a really good rebounding team that should have their way on the glass against the smaller schools in the district. Playing against higher-level competition all year prepares St. Albert well for the postseason, and they should make their way through this district. The biggest threat: East Mills earned the district’s top seed, and as a result will get their first two games at home. The Wolverines have beaten handily Sidney and were upset on the road by Bedford, their two possible semifinal opponents. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1167727" first="Mason" last="Crouse"] (21.3) is a strong three-level scorer who can dominate games as a scorer at an efficient clip, while fellow junior forward Braden West (13.2, 7.5 rebounds) has been a solid force in the paint. The Wolverines crash the offensive glass hard (11.0 a game) and do a pretty good job limiting turnovers (10.3 a game). Free-throw shooting is a major red flag (49.6% as a team). The dark horse: Sidney is entering postseason play hot, winning seven straight as of this writing. The Cowboys have a pair of good perimeter scoring threats in seniors [player_tooltip player_id="1352936" first="Cole" last="Jorgenson"] (17.6) and Garett Phillips (12.8), and they do a good job sharing the ball, dishing out over 15 assists a game as a team. Players to watch 2022 Carter White, St. Albert 2022 DJ Weilage, St. Albert 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167727" first="Mason" last="Crouse"], East Mills 2023 Braden West, East Mills 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1352936" first="Cole" last="Jorgenson"], Sidney 2022 Garett Phillips, Sidney 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158480" first="Carter" last="Johnson"], Stanton 2023 Samson Adams, Lenox 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1352986" first="Jake" last="Malcom"], Fremont-Mills   <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> Grand View Christian vs. St. Albert These teams have played some good games in recent years, both in substate finals and at the state tournament. The difficult schedule that St. Albert plays will always prepare them well for this matchup, and they are not intimidated by the Thunder’s size. That said, this year’s Falcons lack something that previous iterations had - a forward who could attack the paint and get Grand View Christian’s big into foul trouble. The top-ranked team in Class 1A makes a return trip to Wells Fargo Arena, as Grand View Christian punches another state tournament ticket, their sixth in the last seven years.