Substate Preview: 1A-8

<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-15.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383238" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-15.png" alt="" width="979" height="418" /></a> <h4>District 15</h4> The favorite: AHSTW has to be considered a prohibitive favorite in this district. The Vikings are winning games by an average of 26 points a game behind a potent and efficient offense, and a smothering defense. Their lone loss has come against #1 Grand View Christian. The Vikings are led by their "Big Three" of juniors [player_tooltip player_id="1167687" first="Brayden" last="Lund"] (18.2) and [player_tooltip player_id="1167692" first="Kyle" last="Sternberg"] (16.3), and senior [player_tooltip player_id="784987" first="Raydden" last="Grobe"] (17.8). All three of them shoot at least 41% from behind the arc, and each of them can score efficiently from all three levels. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1240070" first="Cole" last="Scheffler"] (4.3, 4.7 assists) is a solid lead guard who protects the ball and puts that trio into scoring positions. This group was really good last season and has been building towards this season for a while now. They’re the favorite to win this district and this substate. The biggest threat: There are a ton of players from the 8-man football championship team on the hardwood for CAM, giving the Cougars a lot of athleticism and physicality. Senior point guard Lane Spieker (7.1, 6.3 assists) put up eye-popping numbers as the Cougars’ quarterback, and is the quarterback of the basketball team as well, getting others involved and protecting the ball. Colby Rich (12.0) and Sam Foreman (10.6, 8.6 rebounds) are the team’s top scorers, but this is a team with a balanced attack that sees all five starters averaging between 7.1 and 12.0 points a game. With their athleticism, they may be able to give AHSTW some trouble for a bit in a district final. The dark horse: It would be a major upset if AHSTW doesn’t come out of this district, but if someone were to knock them off, perhaps it could be league rival Riverside, who feature sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id="1171690" first="Grady" last="Jeppesen"] (18.6), a high-volume scorer who could get hot and carry the Bulldogs to a few wins and a district title. Aiden Bell (13.1) gives them some more scoring, and Ayden Salais (9.1, 5.3 assists) has been a solid lead guard who can make things happen on the defensive end. Players to watch 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="784987" first="Raydden" last="Grobe"], AHSTW 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167687" first="Brayden" last="Lund"], AHSTW 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167692" first="Kyle" last="Sternberg"], AHSTW 2022 Colby Rich, CAM 2023 Sam Foreman, CAM 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1171690" first="Grady" last="Jeppesen"], Riverside 2024 Cash Emgarten, Exira-EHK 2023 Colton Brennan, Heartland Christian 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1367457" first="Boston" last="Devault"], Nodaway Valley 2023 Carson Bauer, Audubon   <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-16.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1383239" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/1A-16.png" alt="" width="997" height="415" /></a> <h4>District 16</h4> [caption id="attachment_1290488" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/85-Sage-Evans.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1290488 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/85-Sage-Evans-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1167703" first="Sage" last="Evans"][/caption] The favorite: West Harrison has put together one of the best seasons in school history, compiling an 18-3 regular-season record and earning this district’s top seed. They’ve gone 12-1 against teams in the district, including a blowout win over likely semifinal opponent Tri-Center. The Hawkeyes’ top five scorers are juniors, and there are no seniors on the roster, so next year will be even better for this group. [player_tooltip player_id="1288871" first="Mason" last="King"] (16.3, 4.5 assists) is the team’s top scorer, shooting 46.2% from behind the arc and serving as the top perimeter threat. [player_tooltip player_id="1167693" first="Koleson" last="Evans"] (14.6, 10.0 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id="1167703" first="Sage" last="Evans"] (13.7, 14.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists) (no relation, by the way) are a pair of dominant rebounders who pace a team that pulls down 15.8 offensive rebounds a game, a rate of 49.0%. A cohesive team with three dominant scoring threats and a slew of solid role players, West Harrison has to be considered the favorite in this district. The biggest threat: The lone team in the district to beat West Harrison this season is Coon Rapids-Bayard, who handed the Hawkeyes a 56-41 decision on January 18. The Crusaders have been playing excellent ball after the holiday break, winning 12 of their last 13 games heading into postseason play. They’re a senior-laden team with a trio of double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id="962664" first="Gabe" last="Obert"] (14.0), Lance Clayburg (14.0, 10.1 rebounds), and [player_tooltip player_id="1352935" first="Tanner" last="Oswald"] (13.8). In that win over West Harrison, they held the Hawkeyes to 26.4% shooting and outscored them by 10 points at the free-throw line, both marks that are unlikely to happen again. But this is a team that is playing really well, knows that they can beat West Harrison, and has a trio of scoring threats, so opposing teams can’t just focus on taking away one piece. The dark horse: Boyer Valley grabbed the district’s #2 seed on the strength of their head-to-head win over Coon Rapids-Bayard (the teams had their second meeting after the seeding meeting took place, a game won by Coon Rapids-Bayard). The Bulldogs will get their first two games at home as a result, including that semifinal meeting with Coon Rapids-Bayard. Senior wing Trevor Malone (11.0) is the team’s top scorer, but this is a balanced team that has four players averaging between 8.0 and 11.0 points a game. Getting that district semifinal game at home will be a boost for the ’Dogs, but West Harrison would much rather see Boyer Valley than CR-B in the final. Players to watch 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167703" first="Sage" last="Evans"], West Harrison 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167693" first="Koleson" last="Evans"], West Harrison 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1288871" first="Mason" last="King"], West Harrison 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962664" first="Gabe" last="Obert"], Coon Rapids-Bayard 2023 Lance Clayburg, Coon Rapids-Bayard 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1352935" first="Tanner" last="Oswald"], Coon Rapids-Bayard 2022 Trevor Malone, Boyer Valley 2023 Michael Turner, Tri-Center 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1235030" first="Cooper" last="Kock"], Ar-We-Va 2022 Dylan Hoefer, Woodbine   <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> AHSTW vs. West Harrison Neither team has ever made a state tournament appearance in boys basketball, so we’ll be making some history if this is the substate final that does end up coming to fruition. We’ve been extremely high on AHSTW all season long, as we think the Vikings have a real chance at becoming state champions. The length and size of their "Big Three" is too much for West Harrison here, as AHSTW advances to Des Moines as the final member of the Class 1A tournament field.