Substate Preview: 3A-4

<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/3A-4.png"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1384054" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/3A-4.png" alt="" width="767" height="415" /></a> [caption id="attachment_1085391" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Kasen-Bailey-1.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1085391 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Kasen-Bailey-1-300x242.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="242" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="962644" first="Kasen" last="Bailey"][/caption] The favorite: Washington is a deserving top seed in this substate, using one of the best offensive attacks in 3A to compile a 17-3 record that includes quality wins over Pella, Ballard, and Fort Madison, among others. The Demons are loaded with scoring options, led by the dynamic backcourt tandem of junior [player_tooltip player_id="956888" first="Ethan" last="Patterson"] (17.4, 37.1 3P%) and senior [player_tooltip player_id="962644" first="Kasen" last="Bailey"] (15.1, 44.3 3P%). Patterson is one of the better off-ball guards in the class, moving well off the ball and armed with a lightning-quick release and unlimited range. He’s capable of getting scorching hot and dropping 25 on any given night. Bailey is an athletic 6-3/6-4 point guard who has really improved his playmaking ability over the last year, getting others involved at a really high level and showing his ability to score from all three levels. Senior guard Travis Leyden (6.8) is also a good shooter who is a nice complement to Bailey and Patterson on the perimeter. Seniors Lucas Kroll (11.0, 8.8 rebounds) and Lance Sobaski (8.5, 7.9 rebounds) are undersized forwards but they play really hard and are physical presences in the paint who pound the glass on both ends of the floor. The Demons average over 11 offensive rebounds a game as a team, and with a team that has so many shooting options, all of those extra opportunities are huge. As the top seed, they’ve earned the easier path to the substate final, as they won’t have to face Xavier or Central DeWitt until the trip to State is on the line. [caption id="attachment_1290448" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/56-Joe-Bean-Jr.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1290448 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/56-Joe-Bean-Jr-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1171667" first="Joseph" last="Bean"][/caption] The biggest threats: Injuries to [player_tooltip player_id="1171667" first="Joseph" last="Bean"] (12.4, 2.9 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id="1240086" first="Aidan" last="McDermott"] (4.6) have derailed the season for Xavier, as they’ve only had their full complement of players on the floor together for two games so far this season. Both Bean and McDermott are now back, joining a roster that played well at times without them, and the Saints will be dangerous as they continue to gel in the final week of the regular season and try to build some momentum. Bean, a sophomore point guard, is the focal point of the Saints attack on both ends of the floor, a high IQ guard who gets others involved and can score from all three levels, while McDermott is another good three-level scorer who is starting to get his footing after missing the first 14 games of the season. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1167689" first="Aidan" last="Yamilkoski"] (15.8, 38.2 3P%) is the team’s leading scorer, and he’ll benefit from Bean being back, moving him back off the ball and letting him get to his spots. [player_tooltip player_id="1367451" first="Josef" last="Lemker"] (9.9), Spencer Mesch (6.9) and Trysten Vasquez (6.4) all played well in the absences, gaining valuable experience. The Saints play in the always tough MVC against 4A schools which should prepare them well for postseason play. Another team that plays in a 4A league, Central DeWitt, is the second seed in this substate. The Sabers got off to a 9-1 start and a top-5 ranking in 3A then lost four out of six games before grabbing some momentum back with a three-game winning streak as of this writing. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1158413" first="Shawn" last="Gilbert"] (23.1, 9.1 rebounds) is the most dominant individual player in the substate, a skilled 6-7 big body in the paint with excellent footwork and touch, and the ability to step out and stretch the floor a bit as well. Look for teams to try and attack him and see if they’re able to get him into foul trouble and out of the paint, which would certainly open things up. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1234965" first="Gibson" last="McEwen"] (13.4, 36.5 3P%) and junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1240067" first="Matthew" last="Watters"] (8.0, 2.9 assists) are the top options on the perimeter for the Sabers, providing length and athleticism. With Gilbert, they have a dominant player that teams will struggle to match up with, and they’ve played a tougher schedule than most other teams in the substate, which will prepare them. The dark horse: Solon is the top defensive team in 3A, allowing just 42.8 points a game, using their physicality and athleticism to play a style that is capable of lots of switching and that forces a lot of turnovers, which helps spark an offense that can struggle at times. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="1376687" first="Jake" last="Benzing"] (9.6) is the team’s top scorer, but this is a team that will have a different leading scorer on almost a nightly basis, with 11 players averaging at least 2.3 points a game. Kinnick Pusteoska (8.9, 6.9 rebounds) is a physical presence in the paint on both ends, and Oaken Foster (5.5, 36.5 3P%) is a long and athletic wing who can score from all three levels. If the Spartans are able to grind games to a halt and get teams into a halfcourt game, where their defense can suffocate you, they’ll have a chance to make some noise in this substate. Players to watch 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956888" first="Ethan" last="Patterson"], Washington 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962644" first="Kasen" last="Bailey"], Washington 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167689" first="Aidan" last="Yamilkoski"], Xavier 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1171667" first="Joseph" last="Bean"], Xavier 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158413" first="Shawn" last="Gilbert"], Central DeWitt 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1234965" first="Gibson" last="McEwen"], Central DeWitt 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1376687" first="Jake" last="Benzing"], Solon 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1367434" first="Easton" last="Tupa"], Center Point-Urbana 2022 Aiden Harris, Benton 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1352878" first="Calvin" last="Jaworski"], Grinnell 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158486" first="Osceola" last="Tyon"], South Tama   <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> Washington vs. Xavier If you're into that sort of thing, BC Moore's power ranking system currently has these two teams separated by 0.23 points. Can't get much closer than that. Washington has been really good this year, and the Demons are certainly capable of winning this game and making some noise in Des Moines. That said, we're going to side with Xavier here, now that they have their full roster taking the floor.