State Tournament: Thursday Game Recaps

[player_tooltip player_id="1253020" first="Zach" last="Lutmer"] helped lead Central Lyon to the state championship game in their first state tournament appearance

2A Semifinal: #1 Central Lyon 57, #4 Pella Christian 51

In their first ever trip to the boys state basketball tournament, Central Lyon will play for the Class 2A championship tomorrow afternoon. The top-seeded Lions beat fourth-seed Pella Christian 57-51 to advance and await the winner of the Rock Valley-Monticello game to follow.

Central Lyon was in control of this one throughout, as Pella Christian never led and only managed to tie the game once, 2-2 just over a minute into the game. The Lions used an efficient 7-12 shooting, including 4-5 from behind the arc, to jump out to a 21-13 lead after the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Pella Christian went to a triangle-and-two defense, focusing on taking away Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA and Mason Gerleman Mason Gerleman 6'0" | SG Central Lyon | 2022 State IA , and the Lions struggled in the quarter, scoring just six points, and it looked like the Eagles may have found the way to beat this athletic Lions group, clawing back to within 27-23 at the half. During the break, Central Lyon found a solution and was able to get the ball into the middle of the triangle, then find cutters behind the defense for layups. A deliberate and efficient approach, they frequently took 30-40 seconds to find a good look, but they were eventually successful enough to get the Eagles out of the defense and back to their base.

After Pella Christian got to within three points with 2:00 left in the third quarter, Central Lyon got a pair of free throws from Cam Montag, then jumped into a press that the Eagles weren’t ready for. They quickly forced two turnovers, going on a 6-0 run in 20 seconds of action to extend the lead to nine points and grab control back. The Eagles got back within three points on two occasions early in the fourth quarter, but Central Lyon handled their pressure well and got a number of layups and free throws to seal the win.

Central Lyon (24-2) was led by Cooper Spiess, who had 15 points on 6-8 shooting. Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA added 10 points, mostly on free throws late, Mason Gerleman Mason Gerleman 6'0" | SG Central Lyon | 2022 State IA had 9 despite being faceguarded for more than half the game, and Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA and Reece Vander Zee each chipped in 8 points in a balanced effort.

Pella Christian’s season ends with a 19-7 record. The Eagles were led by Levi Schelhaas Levi Schelhaas 5'9" | PG Pella Christian | 2022 State IA who had a game-high 16 points. Eric Mulder Eric Mulder 6'8" | PF Pella Christian | 2022 State IA delivered another excellent game with 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 blocks, and sophomore guard Tysen DeVries chipped in 10 points off the bench.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Pella Christian	13	10	13	15	51
Central Lyon	21	6	16	14	57

Team stats
Pella Christian: 21-55 FG (38.2%), 4-17 3P (23.5%), 5-5 FT (100.0%), 27 rebounds (8 offensive), 9 assists, 9 turnovers
Central Lyon: 18-40 FG (45.0%), 4-13 3P (30.8%), 17-22 FT (77.3%), 31 rebounds (6 offensive), 11 assists, 14 turnovers

MVP: 2023 Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA (Central Lyon) -- 8 points (3-5 FG, 0-1 3P, 2-2 FT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block

The 6-5 junior forward set the tone early by helping the Lions control the glass against the bigger Eagles. He’s a physical presence in the paint who finishes well around the bucket and can effectively defend a few different spots on the floor with his athleticism.

[player_tooltip player_id="962672" first="Bryson" last="Van Grootheest"] had a game-high 17 points in Rock Valley’s semifinal win

2A Semifinal: #2 Rock Valley 60, #6 Monticello 44

Over the course of 32 minutes, Rock Valley’s athleticism edge was going to come to the forefront, and it did just that in the Rockets 60-44 win over sixth-seed Monticello on Thursday afternoon, setting up an all-Siouxland Conference championship game in Class 2A tomorrow afternoon.

Monticello, a considerate underdog in this matchup, came out with a deliberate approach, patiently working the ball around to try and find good looks while working the clock. It helped them hang with the superior athleticism of the Rockets early, but Rock Valley took over in the second half, using an 18-8 third quarter to blow the game open and cruise into the championship game.

Rock Valley (21-5) had an extremely balanced offensive attack led by Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA , who had a game-high 17 points and 5 assists. Sam Remmerde Sam Remmerde 6'3" | PF Rock Valley | 2022 State IA had 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 blocks, and Landyn Van Kekerix Landyn Van Kekerix 5'11" | SG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA chipped in 11 points in the win. All five Rockets starters scored at least seven points. This will be the Rockets’ sixth state championship game appearance.

Monticello’s season ends with a 22-4 record and the school’s first state tournament win in 62 years. They were led by Preston Ries Preston Ries 6'1" | SF Monticello | 2024 State IA who had 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Tate Petersen Tate Petersen 6'1" | PG Monticello | 2023 State IA added 12. The Panthers will bring back three starters, including stars Tate Petersen Tate Petersen 6'1" | PG Monticello | 2023 State IA and Preston Ries Preston Ries 6'1" | SF Monticello | 2024 State IA , and should be in contention again in Class 2A next season.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Monticello	9	10	8	17	44
Rock Valley	10	16	18	16	60

Monticello: Preston Ries Preston Ries 6'1" | SF Monticello | 2024 State IA 15, Tate Petersen Tate Petersen 6'1" | PG Monticello | 2023 State IA 12, Peyton Schilling 6, Trey Kuper 6, Lucas Bartachek 3, Grant Hospodarsky 2
Rock Valley: Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA 17, Sam Remmerde Sam Remmerde 6'3" | PF Rock Valley | 2022 State IA 14, Landyn Van Kekerix Landyn Van Kekerix 5'11" | SG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA 11, Dawson Van Beek 8, Caleb Kats 7, Daniel Villalobos 3

Team stats
Monticello: 14-34 FG (41.2%), 6-17 3P (35.3%), 10-13 FT (76.9%), 22 rebounds (7 offensive), 6 assists, 17 turnovers
Rock Valley: 23-46 FG (50.0%), 5-13 3P (38.5%), 9-15 FT (60.0%), 26 rebounds (11 offensive), 11 assists, 9 turnovers

MVP: 2022 Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (Rock Valley) -- 17 points (7-11 FG, 1-4 3P, 2-2 FT), 1 rebound, 5 assists, 4 steals

Van Grootheest was simply an impossible matchup for Monticello with his blend of size, speed, and talent. He was able to get to the rim at will and either score or find open teammates, and he made a major impact on the defensive end with 4 steals.

[player_tooltip player_id="682270" first="Cole" last="Glasgow"] played a strong all-around floor game in DCG’s semifinal win

3A Semifinal: #1 Dallas Center-Grimes 63, #4 Winterset 46

Top-seeded Dallas Center-Grimes took an early shot from fourth-seeded Winterset and then dominated the second half en route to a 63-46 win on Thursday afternoon, advancing to the Class 3A state championship game tomorrow evening.

It was an ideal start for Winterset, getting out to a 6-0 lead just over a minute into the game, using their quickness to force turnovers and push the tempo early. They built a lead as large as eight points, 15-7, midway through the quarter before the Mustangs went on a 9-0 run to take a 16-15 lead early in the second quarter. The teams went back-and-forth for the remainder of the half and went into the break tied at 27, with Winterset spurred by 10 fast-break points.

Out of the half Dallas Center-Grimes buried back-to-back 3-pointers to give them a six-point lead and Winterset started to take some ill-advised quick shots while DCG worked the ball around and got excellent looks from the arc. The Mustangs made five 3-pointers in the quarter, winning the period 18-6 and taking a 12-point lead into the final period. The deficit just kept growing in the fourth quarter, as the dominant defense and efficient offense of DCG wore them down.

Dallas Center-Grimes (21-5) was led by Jackson Jones Jackson Jones 6'3" | SG Dallas Center Grimes | 2022 IA who had 19 points and continued his stellar play this week, knocking down 4-8 from behind the arc. Cole Glasgow Cole Glasgow 6'2" | SG Dallas Center- Grimes | 2022 State IA had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Bo Huston Bo Huston 5'10" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA added 9 points. Both Glasgow and Huston suffered injuries in the quarterfinals that had their status questionable heading into this semifinal, but both appeared to be healthy and played at a high level.

Winterset’s season ends with a 20-6 record. The Huskies were led by Levi Gurwell Levi Gurwell 5'8" | SG Winterset | 2022 State IA who had 19 points. Charlie McDonald Charlie McDonald 6'2" | SF Winterset | 2023 State IA had 10 and Brayden Dinkla Brayden Dinkla 6'0" | PG Winterset | 2023 State IA added 9 points in the loss.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Winterset	15	12	6	13	46
Dallas Center-Grimes	11	16	18	18	63

Team stats
Winterset: 18-56 FG (32.1%), 4-25 3P (16.0%), 6-9 FT (66.7%), 29 rebounds (13 offensive), 9 assists, 8 turnovers
Dallas Center-Grimes: 21-44 FG (47.7%), 7-20 3P (35.0%), 14-23 FT (60.9%), 39 rebounds (13 offensive), 16 assists, 11 turnovers

MVP: 2022 Cole Glasgow Cole Glasgow 6'2" | SG Dallas Center- Grimes | 2022 State IA (Dallas Center-Grimes) -- 13 points (6-12 FG, 1-2 FT), 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal

Glasgow appeared to suffer a significant injury in the quarterfinals but played really well in this one, operating out of the mid-post as both a scorer and facilitator. The athletic guard got off to a quick start and then the Mustangs were able to get him some rest after they built up their substantial lead.

[player_tooltip player_id="1158413" first="Shawn" last="Gilbert"] was dominant, helping lead Central DeWitt to the 3A championship game for the third time in school history

3A Semifinal: #7 Central DeWitt 70, #3 Assumption 46

After splitting a pair of highly competitive games in the regular season, seventh-seeded Central DeWitt ensured there would be no drama in the rubber match, rolling past third-seeded Assumption, 70-46, to advance to tomorrow night’s Class 3A championship game.

The Sabers scored the first 10 points of the game and never looked back as the last time the Knights got within single digits was with 3:17 remaining in the first quarter. The Sabers came out of a ton of energy on both ends of the floor and Assumption had no answer for their star tandem of big man Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA and guard Gibson Mcewen Gibson Mcewen 6'1" | SG Central Dewitt | 2022 State IA , who combined for 27 first half points while building a 32-15 halftime lead.

Central DeWitt (20-6) will play in their third state championship game. The Sabers were led by Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA , who was absolutely dominant in finishing with 32 points on 11-14 shooting. He suffered a knee injury on Tuesday in the quarterfinals but didn’t appear to be bothered by the knee at all in this one. Gibson Mcewen Gibson Mcewen 6'1" | SG Central Dewitt | 2022 State IA had 16 points in the blowout win. The Sabers shot 71.9% from the floor in the win.

Assumption’s season ends with a 20-6 record and their second straight semifinal appearance. The Knights were led by Noah Mack Noah Mack 6'0" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA who had 13 points.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Central DeWitt	17	15	17	21	70
Assumption	4	11	13	18	46

Central DeWitt: Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA 32, Gibson Mcewen Gibson Mcewen 6'1" | SG Central Dewitt | 2022 State IA 16, Ryan Watters 7, Paul Kuehn 5, Gus Pickup 4, Matthew Watters Matthew Watters 6'2" | SF Central DeWitt | 2023 State IA 2, Lucas Burmeister 2, Michael Schneider 2
Assumption: Noah Mack Noah Mack 6'0" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA 13, Reese Harris 7, JJ Stratman JJ Stratman 6'2" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA 6, Ivan Prug 6, Luke Klostermann 4, Jay Costello 3, Rico Byrd 2, Alex Milton 2, Nick Curoe 2, Shawn Kopp

Team stats
Central DeWitt: 23-32 FG (71.9%), 4-9 3P (44.4%), 20-28 FT (71.4%), 26 rebounds (4 offensive), 16 assists, 11 turnovers
Assumption: 17-48 FG (35.4%), 5-22 3P (22.7%), 7-10 FT (70.0%), 21 rebounds (10 offensive), 8 assists, 9 turnovers

MVP: 2022 Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA (Central DeWitt) -- 32 points (11-14 FG, 1-2 3P, 9-11 FT), 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks

It was a legitimate question whether or not Gilbert was going to play in this semifinal after the knee injury he sustained in the quarterfinals, but he not only played, he dominated. Assumption simply had no answer for him as he racked up 32 points on highly efficient shooting. He showed off his great hands, footwork, and touch, as well as a bit of a face-up game, knocking down a 3 and a nice mid-range jumper.

[player_tooltip player_id="682277" first="Trevion" last="Labeaux"] had 18 points and 7 rebounds in Ames’ win

4A Semifinal: #1 Ames 62, #4 Kennedy 43

These teams met at the beginning of the year, a 62-46 Ames win in which they used a 23-2 third quarter to blow things open. The Little Cyclones had a more sustained dominant effort in this one, advancing to the Class 4A championship game with a 62-43 win over fourth-seeded Kennedy.

After a strong first six minutes from both teams, Ames went on a 12-0 run to grab a 22-8 lead and never looked back, with their advantage never getting back within single digits for the final 21:43 of the game.

With length and athleticism from every position on the floor, the Little Cyclones overwhelmed Kennedy on the defensive end and were incredibly efficient offensively, dominating the painted area on both ends of the floor and ensuring that Kennedy had no space to breathe. They blocked 5 shots in the game and held Kennedy to just 35.4% shooting while shooting 60% themselves.

Kennedy’s season ends with a 21-4 record and the school’s 16th state tournament appearance. They were led by Jackson Bowman Jackson Bowman 6'7" | PF Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022 State IA who had 13 points. Kenzie Reed Kenzie Reed 5'11" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA added 12. The Cougars return their top two scorers in Dolphin and Reed, and bring back key bench piece Cyrus Courtney Cyrus Courtney 6'1" | SG Kennedy | 2024 State IA while adding a number of pieces from a sophomore team that went undefeated this season. They should be considered one of the top teams in 4A heading into next season.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	F
Kennedy	8	10	8	17	43
Ames	14	17	14	17	62

Team stats
Kennedy: 17-48 FG (35.4%), 5-20 3P (25.0%), 4-7 FT (57.1%), 17 rebounds (6 offensive), 8 assists, 11 turnovers
Ames: 24-40 FG (60.0%), 3-11 3P (27.3%), 11-17 FT (64.7%), 36 rebounds (9 offensive), 14 assists, 18 turnovers

MVP: 2022 Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA (Ames) -- 18 points (9-11 FG), 7 rebounds, 1 assist

LaBeaux and Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA set the tone early in this one, dominating the painted area on both ends of the floor. A bouncy 6-5 athlete, he finishes extremely well around the rim, provides versatility on the defensive end, and has one of the fastest second jumps I’ve seen. He opened the second half with a pair of drives to the rim, showing his ability to take defenders off the dribble and get to the bucket.

[player_tooltip player_id="1234969" first="Masen" last="Ryan"] had a game-high 18 points, including the 3 to send the game into overtime

4A Semifinal: #3 Johnston 61, #7 Prairie 57 (OT)

These two teams met early in the regular season, a thrilling 64-61 Prairie win, so you knew that they would deliver another great one with a trip to the 4A championship game on the line and they delivered. Third-seed Johnston outlasted seventh-seed Prairie, 61-57 in overtime, to set up an all-CIML 4A championship game tomorrow night.

Neither team had a lead of larger than two possessions at any point in the game, with Johnston holding a 14-13 edge after the first quarter and the teams tied at 21 heading into the half. Johnston opened the second half on a 7-1 run to take their six-point lead, 28-22, and they led by four, 38-34, after three quarters.

With a hobbled Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA , Johnston struggled to get much offense going in the fourth quarter. Starting with 2:44 left in the game, Prairie went on a 6-0 run to take a 47-44 lead after Dionte Fliss made a pair of free throws with 1:33 to play. On the ensuing possession, Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA got to the rim but missed his layup, the Dragons got the offensive rebound and Masen Ryan Masen Ryan 6'3" | SF Johnston | 2022 State IA buried a 3 to tie the game at 47 with 1:20 left. Rather than holding for one shot, Prairie missed a 3 with 50 seconds to play. Johnston held for one but wasn’t able to get a shot off, sending the game into overtime.

In the extra period, Ryan again hit a big 3-pointer to open the scoring. Everett Koch matched his 3, then Lewis got to the rim on back-to-back possessions, one with a foul included, to give Johnston a 5-point lead. Prairie answered with four straight to cut it back down to 55-54, but Johnston junior forward Samuel Tornabane hit five out of six free throws down the stretch to ice away the win.

Johnston (21-3) will play for the Class 4A championship for the second consecutive season after falling short against Waukee last year. The Dragons were led by Masen Ryan Masen Ryan 6'3" | SF Johnston | 2022 State IA who had 18 points on 6-8 shooting (5-6 3P). Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA had 17 points and 5 assists, and Samuel Tornabane added 15 points off the bench.

Prairie’s season ends with an 18-7 record and the school’s first state tournament appearance since 1998. The Hawks were led by Gabe Burkle Gabe Burkle 6'7" | PF Prairie | 2022 State IA who had 14 points. Elijah Ward Elijah Ward 6'2" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA had 13 points on 5-6 shooting (3-4 3P) off the bench, and Jack Wagemester Jack Wagemester 6'1" | SG Prairie | 2023 State IA added 10 points in the loss.

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	OT	F
Prairie	13	8	13	13	10	57
Johnston	14	7	17	9	14	61

Team stats
Prairie: 20-40 FG (50.0%), 8-17 3P (47.1%), 9-11 FT (81.8%), 26 rebounds (2 offensive), 11 assists, 19 turnovers
Johnston: 17-39 FG (43.6%), 9-24 3P (37.5%), 18-27 FT (66.7%), 21 rebounds (3 offensive), 11 assists, 12 turnovers

MVP: 2022 Masen Ryan Masen Ryan 6'3" | SF Johnston | 2022 State IA (Johnston) -- 18 points (6-8 FG, 5-6 3P, 1-2 FT), 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals

A 6-0 sharpshooting guard, Ryan was stellar in the Dragons semifinal win, burying five 3-pointers, including the biggest one of the night when he tied the game with 1:20 left. He moves really well off the ball and has a lightning-quick release off the catch.