State Tournament: Thursday Preview

2A Semifinal: #1 Central Lyon (23-2) vs. #4 Pella Christian (19-6), 10:30 am

How they got here: Central Lyon cruised past Red Oak, doubling up the Tigers in a 68-34 win, while Pella Christian eventually pulled away from Roland-Story in a 69-62 win.

Analysis: Central Lyon was extremely impressive in their opening round win over Red Oak, putting up 26 points in the first quarter and cruising to a win behind the excellent play of guards Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA and Mason Gerleman Mason Gerleman 6'0" | SG Central Lyon | 2022 State IA , who combined to score 34 points. They’ll have a taller task, literally, against Pella Christian. The Lions have an attack that relies on their ability to break down the defense and get to the rim in the halfcourt, and push the tempo and look to get easy buckets in transition. That will be easier said than done against the Eagles. They’re able to put a lot of shooters on the floor, and they should be more comfortable shooting the ball in Wells Fargo Arena after going just 3-15 from the arc in their quarterfinal game. They’ll need to knock down some shots and run when the opportunities are there against the big Eagles.

Eric Mulder Eric Mulder 6'8" | PF Pella Christian | 2022 State IA was fantastic in the Eagles’ quarterfinal win, finishing with 18 points and 20 rebounds. Expect to see the Lions aggressive guards try to attack Mulder early and see if they can get him into some foul trouble, which would open things up for them in a huge way. If Mulder is able to stay on the floor, that’s a big edge for the Eagles, as the 6-9 big man is an impact player on both ends of the floor with his size, length, athleticism, and talent. He can score at will on the block, and against a Central Lyon team that lacks traditional size, expect him to be a focal point of the game plan. The Eagles struggled shooting the ball from deep as well, going just 2-12 in their quarterfinal win, but they’ve also not really shot it that well al year (32.0%), so expect to see the Lions try and pack the paint, take away Mulder and driving lanes, and make PC beat them from the arc. This one should be a ton of fun.

Players to watch
Central Lyon: 2023 Zach Lutmer Zach Lutmer 6'1" | PG Central Lyon | 2023 IA (20.4 points, 6.3 assists, 56.1 FG%), 2022 Mason Gerleman Mason Gerleman 6'0" | SG Central Lyon | 2022 State IA (17.7 points, 46.7 3P%), 2023 Andrew Austin Andrew Austin 6'6" | PF Central Lyon | 2023 State IA (13.7 points, 54.9 FG%)
Pella Christian: 2022 Levi Schelhaas Levi Schelhaas 5'9" | PG Pella Christian | 2022 State IA (14.6 points, 2.9 assists), 2022 Eric Mulder Eric Mulder 6'8" | PF Pella Christian | 2022 State IA (11.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.9 blocks), 2022 Jaedon Huisman Jaedon Huisman 6'5" | SF Pella Christian | 2022 State IA (7.0 points, 3.1 rebounds)

Our pick: Central Lyon 62, Pella Christian 58

2A Semifinal: #2 Rock Valley (20-5) vs. #6 Monticello (22-3), 12:15 pm

How they got here: Rock Valley overwhelmed Jesup in a 75-61 win, while Monticello overcame an 11:35 scoreless drought in their 46-43 win over Mid-Prairie. 

Analysis: Rock Valley was impressive on both ends of the floor in their quarterfinal win, using their impressive athleticism to fly all over the court on the defensive end and relentlessly attack the rim offensively. They scored 50 points in the paint in that game, largely from the penetration of Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA and offensive rebounding of Sam Remmerde Sam Remmerde 6'3" | PF Rock Valley | 2022 State IA . That tandem combined for 50 points, while Landyn Van Kekerix Landyn Van Kekerix 5'11" | SG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA battled foul trouble to finish with 13. This is a group that is deep with scoring options, extremely athletic, and strong.

Monticello went 11:35 without scoring and still found a way to claw out a 3-point win in the quarterfinals. The Panthers are always a good defensive team and they were strong on that end again against Mid-Prairie, forcing 18 turnovers. Offensively, they go as Tate Petersen Tate Petersen 6'1" | PG Monticello | 2023 State IA and Preston Ries Preston Ries 6'1" | SF Monticello | 2024 State IA go. Petersen is a skilled point guard who can facilitate and score at a high level, while Ries is an impressive athlete who can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim and occasionally stretch the floor. They’ll need to get some production out of their role players if they want to advance to the championship game. Rock Valley’s depth of scoring options, and Monticello’s lack thereof, will be the difference here. 

Players to watch
Rock Valley: 2022 Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (18.6 points, 52.0 FG%), 2022 Landyn Van Kekerix Landyn Van Kekerix 5'11" | SG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (12.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 55.0 FG%), 2022 Sam Remmerde Sam Remmerde 6'3" | PF Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (11.8 points, 7.2 rebounds)
Monticello: 2023 Tate Petersen Tate Petersen 6'1" | PG Monticello | 2023 State IA (19.2 points, 5.3 assists, 38.2 3P%), 2024 Preston Ries Preston Ries 6'1" | SF Monticello | 2024 State IA (18.2 points, 7.0 rebounds)

Our pick: Rock Valley 66, Monticello 56

3A Semifinal: #1 Dallas Center-Grimes (20-5) vs. #4 Winterset (20-5), 2:00 pm

How they got here: Dallas Center-Grimes suffocated Carroll in a 65-45 win, while Winterset outlasted Marion in an 81-77 overtime thriller. 

Analysis: Dallas Center-Grimes impressed on the defensive end in their win over Carroll, but it was costly, as both Bo Huston Bo Huston 5'10" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA and Cole Glasgow Cole Glasgow 6'3" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA appeared to suffer ankle injuries that will hamper them. If the Mustangs guards aren’t operating at 100%, they’ll struggle to contain the quick WInterset guards, which could be the difference-maker here. Jacob Runyan Jacob Runyan 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA was excellent in the quarterfinals, finishing with 10 points and 10 assists, showing his ability to completely control the offense. He can get to the bucket seemingly at will and is one of the best pure point guards in the state. Jackson Jones Jackson Jones 6'3" | SG Dallas Center Grimes | 2022 IA was also really good in the quarterfinals, finishing with 18 points, and they’ll need him to step up again in the scoring department with two of their top three scorers hampered by injuries.

Winterset got a stellar performance from Brayden Dinkla Brayden Dinkla 6'0" | PG Winterset | 2023 State IA in their overtime win over Marion, with the junior guard going off for 26 points and 5 assists. He’s a quick guard who can get to the rim and looks to attack consistently, and he’ll take full advantage of the Mustangs if they aren’t 100%. Levi Gurwell Levi Gurwell 6'0" | SG Winterset | 2022 State IA and Dawson Forgy Dawson Forgy 5'11" | PG Winterset | 2022 State IA are also quick guards who can score from all three levels, and the Huskies got really strong production out of a pair of stretch-4s, Nathan Avery Nathan Avery 6'3" | SF Winterset | 2022 State IA (22 points) and Charlie McDonald Charlie McDonald 6'2" | SF Winterset | 2023 State IA (11 points, 12 rebounds) in the quarters. With the Huskies quickness and DCG not operating at 100%, this one got very interesting. 

Players to watch
Dallas Center-Grimes: 2022 Cole Glasgow Cole Glasgow 6'3" | SG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA (15.0 points, 5.3 rebounds), 2022 Jacob Runyan Jacob Runyan 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA (11.3 points, 4.9 assists), 2022 Jackson Jones Jackson Jones 6'3" | SG Dallas Center Grimes | 2022 IA (8.7 points, 40.0 3P%)
Winterset: 2022 Levi Gurwell Levi Gurwell 6'0" | SG Winterset | 2022 State IA (17.4 points, 3.0 assists), 2022 Dawson Forgy Dawson Forgy 5'11" | PG Winterset | 2022 State IA (10.9 points, 3.8 assists), 2023 Brayden Dinkla Brayden Dinkla 6'0" | PG Winterset | 2023 State IA (10.4 points, 6.5 assists)

Our pick: Winterset 63, Dallas Center-Grimes 56

3A Semifinal: #7 Central DeWitt (19-6) vs. #3 Assumption (20-5), 3:45 pm

How they got here: Central DeWitt’s size was too much for Decorah in their 67-59 win, while Assumption overcame a 14-point deficit to beat Humboldt, 69-65, in overtime.

Analysis: These MAC rivals met twice in the regular season and split, with Central DeWitt winning 67-57 on December 17, and Assumption taking the rematch 61-52 on February 1. In the Sabers win, Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks, and Gibson McEwen Gibson McEwen 6'1" | SG Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA chipped in 22 points. Knowing that Gilbert would be able to get his regardless, Assumption focused in on limiting McEwen in the rematch and held him to 8 points, while getting 26 points from Ivan Prug, who wasn’t eligible in the first meeting. His ability to stretch the floor and draw Gilbert out of the paint will be huge in this rubber match. In the Sabers quarterfinal win, Gilbert had 16 points and 11 rebounds before leaving with an apparent knee injury. The injury looked bad when it happened, as he was on the floor for several minutes and was taken back to the locker room with a lot of help. But a few minutes later he was running out of the tunnel and appeared to be moving alright. They’ll need him healthy if they want to have a chance to advance to the 3A championship. game. 

Assumption didn’t play well in their quarterfinal win over Humboldt but found a way to comeback, survive and advance. Noah Mack Noah Mack 6'0" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA was good, finishing with 17 points, and he has played really well all season, but particularly in the postseason. A talented shotmaker who can create his own looks, he’ll be a difficult matchup for the Sabers, but it’s the play of Prug that will be the difference-maker here. He’s a tricky matchup for Gilbert and Central DeWitt with his ability to stretch the floor (6-7 from 3 in the Assumption regular season win) and space it out for his teammates. He had a rough game in the quarters, going just 2-11 from the floor, but he had several good looks just rim out and if a few of those end up falling, his day looks much better. 

Players to watch
Central DeWitt: 2022 Shawn Gilbert Shawn Gilbert 6'7" | PF Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA (23.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 61.8 FG%), 2022 Gibson McEwen Gibson McEwen 6'1" | SG Central DeWitt | 2022 State IA (13.3 points, 3.8 assists), 2023 Matthew Watters Matthew Watters 6'2" | SF Central DeWitt | 2023 State IA (9.0 points, 3.8 rebounds)
Assumption: 2022 Noah Mack Noah Mack 6'0" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA (16.4 points, 4.5 assists, 44.8 3P%), 2022 Ivan Prug (13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 46.3 3P%), 2022 JJ Stratman JJ Stratman 6'2" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA (8.1 points, 5.0 rebounds)

Our pick: Assumption 58, Central DeWitt 52

4A Semifinal: #4 Kennedy (21-3) vs. #1 Ames (21-3), 5:30 pm

How they got here: Kennedy used an excellent gameplan and stellar guard play to beat Northwest 61-55, while Ames overcame a slow start to dominate Burlington 60-40.

Analysis: These teams met in Cedar Rapids at the beginning of the year, a 62-46 Ames win. In that game, Ames outscored the Cougars 23-2 in the third quarter after trailing by two at the half, getting 24 points from Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'1" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA and limiting Colby Dolphin Colby Dolphin 5'10" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA and Kenzie Reed Kenzie Reed 5'11" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA to just 12 combined points. While the Little Cyclones certainly have the defensive pieces to do something similar here, don’t expect that to happen with the way Kennedy has been playing. The Cougars were outstanding on the defensive end in their quarterfinal win over Northwest, using a switch-everything defense to frustrate the Wolves, and Dolphin and Reed were dominant, combining to score 48 points in the win. They’ll have a tougher time getting clean looks against the Cyclones, who have a pair of elite perimeter defenders in Lipsey and Lucas Lueth Lucas Lueth 6'6" | SF Ames | 2023 State IA , as well as a pair of athletic and physical forwards in Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA and Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA . The Cougars will need Reed and Dolphin to play extremely well again, of course, but they’ll also need to get some more production out of guys like Carson Blietz Carson Blietz 5'11" | SG Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022 State IA , Jackson Bowman Jackson Bowman 6'7" | PF Kennedy | 2022 State IA , and Craig Mills Craig Mills 6'5" | PF Kennedy | 2022 State IA if they want to get some revenge here.

Ames overcame a slow start to beat Burlington by 20 in their quarterfinal game behind a great game from Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'1" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA . The future Iowa State guard had 16 points and 9 assists and controlled the game throughout, and it will be interesting to see what kind of game plan Jon McKowen comes up with. Will he try to slow down Lipsey? Or try to take away other pieces and let Lipsey get his points? Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA and Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA were both good on the glass in the win over Burlington, using their athleticism and physicality to control the painted area, and they should have an edge there again in this one. The Little Cyclones can be explosive when they get it rolling, a dominant team on both ends of the floor. They should have an answer for either Reed or Dolphin, perhaps both, making their lives difficult, and they’ll have enough pieces offensively to continue their march to the state title. 

Players to watch
Kennedy: 2023 Colby Dolphin Colby Dolphin 5'10" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA (14.4 points, 40.2 3P%), 2023 Kenzie Reed Kenzie Reed 5'11" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA (13.0 points, 6.8 assists, 40.3 3P%), 2022 Jackson Bowman Jackson Bowman 6'7" | PF Kennedy | 2022 State IA (10.2 points, 58.4 FG%)
Ames: 2022 Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'1" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA (15.9 points, 6.1 assists, 2.5 steals), 2022 Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA (15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 57.4 FG%), 2022 Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA (11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 51.9 FG%)

Our pick: Ames 58, Kennedy 52

4A Semifinal: #7 Prairie (18-6) vs. #3 Johnston (20-3), 7:15 pm

How they got here: Prairie pulled away late in a 62-52 win over Cedar Falls, while Johnston controlled the fourth quarter in a 55-53 win over Ankeny.

Analysis: These teams met at the beginning of the year in a fun non-conference game in Cedar Rapids, won by Prairie 64-61. Johnston got 31 points from Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA and 13 from Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA in that loss, while Prairie had three finish in double-figures. Neither team shot it particularly well in that game (Johnston 39.3%, Prairie 34.7%), but Prairie was able to get to the free-throw line 34 times. The Hawks have been a strong defensive team for a majority of the season and with the length that they can throw at Johnston, expect to see a better effort on Lewis in the rematch. The difference for Johnston this time around, however, is that they should be able to get more production out of their role players. For instance, in the quarterfinals, Samuel Tornabane came off the bench to provide 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 blocks. He didn’t play in the first meeting, and with his length and ability to stretch the floor, he can be a difference-maker. 

Prairie played an incredibly efficient game against Cedar Falls in the quarters, using a patient offensive approach to shoot 55% from the floor and 50% from the arc. They got balanced scoring, with all nine players who played scoring, led by Jake Walter Jake Walter 5'10" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA (16) and Dionte Fliss (13). The Hawks do a good job attacking the rim and sharing the wealth, while Johnston is more of a two-man show. If the Dragons are able to get some production from their role players, and adding Tornabane to the rotation could prove to be a huge asset in this game, they should get some revenge and set up an all-CIML championship game. This should be very competitive throughout, but we expect the free-throw battle to be much closer this time around.

Players to watch
Prairie: 2022 Gabe Burkle Gabe Burkle 6'7" | PF Prairie | 2022 State IA (14.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 57.9 FG%), 2022 Jake Walter Jake Walter 5'10" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA (13.3 points), 2022 Elijah Ward Elijah Ward 6'2" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA (10.1 points)
Johnston: 2022 Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA (21.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists), 2022 Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA (16.0 points, 7.4 rebounds), 2023 Samuel Tornabane (5.5 points, 42.5 3P%)

Our pick: Johnston 64, Prairie 61