State Tournament: Wednesday's Top Performers

2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1376673" first="Grant" last="Tigges"] (Northwest) With their standout player hampered by the flu and not playing to his usual standards, the Wolves needed someone to step up and Tigges, a 6-3 sophomore, did just that, finishing with 15 points and 8 rebounds on 7-12 shooting. He was constantly looking to attack when he caught the ball, trying to get to the rim for finishes against a staunch Kennedy defense. He competes hard on the glass on both ends of the floor as well. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1240092" first="Henry" last="Manning"] (Northwest) Like Tigges, Manning stepped up when he was needed, scoring 10 points on 4-8 shooting, including 2-5 from behind the arc. The 6-1 junior guard also played really well on the defensive end, sitting in his stance and moving his feet. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Colby-Dolphin-crop-2683x1762-1646884913.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404550" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Colby-Dolphin-crop-2683x1762-1646884913-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167718" first="Colby" last="Dolphin"] (Kennedy) One half of the Cougars excellent backcourt, Dolphin finished with 22 points on 5-11 shooting (2-5 3P, 10-10 FT) in Kennedy’s win. He’s a tough, physical guard who embraces contact around the rim and wanted the ball in his hands, embracing the moment. He has a nice-looking stroke from the arc, moves well off the ball, and really gets after it on the defensive end. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Kenzie-Reed-crop-2809x1845-1646851075.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404125" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Kenzie-Reed-crop-2809x1845-1646851075-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="956877" first="Kenzie" last="Reed"] (Kennedy) The 6-0 point guard picked a great time to play one of the best games of his high school career finishing with 26 points on 8-12 shooting (5-7 3P, 5-6 FT) in the Cougars quarterfinal win. Known primarily for his excellent court vision and willingness to get others involved, Reed capitalized on his scoring chances in this one, looking to attack constantly. He showed NBA range on his shot with a quick, smooth release, and he was clutch from the free-throw line. A borderline Division I prospect, he did so with Drake coaches looking on, as well as high Division II Truman State. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Tamin-Lipsey-crop-3226x2118-1646856187.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404175" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Tamin-Lipsey-crop-3226x2118-1646856187-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="682279" first="Tamin" last="Lipsey"] (Ames) We’ve come to expect greatness from Lipsey, and the future Iowa State point guard delivered again in the Little Cyclones’ quarterfinal win, finishing with 16 points and 9 assists while shooting 7-12 from the floor. He either scored or assisted on 16 of the 24 made field goals and was excellent on both ends of the floor. He has a burst that is matched by few in the state and he plays with excellent change of pace that makes that first step seem even quicker. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Jack-Wynter-crop-3226x2118-1646884614.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404543" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Jack-Wynter-crop-3226x2118-1646884614-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2024 Jack Wynter (Ames) A 6-1 lefty guard, Wynter helped the Little Cyclones blow the game open in the third quarter by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers within a two-minute span, showing a ton of confidence in his shot and a quick release. State championship teams always need someone unexpected to step up, and perhaps it will be Wynter this week for Ames. He buried four 3-pointers in total en route to 12 points off the bench. 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962667" first="Amarion" last="Davis"] (Burlington) Burlington was overmatched in their game with Ames, but Davis played well, finishing with 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. A hyper-athletic 6-2 wing who can get to the rim, Davis knocked down 2-4 from behind the arc in the Grayhounds loss, showing a smooth looking perimeter stroke. He’s an intriguing prospect for local small schools with his blend of athleticism, quickness, and length. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Trey-Campbell-crop-2912x1912-1646864908.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404286" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Trey-Campbell-crop-2912x1912-1646864908-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="682265" first="Trey" last="Campbell"] (Cedar Falls) The 6-4 point guard was remarkable in the Tigers loss to Prairie, scoring 32 points on 11-21 shooting, including going 6-9 from behind the arc. Everything that Campbell does is so smooth that it looks effortless, and he does an excellent job using his quickness as a weapon as teams need to play off of him just a bit or he’ll blow by them. He has the ball on a string and gets to his spots whenever he wants. He has a quick release and gets the ball into his shooting pocket quickly. He’s going to be an excellent player for Northern Iowa. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Dionte-Fliss-crop-3226x2118-1646863294.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404260" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Dionte-Fliss-crop-3226x2118-1646863294-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 Dionte Fliss (Prairie) A powerful and athletic 6-1 wing, Fliss brought a little bit of attitude and toughness to the floor for Prairie in their win over Cedar Falls, finishing with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and a block while shooting 6-9 from the floor. He set the tone early by looking to attack the Tigers defense and get to the rim for finishes, and he certainly made his presence known on the defensive end, getting his hands in passing lanes and playing strong, physical defense. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Jake-Walter-crop-3226x2118-1646888031.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404589" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Jake-Walter-crop-3226x2118-1646888031-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962635" first="Jake" last="Walter"] (Prairie) The 5-11 guard was huge in the Hawks win over Cedar Falls on both ends of the floor, finishing with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. He made some huge shots in the second half helping them gain control of the game, and he showed his ability to score from all three levels, shooting 4-10 from the floor (2-4 3P, 6-7 FT). <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Steven-Kramer-crop-3226x2118-1646869066.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404349" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Steven-Kramer-crop-3226x2118-1646869066-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="784982" first="Steven" last="Kramer"] (Johnston) The future South Dakota wing had a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Dragons in their win over Ankeny while showing his ability to score from all three levels. He has really improved his ball handling and playmaking over the last year, showing the ability to create his own shots off the bounce and knock them down. He’s a bouncy athlete who provided a few highlight-reel plays with a pair of chasedown blocks. 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1171660" first="Carson" last="Johnson"] (Ankeny) A high IQ lead guard who made a major impact on both ends of the floor, Johnson had 10 points, 3 assists, and 4 steals in the Hawks’ narrow loss to Johnston. He’s an excellent ball handler and decision maker who sees the floor extremely well. When he’s playing off the ball, he moves well and has a quick release on his shot off the catch. He really impressed on the defensive end, helping hold [player_tooltip player_id="682278" first="Trey" last="Lewis"] in check for a good chunk of the night, using his quick hands and feet to come away with a number of steals. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Wyatt-Helming-crop-3027x1987-1646888666.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404594" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Wyatt-Helming-crop-3027x1987-1646888666-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158420" first="Wyatt" last="Helming"] (Lake Mills) The 6-6 combo forward got off to an excellent start for the Bulldogs, scoring 13 first half points while the ’Dogs built up a healthy halftime lead over the top-ranked Thunder. While they didn’t ultimately prevail, Helming was outstanding throughout, scoring 36 points on 14-33 shooting (4-12 3P, 4-4 FT), 11 rebounds, 4 assists (0 turnovers), and 3 blocks. He was absolutely amazing in the mid-range, routinely finding ways to get to his spots and knocking down shots from 12-15 feet. He also showed the ability to step out and stretch the floor, and when the Thunder decided to take [player_tooltip player_id="1158456" first="Bennett" last="Berger"] out of the game by faceguarding him, Helming stepped up and scored time after time. He delivered one of the all-time great statistical games at the state tournament and <a href="https://twitter.com/tonysroe/status/1501726802842161152?s=20&t=iTybNTOKO-QwpqccLV8Fow">nearly delivered one of most improbable shots in state tournament history as well</a>. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Manny-Hammonds-crop-2963x1945-1646888981.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404597" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Manny-Hammonds-crop-2963x1945-1646888981-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"] (Grand View Christian) Hammonds and Baucum dominated the second half and overtime in the Thunder's comeback win over Lake Mills. A talented shotmaker and playmaker, Hammonds had 19 points on 8-16 shooting (3-7 3P) and 3 assists, showing his ability to create his own shot and find opportunities for others. He shoots it really well off the dribble, getting the ball into his shooting pocket quickly, and he uses his shot to open up his dribble penetration. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Josh-Baucum-crop-2877x1889-1646878479.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1404450" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Josh-Baucum-crop-2877x1889-1646878479-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1141465" first="Josh" last="Baucum"] (Grand View Christian) An explosive 6-0 guard, Baucum was outstanding on both ends of the floor in the second half, finishing with 27 points on 9-16 shooting (2-5 3P, 7-9 FT). He was in constant attack mode in the second half, looking to get to the rim for finishes and he was successful more times than not. He has an explosive first step that he uses to blow by defenders and get to the bucket, where he's an excellent finisher. He was also great on the defensive end, taking on the task of faceguarding Berger throughout the second half and completely taking him out of the game. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Austin-Hilmer-crop-3050x2003-1646690380.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1402587" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/03/Austin-Hilmer-crop-3050x2003-1646690380-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"] (North Linn) The energetic 6-1 point guard helped lead the Lynx to the state championship game for a record-setting fifth consecutive year, finishing with a game-high 18 points on 5-11 shooting (1-3 3P, 7-10 FT) to go with 5 rebounds and 3 steals. He plays at 100 miles an hour and is the heart-and-soul of the Lynx attack on both ends of the floor.