Tuesday's Top Games - Prep Hoops

West Lyon (9-2) at 3A #5 MOC-Floyd Valley (11-2)   These teams played a track meet earlier this year, with MOC-FV winning 87-79, back on December 9. Expect another high-scoring affair here, as both of these teams are putting up huge scoring numbers (West Lyon 72.8 points a game, MOC-FV 78.2) and shooting at a highly efficient clip.   Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1738630' first='Devan' last='Van Wyhe'] (17.0, 76.2 FG%) leads a trio of double-figure scorers for West Lyon. Van Wyhe has been incredibly impressive this season, using his size and athleticism to routinely get to the rim for finishes. [player_tooltip player_id='1759936' first='Carson' last='Hoogeveen'] (12.6, 4.2 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2325556' first='Trevor' last='Ciesielski'] (9.7, 5.0 assists) have been really good decision-makers, while Darren Meyer (12.4) is another athletic forward who scores at a high clip. The Wildcats are shooting 54% from the floor and 42.2% from behind the arc as a team.   Not to be outdone, the Dutchmen have posted a 55-46-71 shooting splits line so far this season as a team. That type of efficiency, and a trio of players averaging between 17.5 and 18.9 points a game, makes this group incredibly difficult to defend. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1376686' first='Jesse' last='Van Kalsbeek'] (18.9) leads the team in scoring and rebounding, posting 57-45-77 shooting splits on his own, and he's the *worst* shooter of their four primary scorers. [player_tooltip player_id='1167713' first='Ayden' last='Klein'] (18.0, 47.1 3P%) (pictured), [player_tooltip player_id='1167726' first='Luke' last='Korver'] (17.5, 51.0 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='2398061' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] (9.8, 49.1 3P%) are each deadly shooters who move well without the ball in their hands and are also capable of creating looks for others. This is a high-powered offensive team that is really clicking right now. Their two losses have come to 2A #1 Central Lyon, and they're largely steamrolled through the rest of their schedule. Our pick: MOC-Floyd Valley 84, West Lyon 77   4A #2 Waukee (13-2) at 4A #7 Centennial (9-4)   Waukee comes into this one riding high off their big 77-55 win over Northwest on Friday night, a game that they were dominant in on both ends of the floor. Centennial rebounded from a rough outing against Valley on Tuesday night with a big win over Omaha Burke (NE) on Friday, 70-36, to get back on track.   Five-star wing [player_tooltip player_id='1733510' first='Omaha' last='Biliew'] (22.7, 11.0 rebounds) has been dominant for Waukee, and Bob Fontana will need to come up with some sort of answer for him in this one. Much easier said than done. [player_tooltip player_id='1167685' first='Vance' last='Peiffer'] (10.6, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 blocks) is playing extremely well on both ends of the floor, and his rim protection allows the Warriors to play extremely aggressively on the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id='1171683' first='Mason' last='Costello'] (10.1) has provided some good perimeter scoring and playmaking, while the combination of [player_tooltip player_id='1239875' first='Cooper' last='Randall'] (8.3) and [player_tooltip player_id='1288872' first='Cade' last='Littlefield'] (4.4) in the backcourt has been steady all year, knocking down shots and limiting turnovers. The Warriors can comfortably go nine deep, and they have the best player in the state on their side.   Centennial is led by a strong junior backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='1288923' first='Luke' last='Winkel'] (15.7, 5.5 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='1751094' first='Nick' last='Vaske'] (10.2), a pair of solid guards who can score from all three levels and get their teammates involved. Winkel has had some huge games throughout the year for the Jaguars, and he'll need to be extremely aggressive as a scorer here if they want to keep pace with the Warriors. [player_tooltip player_id='1256299' first='Chase' last='Schutty'] (6.2, 7.3 rebounds) will also be important in this one, a physical forward who can control the glass. Our pick: Waukee 64, Centennial 56   2A #2 Aplington-Parkersburg (14-0) at 1A #4 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (13-1)   These two teams have been absolutely dominant so far this season, with Aplington-Parkersburg winning games by an average of 32.4 points and Gladbrook-Reinbeck by 31.3 a night. These teams met towards the end of last season, a 73-54 A-P win.   Aplington-Parkersburg is an offensive juggernaut, with three players averaging in double-figures, and another five averaging between 3.6 and 8.8 points a game. They're led by the dynamic backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='1167691' first='Garrett' last='Hempen'] (20.7, 43.8 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='1171686' first='Gavin' last='Thomas'] (17.4, 47.6 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='1171663' first='Willie' last='Hodges'] (8.8, 2.7 steals). The emergence of junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2325268' first='Nick' last='Neuroth'] (5.4, 4.6 assists) has been big for this group as well, a heady lead guard who is getting others involved at a high clip and who has allowed sharpshooters Hempen and Thomas to operate off the ball more and space the defense. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1167721' first='Martez' last='Wiggley'] (12.1, 8.3 rebounds) has provided a ton of size, athleticism, and physicality for this group, and the Falcons are able to go deep into their bench with quick athletes, allowing them to put constant pressure on opposing teams.   Stat-sheet-stuffing lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='1167671' first='William' last='Kiburis'] (25.6, 8.5 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 2.9 steals) is the headliner for the Rebels. A 6-4 lead guard with great size and length, he has a tremendous feel for the game and has improved as a shooter this season, which has really expanded his all-around game. Look for A-P to blitz him and try to get the ball out of his hands and make the rest of the Rebels' roster beat them. Guards [player_tooltip player_id='1469783' first='Caleb' last='Egesdal'] (14.2) and [player_tooltip player_id='1469822' first='Luke' last='Riffey'] (10.5) are both good shooting threats, but this team will go as Kiburis goes. A-P is one of the few teams on G-R's schedule that has the athletes to throw at him and slow him down, as they did in last year's meeting. Our pick: Aplington-Parkersburg 75, Gladbrook-Reinbeck 62   2A #8 Grundy Center (13-2) at 1A #8 Wapsie Valley (13-1)   The other huge game in the NICL tonight is happening in Fairbank between another pair of ranked teams. Wapsie Valley has won 13 straight since a season-opening loss to Gladbrook-Reinbeck, while Grundy Center has won seven straight. The Spartans have two losses by a combined three points to undefeated Aplington-Parkersburg (71-69) and a solid Jesup team (60-59).   Grundy Center has a really talented 2025 class, led by wing [player_tooltip player_id='1478357' first='Jalen' last='Kirkpatrick'] (16.2 points), a versatile 6-5 wing who can score from all three levels and defend multiple positions. The Spartans' top three scorers - Kirkpatrick, [player_tooltip player_id='1759911' first='Tiernan' last='Vokes'] (13.0), and [player_tooltip player_id='1759941' first='Brayden' last='Wallis'] (8.6) - are all sophomores, and two others see significant playing time. This is a young, but very talented team that plays outstanding defense and shares the ball really well, dishing out 17 assists a game.   Wapsie Valley counters with a senior-laden roster led by 6-5 big man [player_tooltip player_id='956883' first='Mason' last='Harter'] (21.1 points, 17.6 rebounds), who is having a ridiculous senior season. An efficient, mobile big man who can protect the paint and dominate on the glass, Grundy will have their hands full with him in the paint. The Warriors don't shoot it very well from behind the arc, looking to use their size and physicality advantage to wear opposing teams down. Look for Grundy Center to try and speed the game up a little bit and attack Harter early in an effort to get him out of the game. This is an interesting contrast between the young, up-and-coming team and the established, veteran team, and it should be a battle all night. Our pick: Grundy Center 62, Wapsie Valley 59   Pella Christian (10-4) at Norwalk (9-3)   Norwalk won the first meeting between these teams this season, a 54-40 victory back on December 9. Expect this one to be closer. Few teams in Class 2A are playing better basketball right now than Pella Christian, who have won six of their last seven games, with the lone loss coming by three to an Indianola team ranked in the top five in Class 4A. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1423351' first='Tysen' last='DeVries'] (15.0) is the only player who averages in double-figures for the Eagles, but this is a team that comfortably goes eight or nine players deep, and they have a number of options who can step up on any given night. The pressure that DeVries put on opposing defenses with his quickness and relentless attacking make this team difficult to defend.   Norwalk has won five straight games by an average of 25 points. The Warriors forced 17 turnovers in the first meeting between these teams, using their length and athleticism to cause some chaos on the defensive end. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171661' first='Redek' last='Born'] (18.4) has really come into his own this season and become a dominant two-way player. He's averaging 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists in addition to his scoring, and he has been really efficient (50-40-76) while also defending the opposing team's top perimeter threat. [player_tooltip player_id='1239874' first='Braeden' last='Carlson'] (14.0, 8.2 rebounds) is a bouncy forward who can control the glass, and [player_tooltip player_id='1476940' first='Aidan' last='Harder'] (10.4, 37.5 3P%) and Jack Brown (9.1, 41.8 3P%) have given the Warriors a pair of dynamic shooting threats to put alongside Born. Both of these teams are playing excellent basketball, but the Warriors will have the best player on the floor. Our pick: Norwalk 66, Pella Christian 60   Other notable games Solon (9-4) at 3A #4 Marion (12-3) 3A #7 North Polk (11-2) at ADM (8-5) Monticello (10-5) at Beckman Catholic (10-5) Denison-Schleswig (9-2) at Harlan (8-3) Iowa City West (7-6) at Waterloo West (11-2) Mount Vernon (8-5) at 3A #2 Xavier (10-3) Pleasant Valley (9-4) at Bettendorf (9-4) Humboldt (10-2) at Algona (9-4) Dallas Center-Grimes (8-5) at 3A #8 Newton (7-4)

West Lyon (9-2) at 3A #5 MOC-Floyd Valley (11-2)