Class 1A District Final Preview

District 1: Remsen, St. Mary's (20-2) vs. South O'Brien (16-7) at Sioux Center   St. Mary's has won eight straight in this series, including a pair of wins this season, 67-41 on December 6th, and 69-62 on February 4th. The Hawks have made it to six straight state tournaments, and are two steps away from another trip. An experienced group with five legitimate scoring threats, St. Mary's is always a balanced offensive unit that shares the ball really well and this year's iteration is no exception. [player_tooltip player_id='1167735' first='Jaxon' last='Bunkers'] (15.7) is the team's leading scorer, a major contributor for the last four years, while sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='1759937' first='Collin' last='Homan'] (15.0, 7.7 rebounds) has been a major presence on both ends of the floor in his first major varsity run. South O'Brien is led by senior Boston Riedemann (12.0) and junior David Bottjen (11.0). The Wolverines can struggle at times to score and don't shoot it very well from the arc, but they play strong defense and use their physicality and length to wear teams down. Our pick: Remsen, St. Mary's   District 2: Gehlen Catholic (19-5) vs. Newell-Fonda (18-4) at Cherokee   Two of the state's best scorers meet up here in Gehlen Catholic guard [player_tooltip player_id='956881' first='Keaten' last='Bonderson'] (22.3) and Newell-Fonda's [player_tooltip player_id='1167701' first='Carter' last='Sievers'] (27.9). Both are dynamic three-level scorers who can get scorching hot and carry their teams for long stretches of time. They're also both capable playmakers who can get others involved. Both are going to have big games, they're just that talented. The deciding factor here is probably going to be which role players deliver. Drake DeRocher (11.0, 37.8 3P%) and Keaton Logan (8.7, 4.8 assists) are the other key pieces for the Jays, while Mason Dicks (14.9, 4.8 assists), Caden Meyer (9.8, 57.4 FG%), and Ryan Greenfield (9.7, 40.5 3P%) are the keys for the Mustangs. This one should be a lot of fun, an up-tempo game with a pair of stars going shot-for-shot. Our pick: Newell-Fonda   District 3: Dunkerton (22-1) vs. South Hamilton (9-12) at Clarksville   South Hamilton has gone on the road and pulled off back-to-back upsets to reach the district final, beating Janesville (58-40) and West Hancock (49-46) en route to this meeting with Dunkerton. The Hawks average nearly 18 turnovers a game, which won't play well against a Dunkerton team that loves to run and jump on the defensive end, creating a slew of turnovers that lead to a bevy of runouts. [player_tooltip player_id='2204891' first='Ryland' last='Ubben'] (10.7) and Reece Ricke (9.5) are the headliners for South Hamilton. The one-two punch of [player_tooltip player_id='1367394' first='Preston' last='Gillespie'] (26.4, 11.9 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='1167715' first='Casey' last='Gardner'] (20.2, 10.1 assists) are going to be too much for the Hawks here. Gillespie, a 6-4 combo forward who can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim seemingly at will, is having a huge senior season as a scorer and rebounder, while Gardner is among the best point guards in the state, an elite passer and high-level shooter. The Raiders force a bunch of turnovers here and cruise into the Substate 2 final. Our pick: Dunkerton   District 4: Newman Catholic (19-4) vs. North Union (15-8) at Clear Lake   North Union lacks a go-to scorer, but they have eight players averaging between 4.9 and 9.6 points a game, which can make them a difficult team to prepare for and defend, as they don't have one or two players to focus the game plan on. A physical team that shares the ball well and rebounds at a high level, they'll be a tricky matchup for a Newman Catholic team that likes to get out and run. [player_tooltip player_id='956891' first='Douglas' last='Taylor'] (24.7, 12.1 rebounds) has been one of the state's elite scorers over the last few years, and he paces a Knights attack that can score in bunches. [player_tooltip player_id='956889' first='Max' last='Burt'] (16.4, 8.0 assists) is a talented point guard who sees the floor well and he has really improved as a scoring threat as a senior. The one-two punch of Taylor and Burt proves to be too much here for North Union to overcome, but this one is closer than expected. Our pick: Newman Catholic   District 5: North Linn (22-0) vs. Maquoketa Valley (16-7) at Independence   North Linn swept the season series between these teams, winning 72-43 on December 20th, and 74-34 on January 30th. The Lynx forced a combined 34 turnovers in those two games, and will likely be able to do much of the same again in the third meeting. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1484418' first='Mason' last='Bechen'] (15.2, 4.5 assists) is the heartbeat for the Lynx, the quick guard who puts everything in motion on both ends of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='1426164' first='Ty' last='Pflughaupt'] (17.3, 8.3 rebounds) is a long, athletic wing who can protect the rim, stretch the floor, and finish around the bucket, and the experienced [player_tooltip player_id='1167704' first='Tate' last='Haughenbury'] (16.4, 5.6 assists) is an elite finisher around the rim, a menace on the defensive end, and has really improved as a playmaker this season for the Lynx. [player_tooltip player_id='1167744' first='Ben' last='Wheatley'] (14.5, 37.9 3P%) is the other big scorer for North Linn, a veteran guard who has played in a ton of big games for this group. He's steady, a reliable ball-handler, a good shooter, and a strong defender. Maquoketa Valley is led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1738701' first='Avery' last='Holtz'] (17.3, 4.0 assists), a 1,000-point scorer who has had a really nice senior year for the Wildcats. He and Lance McShane (11.2) will need to get scorching hot if the Wildcats want to stick around and have a chance to pull off a major upset. Our pick: North Linn   District 6: Wapsie Valley (19-4) vs. Central City (15-9) at Starmont   Wapsie Valley forward [player_tooltip player_id='956883' first='Mason' last='Harter'] (20.7, 17.6 rebounds, 3.1 blocks) has quietly been putting together a sensational senior year for the Warriors, leading the state in rebounding and scoring at a highly efficient clip. A mobile 6-5 big who protects the rim, rebounds as well as anyone, and finishes above the rim, he has also improved as a passer, showing good court vision and a willingness to pass out of double teams. [player_tooltip player_id='1240097' first='Andrew' last='Westpfahl'] (21.4, 36.8 3P%) leads the Warriors in scoring. Central City is small but quick, and will look to use their speed to their advantage here, trying to get the Warriors sped up to neutralize their size. The Wildcats are led by [player_tooltip player_id='1759950' first='Matthew' last='Klostermann'] (15.5) and Aiden Klostermann (10.5) in the backcourt, a pair of quick guards who love to attack the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='1376721' first='Mekhi' last='Benton'] (15.0) is the team's top rebounder, but he'll have his hands full with Harter here. Our pick: Wapsie Valley   District 7: New London (17-6) vs. Winfield-Mt. Union (19-4) at Mediapolis   New London comes into this one fresh off an upset of top-seeded WACO in a game that they led most of the way. The Tigers are playing their best basketball of the season, led by senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='956871' first='Blaise' last='Porter'] (25.0, 4.9 assists). Porter is a lightning-quick guard with elite change of direction and ball-handling that he uses to blow by defenders and get to the bucket at will. [player_tooltip player_id='956872' first='Kade' last='Benjamin'] (19.2, 3.8 blocks) is a dominant rim protector who pairs well with Porter, and the Tigers' role players - Brendan Richey (8.9, 37.1 3P%), Leo Gebauer (8.3), and Rylan Martin (6.3, 31.6 3P%) are playing their best basketball of the season down the stretch. Winfield-Mt. Union is a big, physical, athletic team that wants to slow games down and use their size and athleticism to grind opposing teams down. Future Iowa football player [player_tooltip player_id='1171697' first='Cam' last='Buffington'] (19.3, 9.4 rebounds) is a physically dominating presence in the paint, while [player_tooltip player_id='1171698' first='Abram' last='Edwards'] (11.0, 9.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists) is a talented playmaker who primarily operates out of the high post. This is an interesting matchup between the speed and quickness of New London against the strength and physicality of Winfield-Mt. Union. The Tigers have the best guard on the floor, and should have an edge here. Our pick: New London   District 8: Marquette Catholic (21-3) vs. Prince of Peace (17-6) at Maquoketa   These teams split their regular-season meetings, with Marquette Catholic winning 73-60 on December 9th, and Prince of Peace winning 63-57 on January 20th. Prince of Peace should be riding high off their semifinal win over Bellevue and come into this one with a ton of confidence. [player_tooltip player_id='1759934' first='Hakeal' last='Powell'] (17.3) leads four double-figure scorers for the Irish, an athletic wing who can get to the bucket and create for others. Jhikeith McGraw (12.5) and Marcus Blount (11.7) are quick guards who put pressure on opposing defenses. Marquette is led by sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='1759939' first='Spencer' last='Roeder'] (13.0), a stretch-forward who can really shoot it, and he has the length to impact the game defensively. A balanced team that can comfortably go eight or nine deep on their bench, the Mohawks pound the glass hard on both ends of the floor, and their size and physicality is tough for the Irish to match up with here. This should be one of the best games of the night. Our pick: Marquette Catholic   District 9: Baxter (19-1) vs. Montezuma (18-6) at Pleasantville   Baxter has been one of the most dominant teams in the state this season, winning games by an average of 30 points a game, but there are some questions about the strength of the schedule the Bolts have played. [player_tooltip player_id='1240107' first='Carson' last='Scroggins'] (20.4) leads a quartet of double-figure scorers, joined by Cody Damman (12.7, 5.4 assists), [player_tooltip player_id='2325277' first='Treyton' last='Travis'] (12.3, 4.1 assists), and Trice Clapper (11.3). A veteran team that has four seniors and a junior comprising their top five scorers, the Bolts have lots of experience playing together, but they haven't played in many big games. Montezuma will have the most dynamic player on the floor on their side in senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='956886' first='Masin' last='Shearer'] (14.2, 37.8 3P%), a shifty guard who can create his own shot and get scorching hot. [player_tooltip player_id='1765506' first='Brady' last='Boulton'] (15.1, 40.0 3P%) is a small but confident scoring guard, a talented freshman who leads the Braves in scoring, while Gavin Strong (14.4) and Garrett Watts (12.6), despite being undersized, provide some physicality. The Braves are the smaller team here, but they're a bit more battle-tested and in Shearer they have the player with the most experience in big games, which could be a factor here, especially late. Our pick: Montezuma   District 10: Madrid (20-2) vs. Mount Ayr (21-2) at Nodaway Valley   Few teams in 1A have been as hot as Madrid heading into the postseason, with the Tigers having won 17 straight games behind the dominant play of sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='1174816' first='Toryn' last='Severson'] (20.8), a high IQ, three-level scorer who can fill it up in a hurry. Older brother [player_tooltip player_id='1155054' first='Kadyn' last='Severson'] (13.5, 43.3 3P%) has been a steady presence in the backcourt for the Tigers, while senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1587384' first='Jackson' last='Newell'] (11.5, 13.0 rebounds, 6.1 blocks) has been a dominant defensive presence. The Tigers will have their hands full with Mount Ayr guard [player_tooltip player_id='1167690' first='Jaixen' last='Frost'] (22.8), a dynamic three-level scorer who is posting 56-46-83 shooting splits while also leading the team in assists, rebounding, and steals. The Raiders will need to get someone to step up alongside Frost if they want to reach the district final. The deeper Tigers with more offensive options keep it rolling. Our pick: Madrid   District 11: Gladbrook-Reinbeck (21-2) vs. Keota (21-3) at Grinnell   Despite the similar records, this is one of the biggest mismatches in 1A on Tuesday night. Both of Gladbrook-Reinbeck's losses have come against 2A teams that spent some time in the rankings this season, and in senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1167671' first='William' last='Kiburis'] (26.2, 7.8 rebounds, 8.4 assists), the Rebels have far-and-away the best player on the floor here. Kiburis, a 6-3/6-4 point guard, has really improved as a jump shooter this year, which has opened up his entire arsenal and allowed him to score with remarkable efficiency (65.3 FG%, 38.7 3P%). A stat-sheet stuffer who does everything for this group, he'll be nearly impossible for Keota to slow down. [player_tooltip player_id='1469783' first='Caleb' last='Egesdal'] (14.2, 40.8 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1469822' first='Luke' last='Riffey'] (11.4, 39.7 3P%), a pair of talented shooters, flank Kiburis on the perimeter and help space the floor. Keota has a trio of double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='1376716' first='Sawyer' last='Stout'] (18.4), Cole Kindred (12.2), and Evan Vittetoe (11.9), but the Eagles don't shoot it very well from the arc (27.7%) and they'll need to knock down jumpers if they're going to keep pace with the high-powered Rebels. Our pick: Gladbrook-Reinbeck   District 12: Lynnville-Sully (21-2) vs. North Mahaska (19-4) at Knoxville   Lynnville-Sully swept the regular season series between these teams, but both were hard fought, close wins. The Hawks won 65-62 on December 9th, and 49-45 on January 27th, so expect to see another tight one here. The Hawks have done a pretty good job defensively on North Mahaska star forward [player_tooltip player_id='1167743' first='Nash' last='Smith'] (14.5, 4.0 assists) in the first two meetings, and they'll need to do so again if they want to win again. Smith, a talented 6-6 combo forward who does a little bit of everything for the Warhawks, will need to find a way to get loose, not just as a scorer but as a playmaker, as his size and court vision can be a difference maker. [player_tooltip player_id='1367407' first='Lane' last='Harmon'] (17.4) leads the Warhawks in scoring, and [player_tooltip player_id='2221633' first='Nolan' last='Andersen'] (12.9) and [player_tooltip player_id='1167746' first='Braden' last='Steel'] (11.4, 10.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists) have been great this season as well. This group made a run to the state tournament last season, and that experience could be a factor here. Lynnville-Sully doesn't beat themselves, turning it over under 9 times a game, and the Hawks have a quartet of double-figure scorers themselves in [player_tooltip player_id='1376719' first='Klayton' last='Van Dyke'] (12.3), [player_tooltip player_id='2377418' first='Mitchell' last='Miller'] (11.7), [player_tooltip player_id='1240095' first='Conner' last='Maston'] (10.3), and [player_tooltip player_id='1167730' first='Preston' last='Rodibaugh'] (10.1). Point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171666' first='Corder' last='Noun Harder'] (6.9, 6.4 assists) is a steadying presence in the backcourt, a true difference-maker as a playmaker who protects the ball. It's hard to beat a team three times in a season, and the experience of last year, as well as wanting some revenge for a pair of losses, could be the spark North Mahaska needs here. Our pick: North Mahaska   District 13: Grand View Christian (22-0) vs. Lenox (14-9) at Creston   Congratulations to Lenox on reaching the district finals, but your run ends here. Grand View Christian has been a juggernaut all year, and that won't stop here. The Thunder have played just four games against 1A competition this year and have won those games by an average of 60.5 points a game. Guards [player_tooltip player_id='1367400' first='Josh' last='Sanderson'] (19.0, 8.7 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='1469838' first='Frankie' last='Chiodo'] (16.5, 40.7 3P%) pace the offensive attack, and the Thunder have overwhelming size in 7-0 [player_tooltip player_id='956875' first='Daniel' last='Tobiloba'] (13.1, 13.3 rebounds, 4.2 blocks), 6-9 [player_tooltip player_id='1381402' first='Emiliano' last='Barrantes'] (13.1, 9.8 rebounds), and 6-5 [player_tooltip player_id='1476971' first='Noah' last='John'] (11.1, 9.0 rebounds). If Lenox is going to have any chance to keep this one close and interesting in the second half, [player_tooltip player_id='1951830' first='Gabe' last='Funk'] (18.6, 39.4 3P%), Keaton England (15.7, 39.4 3P%), Samson Adams (11.4, 34.8 3P%), and Carter Reed (8.7, 36.4 3P%) will need to bomb away from deep. Our pick: Grand View Christian   District 14: Coon Rapids-Bayard (14-9) vs. ACGC (15-8) at Hoover   Coon Rapids-Bayard won the regular season meeting three weeks ago, 64-59, behind 26 points from freshman star [player_tooltip player_id='1765521' first='Cal' last='Heydon'] (20.4, 7.4 rebounds). The Crusaders shot an eye-popping 61.9% from the floor in that win and held ACGC to just 6-22 (27.3%) from behind the arc. Lance Clayburg (12.2, 8.6 rebounds) and Cade Behrens (11.9) are the other major scorers for the Crusaders, but it's Heydon, a 6-4 do-it-all wing, who is the player who makes this group go. [player_tooltip player_id='1738707' first='Brock' last='Littler'] (15.7), [player_tooltip player_id='1587392' first='Lance' last='Bunde'] (13.2), and [player_tooltip player_id='1367402' first='Ben' last='Marsh'] (11.2) are the big three scorers for ACGC, a team that shares the ball well (16.7 assists a game), pounds the offensive glass (11.1), and is a better shooting team than they showed in the regular season meeting. Coon Rapids played extremely well in that game on both ends of the floor, but that effort may be difficult to duplicate. Our pick: ACGC   District 15: West Harrison (21-1) vs. Exira-EHK (19-4) at Harlan   West Harrison swept the season series between these schools, winning 71-44 on January 10th, and 78-58 on January 23rd. There shouldn't be too much drama here, as the Hawkeyes are just clearly a better team than Exira and a really difficult matchup for the Spartans. [player_tooltip player_id='1167703' first='Sage' last='Evans'] (15.0, 16.0 rebounds) was a monster in those two wins, averaging 20 points and 18.5 rebounds. A physical 6-2 forward who does a little bit of everything for the Hawkeyes, he plays with a non-stop motor that Exira (and every other team West Harrison has played) struggles to keep pace with. [player_tooltip player_id='1167693' first='Koleson' last='Evans'] (16.6, 3.2 blocks) is a 6-6 wing who can score inside and out, and [player_tooltip player_id='1288871' first='Mason' last='King'] (14.0, 46.8 3P%) gives the Hawkeyes a ton of perimeter shooting. This group absolutely dominates the glass, averaging an eye-popping 46.1 rebounds a game (18.2 offensive!). If Exira-EHK wants to keep this one interesting, they'll need to get big games out of [player_tooltip player_id='1587374' first='Cash' last='Emgarten'] (15.4) and Aiden Flathers (10.9) as perimeter scorers. With [player_tooltip player_id='1167693' first='Koleson' last='Evans'] controlling the painted area defensively, West Harrison is hard to score on unless you're knocking down shots. Our pick: West Harrison   District 16: East Mills (21-3) vs. Bedford (20-3) at Shenandoah   Both teams have been dominant defensively this season, with East Mills allowing 41.8 points a game, and Bedford giving up just 40.7, so don't expect there to be much scoring here. East Mills won the regular season meeting 54-46 back on December 20th behind 23 points and 10 rebounds from [player_tooltip player_id='1167727' first='Mason' last='Crouse'] (18.6, 8.1 rebounds). Crouse is a versatile three-level wing scorer who can carry this team offensively, while senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1409590' first='Braden' last='West'] (16.1, 1.5 blocks) has provided some athleticism in the paint as both a scorer and rim protector. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='1874772' first='Cal' last='Peterman'] (11.1) leads a balanced attack for Bedford, with six players averaging between 5.9 and 11.1 points a game. The Bulldogs don't shoot it well from the arc and are reliant on using the offensive glass to help spark their offense, which will be easier said than done against the Wolverines, who allowed just six offensive rebounds in the regular season meeting. Our pick: East Mills

District 1: Remsen, St. Mary's (20-2) vs. South O'Brien (16-7) at Sioux Center