Substate Preview: 1A-6

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/District-11.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/District-11.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1785831" /></a></figure>   District 11   The favorite: Gladbrook-Reinbeck is a very heavy favorite in this district, far and away the best team in the group, with far and away the best player on their side. After being upset by Bellevue in the substate final last year, they're on a mission this season. The Rebels have rolled through their schedule, losing just once, to a 2A Grundy Center team that is 16-4, and they avenged that loss last week, beating the Spartans by 31. They've posted quality wins over Wapsie Valley, Jesup, Hudson, Aplington-Parkersburg, and Grundy Center this season, and in senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1167671' first='William' last='Kiburis'] (26.1, 8.0 rebounds, 8.6 assists), they have one of the best players in 1A basketball. A skilled point guard with excellent size at 6-4, Kiburis has taken his game to another level this year with his improved jumper, turning himself into a dangerous threat from the arc in addition to his ability to put the ball on the floor and create for himself and his teammates. [player_tooltip player_id='1469783' first='Caleb' last='Egesdal'] (14.2, 40.4 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1469822' first='Luke' last='Riffey'] (11.7, 41.2 3P%) provide some shooting to help space the floor for Kiburis, and sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2397276' first='Drew' last='Eilers'] (7.6, 7.8 rebounds) has been a force in the paint. With the best player in the district, the toughest schedule, and the best role players on their side, it would be a major upset if the Rebels don't come out of this district.   The biggest threat: Keota is the best team on the bottom part of the bracket, and probably the only team with a shot at upsetting the Rebels in the district final. The Eagles are led by a trio of double-figure scorers in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1376716' first='Sawyer' last='Stout'] (18.5), Cole Kindred (12.5), and Evan Vittetoe (11.5). They've swept Belle Plaine, their likely semifinal opponent, this season, setting them up to get to the district final, where they'll need to knock down a bunch of 3s and control the glass if they want to pull off the upset.   The dark horse: Belle Plaine is a team that always does a good job competing on the glass, and that has been the same this season, averaging 36 rebounds a game. They have seven players averaging at least 5.7 points a game, giving them a number of scoring options to turn to, and their second game against Keota was much closer than their season-opening loss to the Eagles, so they could pull off the upset the third time around and reach the district final. Sam DeMeulenaere (12.3, 7.3 rebounds) is the team's top scorer.   Players to watch 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167671' first='William' last='Kiburis'], Gladbrook-Reinbeck 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1469783' first='Caleb' last='Egesdal'], Gladbrook-Reinbeck 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1469822' first='Luke' last='Riffey'], Gladbrook-Reinbeck 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376716' first='Sawyer' last='Stout'], Keota 2024 Evan Vittetoe, Keota 2024 Cole Kindred, Keota 2025 Sam DeMeulenaere, Belle Plaine 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1738721' first='Ty' last='Purdy'], Don Bosco 2023 Landon Hall, HLV 2025 Caleb Haack, Iowa Valley 2023 Evan Kearney, Iowa Valley   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/District-12.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/District-12.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1785832" /></a></figure>   District 12   The favorite: Lynnville-Sully earned the top seed in the district after sweeping North Mahaska, the second-seeded team. The Hawks, however, did not get an easy draw here, with a very tricky district to navigate through before reaching the substate final. They have arguably the most difficult semifinal game of any of the top-seeded teams in any district, with both Hillcrest and Regina showing throughout the year that they are capable of knocking off quality teams. One of the best defensive teams in the class, the Hawks are allowing just 41.8 points a game, using their combination of length, quickness, and talent to suffocate opposing teams. Offensively, they're extremely balanced, with four players averaging between 10.1 and 11.8 points a game in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1376719' first='Klayton' last='Van Dyke'] (11.8, 8.2 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2377418' first='Mitchell' last='Miller'] (11.3), and seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1240095' first='Conner' last='Maston'] (10.4) and [player_tooltip player_id='1167730' first='Preston' last='Rodibaugh'] (10.1). Any of the quartet are capable of getting hot on a given night and carrying the team offensively, or they could each go for 10-12 points and get some help from the quality role players on the roster. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171666' first='Corder' last='Noun Harder'] (6.9, 6.2 assists) is one of the best pure point guards in the class, a guard who values possessions and rarely turns it over. A disciplined team on both ends of the floor, Lynnville-Sully isn't going to beat themselves, and they're going to make life very difficult for any team they play.   The biggest threat: The most dynamic individual player in the district is [player_tooltip player_id='1167743' first='Nash' last='Smith'] (15.1, 6.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists) of North Mahaska, a long, athletic 6-6 combo forward who can do a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1367407' first='Lane' last='Harmon'] (17.6, 4.1 assists) leads the Warhawks in scoring, and while he hasn't shot it particularly well from the arc this season, he's a good perimeter shooting threat who is liable to bust out of his slump at any point in time. [player_tooltip player_id='2221633' first='Nolan' last='Andersen'] (12.4), a physical wing who can get to the bucket at will, provides more scoring, and senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1167746' first='Braden' last='Steel'] (11.8, 11.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists) is a unique forward who can initiate the offense and dominate the glass. The Warhawks have lost both meetings against Lynnville-Sully this year, but by a combined seven points, so they'll be itching to get another shot at the Hawks in the district final.   The dark horse(s): As previously mentioned, the 4-5 matchup in this district might be the best in the class and either of those teams could give Lynnville-Sully some issues in the semifinals. Hillcrest Academy is led by senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1367447' first='Grant' last='Bender'] (18.1), an efficient scorer who can control the painted area and create shots for himself and others. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2511490' first='Seth' last='Ours'] (11.6, 39.3 3P%) is a good shooter who can stretch the floor for Bender. Regina has played the second most difficult schedule in 1A, according to BC Moore's power rankings system, playing just three games against 1A competition this season. The Regals won't be intimidated by anyone and in Drew Streb (13.7, 7.4 rebounds) and John Devery (7.6, 8.1 rebounds), they have a pair of physical forwards who can be overpowering in the paint. [player_tooltip player_id='2325496' first='Michael' last='Martin'] (12.1) is a solid perimeter scoring threat, and Eddie Petersen (9.4) and Coleton Daniel (5.0) are solid options as well. Regina can control the glass against any team in this district.   Players to watch 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376719' first='Klayton' last='Van Dyke'], Lynnville-Sully 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2377418' first='Mitchell' last='Miller'], Lynnville-Sully 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1240095' first='Conner' last='Maston'], Lynnville-Sully 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167730' first='Preston' last='Rodibaugh'], Lynnville-Sully 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171666' first='Corder' last='Noun Harder'], Lynnville-Sully 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167743' first='Nash' last='Smith'], North Mahaska 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367407' first='Lane' last='Harmon'], North Mahaska 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2221633' first='Nolan' last='Andersen'], North Mahaska 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167746' first='Braden' last='Steel'], North Mahaska 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367447' first='Grant' last='Bender'], Hillcrest Academy 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2511490' first='Seth' last='Ours'], Hillcrest Academy 2024 Drew Streb, Regina 2024 John Devery, Regina 2023 Luke Long, Pekin     SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION   Gladbrook-Reinbeck vs. North Mahaska   We're taking North Mahaska to get some revenge on Lynnville-Sully in the district final of District 12, setting up this matchup against Kiburis and the Rebels. At the end of the day, [player_tooltip player_id='1167671' first='William' last='Kiburis'] is just way too much for the Warhawks to overcome, and Gladbrook-Reinbeck gets the monkey off their proverbial backs, getting back to the state tournament, where they'll be considered a team capable of knocking off co-favorites Grand View Christian and North Linn.