Substate Preview: 2A-5

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/2A-9.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/2A-9.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1785888" /></a></figure>   District 9   The favorite: The high-flying Falcons of Aplington-Parkersburg earned the district's top seed, and for good reason. They've been largely dominant this season, winning games by an average of 25.7 points a game behind an offense that ranks 3rd in the class, putting up 77.3 points a night. They have a fantastic backcourt led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1167691' first='Garrett' last='Hempen'] (21.6, 48.4 3P%), a bulldog of a guard who doesn't back down from anyone, gets to the rim routinely, finishes through contact, and is a knockdown shooter. [player_tooltip player_id='1171686' first='Gavin' last='Thomas'] (16.2, 46.3 3P%) is similar to Hempen, only a year younger, and senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1167721' first='Martez' last='Wiggley'] (12.9, 7.6 rebounds) has given the Falcons some needed size and strength in the painted area. A team that can comfortably go eight or nine deep, and that has a tandem of scorers as dynamic as Hempen and Thomas are, will be difficult to beat. The Falcons have swept Jesup, the district's #2 seed, by 30 and 28 points.   The biggest threat: Despite being the #3 seed in the district, we think Cascade is the biggest threat to the Falcons here. They have a dominant interior scoring big man in [player_tooltip player_id='1367395' first='Cole' last='McDermott'] (14.1, 8.0 rebounds), a 6-6 forward with great hands, soft touch, and fantastic footwork. They have a dynamic wing scorer in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1587383' first='Jackson' last='Lieurance'] (19.1, 42.5 3P%), an athletic wing who attacks the rim and knocks down shots both off the dribble and the catch. And they play a tough 2-3 zone that can be difficult for teams to crack when they're seeing it for the first time. This is a team that is not only built to beat Jesup in the semifinals, they're capable of giving A-P a scare in the district final.   The dark horse: As we mentioned, Jesup has lost to A-P twice already this year by a combined 58 points, but they would love to get a third crack at the Falcons. In junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1153046' first='Jack' last='Miller'] (25.8), the J-Hawks have the type of dynamic scoring threat who can get hot and carry his team. Miller dropped 50 points in a game last week, and he'd have to be scorching for Jesup to beat the Falcons in the district final, but he's certainly capable of doing so.   Players to watch 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167691' first='Garrett' last='Hempen'], Aplington-Parkersburg 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171686' first='Gavin' last='Thomas'], Aplington-Parkersburg 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167721' first='Martez' last='Wiggley'], Aplington-Parkersburg 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1587383' first='Jackson' last='Lieurance'], Cascade 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1367395' first='Cole' last='McDermott'], Cascade 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1153046' first='Jack' last='Miller'], Jesup 2025 Ryan Treptow, Jesup 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171662' first='Holden' last='Arnaman'], West Branch 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476994' first='Reese' last='Trepanier'], West Branch 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1240074' first='Nolan' last='DeLong'], Durant 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1469826' first='Garrett' last='Hollenback'], Durant   <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/2A-10.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/2A-10.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1785889" /></a></figure>   District 10   The favorite: Alburnett probably has to be considered the favorite in this district, given the fact that they earned the #1 seed and will have an easier second round game. But the Pirates weren't done any favors with their #2 seed here. This group has been dominant on the defensive end this season, allowing just 41.0 points a game, best in 2A. And the offense hasn't been too shabby either, putting up 68.8 points a night behind a trio of double-figure scorers in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1751109' first='Braydon' last='Osborn'] (16.3, 39.2 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1751108' first='Jordan' last='Caton'] (13.7, 41.5 3P%), and senior [player_tooltip player_id='1469785' first='Tytan' last='Bowers'] (11.5, 2.2 blocks). Osborn is an athletic wing scorer who can get to the bucket or knock down shots off the catch. Caton is a small but quick guard who can blow by defenders and is fantastic shooting it off the dribble, and Bowers is one of the most improved players in the state, a mobile 6-8 big man who protects the rim at a high level. Alburnett goes deep into their bench comfortably, and they all play excellent defense. It won't be a cakewalk getting through this district, but given what they've done this year, they'll be ready.   The biggest threat: Monticello came into the season as our top-ranked team in 2A, so we're certainly believers in this group. The Panthers have had a bit of an up-and-down season, including an injury to star guard [player_tooltip player_id='956879' first='Tate' last='Petersen'] (18.1, 5.5 assists) that sidelined him for a handful of games, and hampered him in a handful more upon his return. But if his last three games are any indication, he's back to feeling good and playing like the All-State caliber guard that he is. In the Panthers' last three regular season games, Petersen has averaged 25.7 points on 55-50-95 shooting splits, much more representative of who he is as a player, and why Monticello is still incredibly dangerous. Oh, and let's not forget that junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'] (24.3, 10.4 rebounds), another All-State player, is having a remarkable season as well. The Petersen-Ries tandem is nearly impossible to slow down, and now that Petersen is back to playing at the level we're accustomed to seeing from him, this is a team nobody will want to see.   The dark horse: In twin towers [player_tooltip player_id='1476991' first='Damarion' last='Honaker'] (16.7, 8.1 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='1167714' first='Zane' last='Witt'] (16.7, 3.0 blocks), Camanche has the type of size that makes them a dangerous group. Both are 6-7, athletic forwards who finish at an extremely high level around the bucket (Honaker is shooting 70.1%, Witt 69.9). The Storm need to get some more consistent production out of their backcourt if they want to make a run here, but this is a team that holds good wins over Beckman Catholic, Cascade, and Maquoketa, so they can't be taken lightly.   Players to watch 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751109' first='Braydon' last='Osborn'], Alburnett 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751108' first='Jordan' last='Caton'], Alburnett 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1469785' first='Tytan' last='Bowers'], Alburnett 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='956879' first='Tate' last='Petersen'], Monticello 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'], Monticello 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476991' first='Damarion' last='Honaker'], Camanche 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1167714' first='Zane' last='Witt'], Camanche 2024 Preston Daedlow, Tipton 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759938' first='Gavin' last='Kramer'], Northeast 2024 Clayton Meyermann, Northeast     SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION   Aplington-Parkersburg vs. Monticello   I entered the year higher on Monticello than most, and I'm probably still higher on Monticello than most around the state. I have the Panthers beating Alburnett in a good district final behind a big Petersen game. And in almost any other substate, I would probably be picking the Panthers to advance to the state tournament. But I don't like this matchup for them. Aplington-Parkersburg's flurry of talented guards, and Wiggley's athleticism and strength inside, prove to be a little bit too much for Monticello, and the Falcons advance to Des Moines in a fantastic substate final.