Substate Preview: 2A-7
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District 13 The favorite: A talented senior class at AHSTW has accomplished a ton throughout the last four years, but there is one notable bullet-point missing from their resumes – a state tournament appearance. That may change this year. Brayden…
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Continue ReadingDistrict 13
The favorite: A talented senior class at AHSTW has accomplished a ton throughout the last four years, but there is one notable bullet-point missing from their resumes – a state tournament appearance. That may change this year. Brayden Lund Brayden Lund 6'4" | SF AHSTW | 2023 State IA (18.8, 53.2 FG%), Kyle Sternberg Kyle Sternberg 6'4" | SG AHSTW | 2023 State IA (15.8, 7.8 rebounds), and Cole Scheffler Cole Scheffler 5'8" | PG AHSTW | 2023 State IA (6.4, 40.5 3P%) have been varsity mainstays for four years and have won a ton of games together. Lund is a versatile 6-4 forward who can score inside and out. Sternberg is a long 6-3 wing who can put the ball on the floor, defend multiple positions, and create shots for his teammates, and Scheffler is a quick point guard who sees the floor well and knocks down open shots. The Vikings have been building for this moment for years now, and outside of an upset loss to Underwood (and an expected loss to Grand View Christian), they’ve been outstanding this season.
The biggest threat: Van Meter received a boost in the second half of the season when Skyler Yazzie Skyler Yazzie 6'4" | SF Waukee | 2023 State IA (11.3, 38.6 3P%) transferred back to Van Meter from Waukee. An athletic wing who can get to the bucket or knock down shots, he has provided a needed offensive boost for the Bulldogs. Aydn Netten Aydn Netten 6'3" | SF Van Meter | 2023 State IA (10.5) is another long, athletic wing who can attack the rim, and Carter Durflinger (10.0) is a solid on-ball defender. The Bulldogs have always been strong defensively, and that holds true again this year, allowing 48.8 points a game, using their deep rotation of athletes to put constant pressure on opposing ball-handlers. The depth of Van Meter is something that could give them an edge over AHSTW in the district final, particularly if there is a tight whistle.
The dark horse: A trio of double-figure scorers pace a potent Nodaway Valley attack that could make some noise if one or two of them get hot at the right time. Boston Devault Boston Devault 5'10" | SG Nodaway Valley | 2023 State IA (19.8, 4.8 assists), Dawson Nelson (18.0, 3.2 assists), and Avery Phillippi (12.2) are each capable perimeter shooting threats who can create shots for themselves and others. The Wolverines share the ball well (17 assists a game) and have a bevy of explosive scoring threats.
Players to watch
2023
Brayden Lund
Brayden
Lund
6'4" | SF
AHSTW | 2023
State
IA
, AHSTW
2023
Kyle Sternberg
Kyle
Sternberg
6'4" | SG
AHSTW | 2023
State
IA
, AHSTW
2023
Cole Scheffler
Cole
Scheffler
5'8" | PG
AHSTW | 2023
State
IA
, AHSTW
2023
Skyler Yazzie
Skyler
Yazzie
6'4" | SF
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
, Van Meter
2023
Aydn Netten
Aydn
Netten
6'3" | SF
Van Meter | 2023
State
IA
, Van Meter
2023 Carter Durflinger, Van Meter
2023
Boston Devault
Boston
Devault
5'10" | SG
Nodaway Valley | 2023
State
IA
, Nodaway Valley
2024 Dawson Nelson, Nodaway Valley
2023 Avery Phillippi, Nodaway Valley
2024
Maddox Hammerstrom
Maddox
Hammerstrom
6'0" | CG
Panorama | 2024
State
IA
, Panorama
2024
Landon Osberg
Landon
Osberg
5'11" | SG
West Central Valley | 2024
State
IA
, West Central Valley
District 14
The favorite: Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont has a high-powered offensive attack, averaging 70.6 points a game behind the strength of junior wing Brooks Moore Brooks Moore 6'5" | SF Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2024 State IA (22.0, 9.2 rebounds) and senior guard Carsen Wade Carsen Wade 6'5" | SF Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2023 State IA (14.3, 41.9 3P%). A deep team that has five other players averaging between 5.2 and 8.7 points a game, the Rockets love to play a fast-paced, up-tempo game where they get out and run, attack the bucket, and crash the offensive glass hard (14.4 offensive rebounds a game). Moore is a difficult matchup at 6-5/6-6, an athletic wing who can finish above the rim with authority, and the depth of EBF could be a major benefit for them in this district.
The biggest threat: Des Moines Christian is always tough to beat in the postseason because of the ridiculously tough defense they play on an annual basis. The Lions are allowing just 44.2 points a game, 2nd in the class, and have a balanced offensive attack with four players averaging in double-figures. An athletic, physical team that is extremely disciplined and well-coached on the defensive end of the floor, there are rarely cracks in the defense, and they aren’t going to beat themselves. Junior guard Landon Craven Landon Craven 6'1" | SG Des Moines Christian | 2024 State IA (16.1) is the team’s top scorers, while Tate Platte Tate Platte 6'0" | SF Des Moines Christian | 2024 State IA (12.4), Seaton Ingram Seaton Ingram 6'5" | SF Des Moines Christian | 2025 State IA (11.5), and Carsen Theis Carsen Theis 6'1" | SG Des Moines Christian | 2023 State IA (10.4) are other reliable scoring options. They pound the offensive glass (12.7 a game) which helps offset poor perimeter shooting. They use their physicality to control the game on both ends of the floor and are used to playing at a slower tempo. If they’re able to dictate the pace, they can certainly knock off EBF and reach the substate final.
The dark horse: Central Decatur has put together an impressive regular season, racking up 17 wins, but they’ve also played the weakest schedule in 2A, according to BC Moore. The Cardinals are deep, with eight players averaging at least 4.9 points a game, led by senior forward Jack Scrivner Jack Scrivner 6'2" | PF Central Decatur | 2023 State IA (14.8, 9.5 rebounds), and they share the ball well (19.2 assists a game). It will be interesting to see what happens when they take a step up in competition, but this is a group that is used to winning games and there is something to be said for that.
Players to watch
2024
Brooks Moore
Brooks
Moore
6'5" | SF
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2024
State
IA
, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
2023
Carsen Wade
Carsen
Wade
6'5" | SF
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2023
State
IA
, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
2024
Landon Craven
Landon
Craven
6'1" | SG
Des Moines Christian | 2024
State
IA
, Des Moines Christian
2024
Tate Platte
Tate
Platte
6'0" | SF
Des Moines Christian | 2024
State
IA
, Des Moines Christian
2023
Jack Scrivner
Jack
Scrivner
6'2" | PF
Central Decatur | 2023
State
IA
, Central Decatur
2023 Brody Tuttle, Centerville
2024
Mason Smith
Mason
Smith
5'7" | PG
Chariton | 2024
State
IA
, Chariton
2023 Justin Matheney, Davis County
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
AHSTW vs. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
Party time in the communities of Avoca, Hancock, Shelby, Tennant, and Walnut! That talented senior class that has been building for this moment comes through and gets AHSTW to the state tournament for the first time in school history, using their length to suffocate EBF’s high-powered offensive attack and getting just enough from Lund, Sternberg, and Scheffler to make some history.