Class 3A State Tournament Preview

#1 seed: Bondurant-Farrar (23-0)
About the Bluejays: In a class that has been topsy-turvy all year (no other state-qualifying team has fewer than five losses), Bondurant-Farrar has stood out above the rest. The Bluejays have been excellent on both ends of the floor, winning games by an average of 16.6 points a game, and they’ve really taken off during the last 10 games, winning those contests by an average of 24 points. The senior wing tandem of Colby Collison Colby Collison 6'4" | SF Bondurant-Farrar | 2023 State IA (19.9, 6.6 rebounds) and Jaxson Fried Jaxson Fried 6'6" | SF Bondurant- Farrar | 2023 State IA (16.5, 6.5 rebounds) have been dominant as big three-level scorers. Collison is posting 54-36-77 splits, and Fried is 53-38-74, and with their size and length, they’re difficult matchups for opposing teams. Reed Pfaltzgraff Reed Pfaltzgraff 6'4" Bondurant Farrar | 2024 IA (12.0, 4.8 assists) is another big guard at 6-3 with the size to see over defenders as well as shoot from deep (40.3 3P%), and Everett White (10.1, 6.7 rebounds) has been strong in the paint. The Jays don’t have traditional size, but they’re long and talented, with four players who can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim or kick out to open shooters on the floor at any given time. Their length also makes things difficult for teams defensively.

Why they can win it all: The Jays have been far-and-away the most dominant and consistent team in the class this season, controlling games on both ends of the floor with their length and talent. In Collison and Fried, they have a pair of go-to scoring threats who can knock down shots or get to the bucket, and they have a quartet of viable scoring threats who can all handle, shoot, and create for others.

#2 seed: Xavier (18-6)
About the Saints: The Saints got off to a stellar 9-0 start before dropping five out of seven games, but those five losses came by a combined 13 points, so this team was really close to putting together a special regular season. Senior wing Aidan Yamilkoski Aidan Yamilkoski 6'4" | SG Xavier | 2023 State IA (17.9) and junior point guard Joseph Bean Joseph Bean 6'3" | PG Kennedy | 2024 State IA (14.4, 3.8 assists) are a pair of versatile scorers who are capable of taking over games as both scorers and playmakers. Josef Lemker Josef Lemker 6'2" | SG Xavier | 2023 State IA (11.8, 45.6 3P%) is a knockdown shooter who pairs well with that tandem, getting a ton of open looks off of the attention that needs to be paid to them. Tyler Netolicky Tyler Netolicky 6'8" | C Xavier | 2024 State IA (8.3, 6.8 rebounds) isn’t a big-time shot blocker, but at 6-8, his presence in the paint helps them out defensively and on the glass. This is a team that shoots it as well from deep as any in the class, and they have a pair of dynamic scorers.

Why they can win it all: Yamilkoski and Bean are arguably the best duo in the field, and they’re able to put a good amount of shooting next to them. This is a team that was really close to putting together a 20-win regular season against a strong MVC schedule, and they’re not going to be intimidated by anyone they run into here.

#3 seed: Marion (19-5)
About the Wolves: Brayson Laube Brayson Laube 6'2" | PG Marion | 2023 State IA (22.5, 41.6 3P%) is one of the most dynamic scorers in the state, regardless of class. A shifty 6-2 guard who shoots it off the dribble as well as anyone, he’s a high-level ball-handler and shot creator who knows how to get to his spots and is capable of dropping 35+ points on any given night. His ability to absolutely take over a game makes Marion as dangerous as anyone. They’re able to put a number of talented athletes alongside Laube in Alex Mota Alex Mota 6'1" | SG Marion | 2023 State IA (10.2, 5.2 rebounds), a future Iowa football player; Myles Davis Myles Davis 6'1" | SG Marion | 2024 State IA (6.4, 36.9 3P%), a future Iowa baseball player; and Calen Claypool (9.8, 6.0 rebounds), a bouncy forward who has really come on strong during his senior season. Jordan Fischer (3.7, 3.4 assists) isn’t much of a scorer, but he handles it well and puts others in positions to score, and Payton Hodges Payton Hodges 6'1" | SG Marion | 2024 State IA (6.1) is an athletic, slashing scorer off the bench. They’ve been playing really well since the holiday break, going 13-3 since the hiatus.

Why they can win it all: Laube is one of the two most dynamic players in the field, and this is a group that gained a lot of valuable experience last season in their quarterfinal overtime loss to Winterset, then brought back a ton of production from that group. They’re athletic, quick, and talented, and they have a superstar on their side.

#4 seed: Newton (17-6)
About the Cardinals: The Cardinals have been really good defensively this season, allowing 49.6 points a game. The continued development of senior big man Cole Plowman Cole Plowman 6'4" | PF Newton | 2023 State IA (14.8, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks) has been a huge part of that defensive effort. A 6-5 shot blocker with great timing and length, his ability to protect the rim allows the Cardinals quick guards to play aggressively on the defensive end, knowing they have an eraser behind them. Plowman has also emerged as a solid scorer around the bucket, with good touch and soft hands, and he can occasionally step out and knock down shots from behind the arc. Jake Ingle Jake Ingle 5'7" | PG Newton | 2023 State IA (10.6, 4.3 assists) is tiny, listed at 5-7, but is one of the most competitive guards in the state. He won’t back down from anyone and has really mastered his footwork to allow himself to create some additional space to get his shot off. Brody Bauer Brody Bauer 6'2" | SG Newton | 2023 State IA (13.0, 37.0 3P%) is a knockdown shooter with a quick release who moves well without the ball in his hands. The Cards are trying to become the fifth different Little Hawkeye Conference school to win the 3A title in the last five years.

Why they can win it all: They’ve been really good defensively all year and have a few guards in Ingle and Bauer who can knock down shots and operate late in the shot clock without panicking. Playing in the LHC, they’ve seen a number of different styles and will be ready for whatever is thrown at them.

#5 seed: North Polk (19-5)
About the Comets: This has been the best defensive team in the 3A field all year, allowing just 48.3 points a game, using their blend of length, athleticism, and discipline on that end of the floor to suffocate teams. Only seven teams have scored more than 49 points against them this season, and in a venue where teams can struggle to shoot from the perimeter, that could be a major advantage for North Polk. They can struggle at times to score, averaging just 57.2 points a game, led by a pair of double-figure scorers in junior Regie Postel (12.4) and senior Jackson Nemmers Jackson Nemmers 6'2" | SG North Polk | 2023 State IA (11.2). They’re comfortable playing at a slower tempo, which is the tempo that state tournament games tend to take on, and with their defense they’ll be dangerous.

Why they can win it all: What’s that old saying? Defense wins championships? No team in the 3A field has played better defense this season than the Comets.

#6 seed: Heelan (18-6)
About the Crusaders: Heelan has been a bit inconsistent this season, with a perplexing loss to LeMars on their resume (they also struggled with LeMars, a 4-17 team, in their quarterfinal substate game). But when they’re playing well, they’re capable of beating just about anyone in the class. Junior wing Matthew Noll Matthew Noll 6'7" | PF Bishop Heelan | 2024 State IA (18.0, 8.0 rebounds) is a possible Division I player on the wing. He’s a long, athletic 6-7 scorer who is at his best when he’s attacking the rim, but he’s a capable shooting threat who also moves well without the ball in his hands. Carter Kuehl Carter Kuehl 5'11" | PG Bishop Heelan | 2023 State IA (13.9, 40.6 3P%), Sam Skinner Sam Skinner 5'9" | SG Heelan | 2023 State IA (8.4, 37.3 3P%), and Beau Chamberlain Beau Chamberlain 6'2" | SG Bishop Heelan | 2024 State IA (5.8, 38.6 3P%) are each capable shooters to put alongside the dynamic Noll. Six players average at least 5.8 points a game, giving them a number of offensive options.

Why they can win it all: Noll is one of the best players in the field, a lanky wing that teams will struggle to match up with. If the role players are knocking down shots alongside him, they can certainly go on a run.

#7 seed: Hoover (15-9)
About the Huskies: Hoover is down in 3A for the first time this season, and they came into the year as our #1 ranked team in the class. They didn’t play against any 3A schools until postseason play started, then rolled through the competition, winning their three postseason games by an average of 24 points a game. Senior point guard Chase Henderson Chase Henderson 6'0" | PG Hoover | 2023 State IA (21.7, 5.0 assists) is one of the best players in the state. He’s a quick guard who can get to the rim seemingly whenever he wants, and with his speed, he’s going to be extremely difficult for anyone in this field to slow down. He’s a tremendous ball-handler who sees the floor at a high level, and his speed is a major asset on the defensive end as well, as he flies all over the place causing chaos. He’s headed to play his college ball at Montana. Elijah Vos Elijah Vos 6'4" | SF Hoover | 2023 State IA (13.5, 40.1 3P%) is a big combo forward who can take smaller defenders onto the block and score, or stretch the floor, and he has really improved as a ball-handler and shot creator over the last few years. The Huskies are always a good defensive team, coach Courtney Henderson demands it, and their athleticism and overall team speed is probably the the best of any team in the field.

Why they can win it all: Henderson has the ability to dominate games on both ends of the floor, and this is a group that has played against only 4A schools all year long, so they’ll be ready for anything that is thrown at them. If the role players are playing well, Henderson and Vos are good enough to carry this team to three wins and a state title.

#8 seed: Algona (17-7)
About the Bulldogs: Algona has won eight straight games heading into the tournament, going from 9-7 to a state tournament berth behind a high-powered offensive attack that is averaging 69.5 points a game. Sophomore guard Ben Helmers Ben Helmers 6'4" | PG Algona | 2025 State IA (18.1, 37.6 3P%) is a talented three-level scorer and versatile defender (2.1 steals, 1.3 blocks) with good size at 6-4. He has played at a high level during his first two high school seasons, as well as with Martin Brothers, and he’s a go-to player who wants the ball in his hands. Caden Weber (12.7) is a quality scoring threat, and the tandem of Alex Manske Alex Manske 6'3" | SG Algona | 2025 State IA (11.7, 9.8 rebounds) and Simon Feucht Simon Feucht 6'6" | PF Algona | 2023 State IA (10.3, 40.0 3P%) provide some size and ability to stretch the floor. Junior guard Landon Welp Landon Welp 5'11" Algona | 2024 IA (4.7, 5.3 assists) isn’t much of a scoring threat, but he’s a calming presence in the backcourt who protects the ball and gets his high-scoring teammates involved.

Why they can win it all: They enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the class, and in Helmers, they have a go-to perimeter scoring threat who can take over games and carry them for significant stretches.

Staff Picks

Tony

Quarterfinals: Bondurant-Farrar, Newton, Hoover, Marion

Semifinals: Bondurant-Farrar, Hoover

Champions: Hoover