Tuesday Games to Watch

2A #7 Monticello (5-0) at Cascade (3-0)   The River Valley Conference's North Division is loaded this year, with these two teams, Maquoketa, Bellevue, and Beckman Catholic all off to strong starts in league play, which makes this meeting even more important than it usually is for these rivals separated by about 13 miles. This series has been streaky of late, with Monticello winning the last 11 meetings after Cascade had run off six in a row. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1171677' first='Preston' last='Ries'] (27.4, 10.8 rebounds) has been dominant through the first five games for Monticello, ranking among the state's leaders in scoring and rebounding, and doing so at a highly efficient clip. He averaged 28.5 points in the season sweep of Cascade last season, and the Cougars will need to find a way to slow him down if they want to pull off the upset. Alongside Ries, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1765541' first='Conley' last='Schauf'] (14.4) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1759903' first='Carson' last='Lambert'] (13.6), a pair of long, skilled wings, have emerged as reliable scoring threats, while the backcourt trio of [player_tooltip player_id='1951823' first='Jack' last='Lambert'] (8.4, 2.6 assists), [player_tooltip player_id='1765519' first='Brady' last='Gogel'] (5.4, 5.6 assists), and [player_tooltip player_id='1476965' first='Peyton' last='Schilling'] (3.8, 4.2 assists) give them a lot of strong ball-handlers.   Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1587383' first='Jackson' last='Lieurance'] (20.0) paces the Cougars attack, a group that is averaging nearly 71 points a game, embracing a more up-tempo style than they've played in previous years. Lieurance is a dynamic three-level scorer who can get scorching hot and carry this team offensively, and he's improved with the ball in his hands. [player_tooltip player_id='1978108' first='Mick' last='Hoffman'] (16.3, 61.5 3P%) has been scorching hot to start the year, and [player_tooltip player_id='1405102' first='Nathan' last='Schockemoehl'] (12.3, 8.7 rebounds) offers some additional scoring and leads the team in rebounding.   4A #4 Cedar Falls (2-0) at 4A #1 Kennedy (2-0)   The new #1 team in the state gets a stiff test in their first game in the top spot, with perennial power Cedar Falls coming to town in a tremendous cross-divisional game in the MVC. Kennedy has absolutely blasted their first two opponents, winning those games by an average of 56.5 points a game, but the competition gets much tougher here. Ten different Cougars are averaging at least 5.5 points a game so far, and that doesn't even include one of their top returnees, [player_tooltip player_id='1171687' first='Cyrus' last='Courtney'], who is averaging just two points in very limited minutes so far. [player_tooltip player_id='1171667' first='Joseph' last='Bean'] (10.5) has fit in nicely with this group following his transfer from Xavier, sharing ball-handling duties with [player_tooltip player_id='1381415' first='Trey' last='McKowen'] (12.0), while two other transfers - [player_tooltip player_id='1288858' first='Marty' last='Blakey'] (6.5) and [player_tooltip player_id='1288854' first='Rashad' last='Gatewood'] (8.5) have added more athleticism on the perimeter. [player_tooltip player_id='1171679' first='Micah' last='Schlaak'] (10.5) is a matchup problem at 6-7 with his ability to score inside and out, and this is a team that will be able to constantly apply pressure given their tremendous depth.   Cedar Falls is off to a strong start to the season as well, winning their first two games by an average of 28.5 points, despite not having standouts [player_tooltip player_id='1199979' first='Anthony' last='Galvin'] (21.0) and [player_tooltip player_id='1171693' first='Cade' last='Courbat'] (6.0) in their opener, with both nursing injuries. They returned for their win over Waterloo West on Friday night, so both teams should be at full strength. Galvin is one of the best guards in the state in the 2025 class, a gifted scorer and playmaker who can take over games in a hurry. [player_tooltip player_id='1376677' first='Jake' last='Peters'] (12.5) and [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] (8.0) pair with Courbat to give the Tigers some size, and they've gotten strong production out of Logan Wroe (12.0), [player_tooltip player_id='1759953' first='Keegan' last='Steege'] (5.5), [player_tooltip player_id='1381423' first='Jordan' last='Townsend'] (5.0), [player_tooltip player_id='1440273' first='Aiden' last='Heth'] (4.0), [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'] (2.5), and [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] (4.5) early on. Like Kennedy, this is a team that is going to be able to go pretty deep into their bench, and you can expect this one to be pretty fast paced.   2A #4 Central Lyon (3-1) at 2A #6 West Lyon (5-0)   These two Lyon County teams have developed a really nice rivalry over the last several years, with both schools being good at darn near every sport in that type frame. These teams split the season series last year, with West Lyon handed Central Lyon their only loss last season, a 56-55 setback that probably helped spur the Lions to their 2A state title. Despite losing a ton of production to graduation, Central Lyon has gotten off to a really nice 3-1 start, with their lone loss coming to an MOC-Floyd Valley team that is ranked in 3A. The Lions are led by future Iowa football player [player_tooltip player_id='1751110' first='Reece' last='Vander Zee'] (28.0, 10.0 rebounds), an athletic combo forward who can take over games in the blink of an eye. The other returning starter for the Lions, [player_tooltip player_id='1426697' first='Ephraim' last='Hoefert'] (19.0, 50.0 3P%), has emerged as a reliable second scorer this year, pairing his long frame (6-8) with elite shooting touch from deep. An athletic group, they have gotten solid production out of a bunch of players stepping into bigger roles so far this season, but this one will be determined by how Vander Zee and Hoefert play.   West Lyon enters this one unbeaten, including a 19-point win over the same MOC-Floyd Valley team that beat Central Lyon last week. Unlike the Lions, the Wildcats are a very balanced team, with seven players averaging between 6.6 and 11.6 points a game, making them a tricky team to prepare for. They're led by their backcourt of junior [player_tooltip player_id='1759936' first='Carson' last='Hoogeveen'] (11.6, 4.6 assists) and senior [player_tooltip player_id='2325556' first='Trevor' last='Ciesielski'] (10.2, 2.2 assists), but they have a number of athletic weapons who can score and create plays off the dribble. They've been really good sharing the ball (16.2 assists a game), and they use their athleticism to their advantage on the defensive end, flying all over the place, averaging 18 steals a game. Look for them to play aggressively on the defensive end against some Central Lyon guards that don't have very much varsity experience yet.   Van Meter (3-1) at 1A #3 Madrid (5-0)   Madrid hasn't beaten Van Meter since February 8, 2011, a run of 19 straight Bulldog wins in the series. Is this the year the streak ends? The Tigers have three dynamic scorers in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1174816' first='Toryn' last='Severson'] (23.4, 51.9 FG%), [player_tooltip player_id='2398087' first='Fabian' last='Ortiz-Alaniz'] (20.4, 6.8 assists, 53.8 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='2397210' first='Brody' last='Buck'] (18.2, 52.0 3P%) who will be difficult for anyone to slow down. Severson is one of the best all-around 2025s in the state, a skilled two-way wing who can take over games as a scorer, playmaker, rebounder, and defender, while Ortiz-Alaniz and Buck are dynamic shooting threats who can get scorching hot and burn teams from deep in a hurry. The Tigers have made 46 3-pointers in their first five games and are shooting it at a 47.4% clip from the arc this season.   Van Meter is led by a physical tandem in [player_tooltip player_id='2325537' first='John' last='Braun'] (18.3) and [player_tooltip player_id='2325542' first='Cael' last='Trudo'] (15.0, 9.5 rebounds), a pair of experienced seniors who will look to punish a Madrid team that is a bit undersized. Braun does a huge amount of his damage inside the arc, using his physical frame to bully his way to the rim, and Trudo is a power wing who loves to attack and play downhill. [player_tooltip player_id='2398079' first='Caleb' last='Moore'] (11.0, 4.3 assists) is a talented lea guard who gets his teammates involved, and the 'Dogs are always a pretty deep group. So this one will be finesse vs. physicality, with early control of the West Central Activities Conference on the line.   Clarke (4-1) at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (4-1)   Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont has won five straight, and 12 of the last 13 meetings, in this series, including a sweep last season, winning games by 7 and 15 points. The Rockets have a really nice blend of perimeter talent and size, with athletic wing [player_tooltip player_id='1171680' first='Brooks' last='Moore'] (20.0, 8.2 rebounds) headlining the group. Moore, an agile 6-6 wing, is a terror in transition who loves to play downhill and get to he rim. Fellow senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1751224' first='Karic' last='Stout'] (14.0, 3.0 blocks) provides additional size and rim protection in the paint, allowing the Rockets' guards to play aggressively on the perimeter, knowing they have an eraser behind them. Landon Glosser (13.0, 4.6 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='1476979' first='Jesse' last='Cornelison'] (9.8, 3.8 assists) are both reliable playmakers in the backcourt who pace the offensive attack.   Clarke counters with an explosive wing scorer of their own in senior [player_tooltip player_id='1171696' first='Jack' last='Cooley'] (23.3, 13.0 rebounds), a stat-sheet stuffing wing who can take over games as a scorer, playmaker, or defender. Three other Indians are averaging in double figures - Ashton Giza (12.3), [player_tooltip player_id='1376707' first='Bo' last='Otto'] (12.0), and Brock Watson (11.3), giving them additional scoring threats alongside Cooley. They also get great production in the paint out of senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1324979' first='Cole' last='White'] (9.3, 1.8 blocks), a strong interior rim protector who, like Stout, makes scoring around the rim difficult for opposing players. EBF did a tremendous job against Cooley last year in their two meetings, holding him to 2 points on 1-8 shooting in a 62-55 win, and 12 points on 5-18 shooting in a 79-64 win. Clarke will need to get more out of Cooley if they want to beat the Rockets and grab control of the South Central Conference.   Other notable games Sioux City East (3-1) at Council Bluffs Jefferson (5-0) Grand View Christian (1-1) at Cedar Rapids Washington (3-1) 3A #7 Solon (2-0) at Clear Creek Amana (2-2) Humboldt (2-1) at Algona (2-1) North Polk (2-2) at 3A #6 ADM (3-1) Holy Trinity Catholic (3-2) at Notre Dame (3-1) Regina (3-2) at West Branch (3-1) 3A #5 Carroll (4-0) at Winterset (3-2) Roosevelt (3-1) at Ames (2-2) 4A #5 Centennial (3-1) at Johnston (3-2) Norwalk (3-1) at Lewis Central (2-1) Davenport West (2-1) at Pleasant Valley (1-1)

2A #7 Monticello (5-0) at Cascade (3-0)