Friday Games to Watch

4A #8 Centennial (12-4) at Ankeny (10-6)   Centennial won the first meeting between these teams, 64-52, back on December 19 behind 30 points from star senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1288923' first='Luke' last='Winkel'] (21.5, 4.7 assists). Winkel has been fantastic this season, posting 49-41-75 shooting splits and he has been a dynamic two-way weapon for the Jaguars, dominating games on both ends of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='1751094' first='Nick' last='Vaske'] (9.7) gives them some additional perimeter scoring, and [player_tooltip player_id='1173129' first='Chase' last='Schutty'] (9.2, 9.6 rebounds) has been a force in the paint on both ends of the floor while also showing some ability to step out and stretch the floor.   In that first meeting, Centennial limited Ankeny star guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171660' first='Carson' last='Johnson'] (22.6) to 15 points on 6-14 shooting, which is something that few teams have been able to do to Johnson this season. Another hyper-efficient scoring guard, Johnson is posting 50-45-89 shooting splits this season and has enjoyed a healthy, breakout senior season. [player_tooltip player_id='1977422' first='Rio' last='Aguirre'] (13.2, 40.6 3P%), a skilled sophomore off-ball guard, has emerged as a high-level shooting threat, and older brother [player_tooltip player_id='1171676' first='Lio' last='Aguirre'] (12.5) is a tough, slashing wing who uses his physicality to get to the rim. The Hawks will need to find a way to get Johnson free for more looks if they want to get some revenge for the early-season loss across town.   Heelan (11-5) at Council Bluffs Jefferson (14-3)   In the QuikStats/Bound era, Jefferson has never beaten Heelan. That's (at least) 33 straight wins in the series for the Crusaders, but there is a real chance that that streak ends on Friday night. CBTJ has been one of the most surprising teams in the state this season, already clinching their first winning season since going 13-11 in the 2009-10 season. Their 14 wins are more than they had in the previous four years combined (10). They're a veteran team, led by five seniors. [player_tooltip player_id='1376681' first='Jayden' last='Calabro'] (20.1, 3.4 assists), who transferred from Council Bluffs Lincoln, leads the team in scoring and assists, and has given them a strong contributor in the backcourt on both ends of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='1938205' first='Jordan' last='Dewaele'] (16.9, 7.7 rebounds), Devin Davis-Conti (11.9, 2.8 assists), Jaden Dewaele (9.9, 6.8 rebounds), and Victor Atupra (6.1) are the other headliners of the group. [player_tooltip player_id='1938205' first='Jordan' last='Dewaele'] is an athletic forward who controls the glass on both ends of the floor and he's a good finisher around the rim. Heelan could have their hands full with him in the painted area on both ends of the floor.   That said, the Yellow Jackets will have their hands full with do-it-all forward [player_tooltip player_id='1171695' first='Matthew' last='Noll'] (22.9, 10.5 rebounds), who is making his case for Mr. Basketball with his fantastic play this season for the Crusaders. A walking double-double who is scoring in an extremely efficient manner, Noll has been dominant for Heelan. [player_tooltip player_id='2325373' first='Quinn' last='Olson'] (11.6, 3.9 assists) leads the team in assists and has done a solid job limiting turnovers, while [player_tooltip player_id='1288898' first='Beau' last='Chamberlain'] (7.7) and [player_tooltip player_id='2325363' first='Sean' last='Schaefer'] (6.9) are a pair of seniors who have given Heelan solid production on both ends.   Unity Christian (15-3) at 3A #9 MOC-Floyd Valley (14-3)   It has been an impressive first foray into the Siouxland Conference for Unity Christian, who just handed 2A's top-ranked West Lyon their first loss of the season, and a win here at MOC-FV would keep them alive in the league race following that upset win. This is a young team, with three juniors and two sophomores comprising their top five scorers, led by junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1874768' first='Braeden' last='Bosma'] (13.4) and sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2413578' first='Dylan' last='Bosma'] (11.9) and [player_tooltip player_id='2413600' first='Austin' last='Wieringa'] (10.5). This is a tough, physical team that has been great on the defensive end, allowing just 49.7 points a game, but they'll have their hands full with a Dutchmen team that can score in bunches.   Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1376686' first='Jesse' last='Van Kalsbeek'] (22.8, 10.3 rebounds, 55.0 FG%) leads the offensive charge for MOC-Floyd Valley, an efficient, tough guard who loves to play downhill and get to the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='2398061' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] (13.4) is the other big scorer for this group, while [player_tooltip player_id='1523401' first='Ahman' last='Langton'] (9.8, 2.2 steals) has given them some speed and athleticism on the perimeter. The Dutchmen won the first meeting this season, 62-49, behind 30 points from Van Kalsbeek, so look for the Knights to try throwing something different at MOC in this return trip in an effort to slow him down.   Pella (10-5) at 2A #7 Pella Christian (13-4)   The Showdown in Pelladise, Round 2. Pella Christian won the first meeting, 59-54, a little less than a month ago, outrebounding the Dutch 39-33 and winning despite shooting just 3-24 (12.5%) from behind the arc. Pella has won five straight since that loss (written before DCG result on Thursday night). They're led by sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2120763' first='Jack' last='McGuire'] (15.2, 7.8 rebounds), a long, lanky wing who has been really good as a sophomore. [player_tooltip player_id='1171672' first='Luke' last='Hardman'] (12.5, 40.0 3P%) is a knockdown shooter, and [player_tooltip player_id='2325476' first='Cameron' last='Rowe'] (10.3), [player_tooltip player_id='2398044' first='Brayden' last='Traetow'] (9.4), and [player_tooltip player_id='1171673' first='Romon' last='Hugan'] (8.2) have given them more scoring punch and leadership.   Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1423351' first='Tysen' last='Devries'] (13.5, 46.1 3P%, 3.4 assists) leads a really talented Eagles team that holds their own in the Little Hawkeye Conference every year despite being the smallest school in the league. Devries is a tough, scrappy guard who puts constant pressure on opposing teams on both ends of the floor with his speed and toughness, and he's the leader for a veteran team that is led in scoring by six seniors, making this a very experienced, tough, and versatile team. [player_tooltip player_id='1872424' first='Dane' last='Geetings'] (12.9, 36.1 3P%) has given them some additional perimeter shooting and playmaking, while [player_tooltip player_id='2377407' first='Isaiah' last='Breems'] (6.9) and [player_tooltip player_id='2325478' first='Josiah' last='Vos'] (8.6) are long, versatile defenders who anchor the team on that end of the floor.   1A #3 North Linn (16-1) at 1A #1 Marquette Catholic (20-0)   The game of the night comes in Bellevue, where two of the top three teams in Class 1A meet. North Linn has rebounded nicely from their loss to Alburnett, winning three straight. On the season, they're winning games by over 41 points a game, with their patented up-tempo, pressure system creating chaos on the defensive end and leading to easy buckets offensively. They're led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1426164' first='Ty' last='Pflughaupt'] (19.9, 7.2 rebounds) and junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1484418' first='Mason' last='Bechen'] (19.1, 5.7 assists), a dynamic tandem who complement each other well. This year's iteration of the Lynx isn't quite as big or deep as they have been in previous years, but this is still a dynamic team on both ends of the floor that isn't going to hurt themselves.   Marquette Catholic holds some impressive wins, and have largely been dominant this season, winning their first 20 games by an average of 32.1 points per game, but a win here would cement them as the team to beat in 1A. Four players are averaging in double figures in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1759939' first='Spencer' last='Roeder'] (16.1, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists) and Eli Scott (12.1, 5.0 assists), and seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1338777' first='Caden' last='Kettmann'] (11.8) and [player_tooltip player_id='2204880' first='Kannon' last='Still'] (10.5), while two others - [player_tooltip player_id='2721446' first='Jacob' last='Litterer'] (9.6) and Isaac Brinker (8.7) - are just outside double-figures in scoring. That top six is as good as any in 1A, and this group has been fantastic on the defensive end. At times, they can get sped up and get a little loose with the ball, which they'll need to keep in check against the Lynx pressure defense, but if they are able to limit the mistakes in that regard, they'll have an edge in size and physicality.   Other games to watch 4A #6 North Scott (13-3) at Bettendorf (10-6) Pleasant Valley (11-4) at 3A #6 Assumption (10-6) Roland-Story (15-2) at Nevada (13-4) Eddvyille-Blakesburg-Fremont (13-3) at Montezuma (12-6) 4A #4 Sioux City East (16-2) at Council Bluffs Lincoln (12-4)

4A #8 Centennial (12-4) at Ankeny (10-6)