Substate Preview: 3A-3

<!-- wp:image {"id":2348313,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/3A-3.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/3A-3.png?w=610" alt="" class="wp-image-2348313" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The favorite: Decorah </strong>has been largely dominant this season, winning games by an average of 25.7 points a game and suffering just two losses during the regular season (one of which they avenged last week against Waverly-Shell Rock). The Vikings have the highest scoring offense in 3A, averaging 76.8 points a game, and rank 8th in scoring defense, allowing 51.1 a night. They're led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1256304' first='Ben' last='Bockman'] (19.4, 4.0 assists, 49.6 3P%), one of the most efficient scoring wings in the state. He's posting shooting splits of 53-50-69, and with his size and length at 6-4/6-5, and great off-ball movement, he's a really difficult matchup. He doesn't force anything, taking what is given to him, and he shoots it extremely well off the catch. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171655' first='Treyton' last='McCain'] (11.3, 7.6 assists) is the team's primary ball-handler, but junior [player_tooltip player_id='1381408' first='Zach' last='Driscoll'] (10.1, 4.8 assists) is a gifted playmaker with the ball in his hands, as is senior [player_tooltip player_id='1587745' first='Matthew' last='Bockman'] (9.9, 2.9 assists). Bockman, Ben's cousin, is more of a scorer first, but he can create off the dribble for his teammates as well. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2377280' first='Kaiden' last='Quandahl'] (4.0, 5.5 rebounds) has split time between starting and the bench, and the athletic 6-4 wing is really good on the glass and provides a ton of energy. The X-factor for this group is sophomore big man Cael LaFrentz (16.1, 10.6 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 66.8 FG%), son of former NBA player Raef LaFrentz. Cael is a mobile 6-10 big who can dominate the paint on both ends of the floor, and he's also a 73% free-throw shooter, so opposing teams can't even play Hack-a-Cael on him. This is a well put together, balanced, explosive team that can score 30 points in any given quarter with their multitude of scoring options and defensive talent. The Vikings beat both of their possible semifinal opponents - Western Dubuque (by 6) and Wahlert Catholic (10) - in the first week of the season, and swept Charles City (13, 31), their likely substate final foe. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The biggest threat: Charles City</strong> started the season 0-5 but have gone 12-3 since then, with their three losses coming to Waverly-Shell Rock, Decorah, and Aplington-Parkersburg. The Comets have a trio of double-figure scorers leading the way in seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1476943' first='Keenen' last='Wiley'] (16.0, 8.7 rebounds, 51.8 FG%), [player_tooltip player_id='1288892' first='Jack' last='Hanson'] (13.3, 4.2 assists), and Jeb Wandro (10.2, 37.5 3P%), giving them three reliable scoring threats. Wiley is an athletic combo forward who can attack off the bounce and get to the rim or score off of offensive rebounds or good off-ball movement. Hanson is a tough, physical guard who can get to the rim, create for his teammates off the bounce, and occasionally knock down shots, and Wandro is the team's best perimeter shooting threat. This is a group that has been playing good basketball since the holiday break, and, frankly, they got a pretty good draw here at the bottom of this bracket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The dark horse(s):</strong> A pair of MVC teams are lurking for Decorah in the 4-5 game, and both of them played the Vikings close early this season, before either of them really rounded into form. We'll start with <strong>Wahlert Catholic</strong>, the #4 seed, who will get the quarterfinal game at home. The Golden Eagles were really young and got off to a 2-6 start before the holiday break, but have gone 6-5 after the hiatus, including a win over Western Dubuque. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2721792' first='Owen' last='McCleary'] (11.7) and [player_tooltip player_id='1288882' first='Ethan' last='Meyer'] (10.0) are the headliners for this group. McCleary, a 6-3 guard, and Meyer, a 6-6 wing, both have a lot of length and can score from all three levels. Charlie Becker (8.4, 6.3 rebounds) is the most experienced player on the roster, and [player_tooltip player_id='2511484' first='Luke' last='Welbes'] (8.1) has been solid as a secondary playmaker. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Western Dubuque</strong> is led by a dominant senior big man in [player_tooltip player_id='1288920' first='Kanyon' last='Bryte'] (15.5, 8.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 blocks, 55.9 FG%), a 6-7 forward who can score inside and out, control the glass, and protect the rim. Decorah limited Bryte's attempts in the early-season win, allowing him to shoot just eight times, and he still finished with a solid 10 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks stat line. Bryte is definitely the headliner and draws the majority of the defensive attention, but the Bobcats have three other solid wing scorers that they surround him with in Luke Callahan (9.6, 38.2 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='2511548' first='Aaron' last='Kraft'] (6.8), and Jackson Skrtich (6.8, 39.6 3P%). Knowing that they played Decorah tough early in the season with a largely inexperienced roster should give the Bobcats some reason for optimism, if they can get by the Golden Eagles, who they split with this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Players to watch<br></span>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1256304' first='Ben' last='Bockman'], Decorah<br>2026 Cael LaFrentz, Decorah<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171655' first='Treyton' last='McCain'], Decorah<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381408' first='Zach' last='Driscoll'], Decorah<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1587745' first='Matthew' last='Bockman'], Decorah<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476943' first='Keenen' last='Wiley'], Charles City<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1288892' first='Jack' last='Hanson'], Charles City<br>2024 Jeb Wandro, Charles City<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171692' first='Scott' last='Harr'], Hampton-Dumont-CAL<br>2024 Tucker Heeren, Hampton-Dumont-CAL<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721792' first='Owen' last='McCleary'], Wahlert Catholic<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1288882' first='Ethan' last='Meyer'], Wahlert Catholic<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1288920' first='Kanyon' last='Bryte'], Western Dubuque<br>2024 Josh Beatty, Independence<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765520' first='Cooper' last='Grimm'], Center Point-Urbana<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1874779' first='Hunter' last='Holmes'], Center Point-Urbana<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1874777' first='Griffin' last='Lott'], West Delaware</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Decorah vs. Charles City</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Not much drama here, as <strong>Decorah </strong>dominated in a season sweep of the Comets. The Vikings comfortably punch their ticket to Des Moines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->