Substate Preview: 3A-4
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The favorite: This is a very tricky substate, and figures to be one that is pretty wide open. Take BC Moore rankings for what you will, but it’s interesting to see that #2 seed, Assumption, is ranked 3rd in those…
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Continue ReadingThe favorite: This is a very tricky substate, and figures to be one that is pretty wide open. Take BC Moore rankings for what you will, but it’s interesting to see that #2 seed, Assumption, is ranked 3rd in those rankings, while top seeded Marion is all the way down at 29th. When Assumption is playing at their best, they might be the best 3A team in the state, but consistency has been a bit of an issue. They have good wins this year over Bettendorf, Cedar Falls, and Davenport West, but also have losses to Davenport Central and Muscatine on their resume. Sophomore guard Navon Shabazz Navon Shabazz 6'4" | CG Assumption | 2026 State IA (15.9, 3.3 assists) leads the way on both ends of the floor. A skilled, athletic 6-3/6-4 guard with great size, Shabazz holds a handful of Division I offers already, and he’s the type of dynamic player who can take over a game for stretches. Damyen Jackson Damyen Jackson 6'0" | PG Assumption | 2025 State IA (14.5) is another quick guard who is at his best when he’s playing downhill and attacking the rim, while Braylon Thomsen Braylon Thomsen 6'4" | SF Assumption | 2025 State IA (8.8) is an athletic, physical wing who can shoot it from the arc. Kayvion Hodges Kayvion Hodges 6'3" | SF Assumption | 2025 State IA (8.5, 6.4 rebounds) is an undersized forward but he’s a special athlete who pounds the glass on both ends of the floor, defends multiple positions, and can create off the dribble. Joey Funderburk Joey Funderburk 6'6" | PF Assumption | 2025 State IA (7.2) is a floor-stretching big, and Isiah Rose (4.9) and Joe Tallman (3.2) provide more depth. In Shabazz, the Knights have the best player in the substate, and if they can put three good games together, they’re without a doubt the team to beat here. Putting together three consecutive good games will be the key, however.
The biggest threats: It’s hard to get a great read on Marion, as the WaMaC wasn’t quite as strong this year as it has been in recent years. The Wolves have lost just twice since the holiday break, against Solon and Waverly-Shell Rock, a pair of top-5 teams in the class. While they’re the top seed in this substate, the uncertainty about the resume and the relative strength of the parochial schools in the substate, relegate them down to this category, which may be perceived as a bit of a slight to a strong program. Senior forward Kylar Whitman Kylar Whitman 6'6" | PF Marion | 2024 State IA (12.1, 8.8 rebounds, 58.3 FG%) is the leading scorer and rebounder, while Austin Goodrich Austin Goodrich 6'1" | SG Marion | 2025 State IA (11.2, 38.1 3P%) provides shooting, and Jordan Fischer Jordan Fischer 5'11" | PG Marion | 2024 State IA (9.2, 3.6 assists) is the playmaker of the backcourt and probably the most experienced player on the roster. The Wolves are solid defensively, allowing just 52.7 points a game, and they’re accustomed to playing in tight games, going 8-1 in games decided by single digits this year, a benefit in postseason games.
Xavier, like Assumption, plays in a 4A-dominated league, which should in theory prepare them well for 3A postseason play. The Saints have had some solid wins this season over Waverly-Shell Rock and Linn-Mar, but they’ve scuffled a bit after the holiday break, going just 5-7 during that stretch. The Saints are led by senior big man Tyler Netolicky Tyler Netolicky 6'8" | C Xavier | 2024 State IA (12.9, 11.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks), who is the type of mobile big man who can cause problems for some teams with his size and mobility. Zander Murray Zander Murray 6'0" | SG Xavier | 2026 State IA (10.8, 34.2 3P%) is the team’s best perimeter shooting threat, a catch-and-shoot weapon who got off to a slow start in his first varsity minutes this year, but is a player who has come on fairly strong down the stretch. AJ Evans AJ Evans 6'8" | PF Xavier | 2026 State IA (4.8) provides more size and athleticism in the frontcourt, while wings Kaleb Wilgenbusch Kaleb Wilgenbusch 6'0" | SG Cedar Rapids Xavier | 2025 State IA (9.4) and Dominic D’Amico Dominic D’Amico 6'2" | SG Xavier | 2024 State IA (7.8, 38.8 3P%) have been solid two-way contributors. The Saints lost 55-37 in early January against Marion, getting outrebounded 31-18 in that game, an area they’ll need to address in a semifinal rematch.
The dark horses: Dark horse teams can come in all shapes, sizes, and styles of play. One of the potential sleepers in this substate is built on an explosive offense, while the other is comfortable playing in grinding rock fights. We’ll start with the dynamic offensive team, Maquoketa, a team averaging 71 points a game behind the fantastic senior trio of Tye Hardin Tye Hardin 6'0" | PG Maquoketa | 2024 State IA (20.8, 8.6 rebounds), Tyler Hinz Tyler Hinz 5'10" | PG Maquoketa | 2024 State IA (14.6, 5.3 assists), and Carter Meyer Carter Meyer 5'11" | SF Maquoketa | 2024 State IA (13.0). All three of these skilled guards are capable of playing with or without the ball in their hands, and all three can score 25 points on any given night. Eli Lemke (6.9) and Nolan Ehlinger Nolan Ehlinger 5'10" | SG Maquoketa | 2026 State IA (6.9) provide some additional scoring punch, and while this team doesn’t shoot it particularly well from the arc (29.4% as a team), they play so fast that they’re able to get a ton of shots up to offset some of the inefficiency. The pace that they play at can be difficult to keep up with.
Mount Vernon is the type of program that is always dangerous in a postseason setting, a team that likes to play at a bit slower tempo and is comfortable playing in tight games. They’re physical and athletic, with a number of football players on the roster, and they can wear teams down as the game progresses. The health of standout senior guard Jackson Kutcher Jackson Kutcher 6'0" | SG Mount Vernon | 2024 State IA (15.2) is in question heading into postseason play, and if he’s unable to go, that’s obviously a significant blow for the Mustangs. Joey Rhomberg (11.0, 5.9 rebounds) and Joe Briesemeister Joe Briesemeister 6'6" | PF Mount Vernon | 2025 State IA (9.6, 6.9 rebounds) are a pair of strong, athletic forwards who control the glass, and sophomore guard Kellen Haverback Kellen Haverback 6'1" | SF Mount Vernon | 2026 IA (10.9) has provided some perimeter scoring. This is a tough, defensive-minded team that ranks 3rd in 3A in scoring defense, giving up just 47.8 points a game.
Players to watch
2024 Kyler Whitman, Marion
2025
Austin Goodrich
Austin
Goodrich
6'1" | SG
Marion | 2025
State
IA
, Marion
2024
Jordan Fischer
Jordan
Fischer
5'11" | PG
Marion | 2024
State
IA
, Marion
2026
Navon Shabazz
Navon
Shabazz
6'4" | CG
Assumption | 2026
State
IA
, Assumption
2025
Damyen Jackson
Damyen
Jackson
6'0" | PG
Assumption | 2025
State
IA
, Assumption
2025
Kayvion Hodges
Kayvion
Hodges
6'3" | SF
Assumption | 2025
State
IA
, Assumption
2024
Jackson Kutcher
Jackson
Kutcher
6'0" | SG
Mount Vernon | 2024
State
IA
, Mount Vernon
2024
Joe Rhomberg
Joe
Rhomberg
6'1" | SF
Mount Vernon | 2024
State
IA
, Mount Vernon
2026
Kellen Haverback
Kellen
Haverback
6'1" | SF
Mount Vernon | 2026
IA
, Mount Vernon
2024
Tye Hardin
Tye
Hardin
6'0" | PG
Maquoketa | 2024
State
IA
, Maquoketa
2024
Tyler Hinz
Tyler
Hinz
5'10" | PG
Maquoketa | 2024
State
IA
, Maquoketa
2024
Carter Meyer
Carter
Meyer
5'11" | SF
Maquoketa | 2024
State
IA
, Maquoketa
2024
Tyler Netolicky
Tyler
Netolicky
6'8" | C
Xavier | 2024
State
IA
, Xavier
2026
Zander Murray
Zander
Murray
6'0" | SG
Xavier | 2026
State
IA
, Xavier
2025
Kaleb Wilgenbusch
Kaleb
Wilgenbusch
6'0" | SG
Cedar Rapids Xavier | 2025
State
IA
, Xavier
2025
Ryan Watters
Ryan
Watters
6'6" | PF
Central DeWitt | 2025
State
IA
, Central DeWitt
2024
Landon Schroeder
Landon
Schroeder
6'6" | PF
Central DeWitt | 2024
State
IA
, Central DeWitt
2025
Riley Perkins
Riley
Perkins
6'3" | SF
Fairfield | 2025
State
IA
, Fairfield
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Marion vs. Assumption
There are a number of teams that we could see getting to this substate final, but at the end of the road, we’ll side with the top two seeds reaching this spot. If Assumption has gotten here, that means they’re playing good basketball, and when they’re playing well, they’re too explosive and athletic for Marion to keep up with. Navon Shabazz Navon Shabazz 6'4" | CG Assumption | 2026 State IA delivers a big game, and Assumption punches their ticket to the state tournament.