Substate Preview: 3A-5

<!-- wp:image {"id":2348308,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/3A-5.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/01/3A-5.png?w=613" alt="" class="wp-image-2348308" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The favorite: Solon </strong>earned the top seed in this substate by winning their first 18 games and rolling to an impressive 20-1 regular season. The Spartans have been fantastic on the defensive end this year, allowing just 47.6 points a game, second in the class. They're a long, athletic team that has held 11 opponents to fewer than 50 points this year, and with the way they fly around the court on the defensive end, open looks are never easy to come by. On the offensive end, [player_tooltip player_id='1376687' first='Jake' last='Benzing'] (17.3, 36.2 3P%) leads a quartet of seniors who average in double figures, giving the Spartans a balanced attack. [player_tooltip player_id='2325525' first='Vince' last='Steinbrech'] (14.9, 62.8 FG%), [player_tooltip player_id='2325516' first='Rylen' last='Stiegelmeyer'] (11.3, 37.8 3P%), and Gehrig Turner (10.6, 35.1 3P%) are the other big offensive weapons, while fellow senior Austin Knight (3.0, 4.1 rebounds) isn't a big scoring threat, but he's one of their best defenders, using his length and athleticism to impact the game on that end of the floor. With their bevy of scoring options, and a strong, athletic, defensive-minded group, they'll be tough to beat here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The biggest threat: </strong>The #2 seed in the substate, <strong>Clear Creek Amana</strong>, has played really good basketball since the holiday break, going 12-2 during that stretch, including a sweep of likely semifinal opponent Williamsburg. The Clippers are led by junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1759949' first='Andrew' last='Rotzoll'] (16.3, 44.4 3P%) and senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1938206' first='Haiden' last='Hardy'] (13.8, 4.7 assists), a pair of big-time scorers whose games complement each other well. Rotzoll is a knockdown shooter off the catch, while Hardy is at his best when he's playing downhill and attacking off the dribble, getting the defense to collapse and finding open shooters. Robert Meade (9.3) and [player_tooltip player_id='1381405' first='Brody' last='Clubb'] (6.3) provide some size and physicality in the paint, while [player_tooltip player_id='1759931' first='Cale' last='Berry'] (8.7), Brock Hilsman (6.6), and [player_tooltip player_id='2413535' first='Ethan' last='Vice'] (5.8) are all viable scorers on the perimeter as well. This is a deep team filled with good scoring threats, ranking 12th in the class in scoring at 67.0 points a game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The dark horses:</strong> Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1171685' first='Derek' last='Weisskopf'] (20.2, 8.1 rebounds) may be the best player in the substate, and that makes <strong>Williamsburg </strong>an intriguing sleeper team here. Weisskopf, who will play linebacker at Iowa, is a fantastic athlete who can take over games on both ends of the floor with his ability to defend multiple positions, score from all three levels, and control the glass. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2397303' first='Grant' last='Hocker'] (10.1, 3.0 assists) has emerged as a solid playmaker on the perimeter, and senior [player_tooltip player_id='1751226' first='Kellen' last='Cockrell'] (10.0, 7.9 rebounds) is a big, athletic forward who can control the paint on both ends of the floor. The Raiders were swept by Clear Creek Amana, but those two losses came by a combined eight points, so there should be plenty of reason for optimism for the Raiders in a third meeting. And, if they get by the Clippers, they just beat Solon last week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is an interesting team in the 4-5 game with a player that could potentially give Solon some trouble, and that team is <strong>Keokuk</strong>. In sophomore big man [player_tooltip player_id='1978100' first='Jaxon' last='Clark'] (20.0, 11.9 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 63.6 FG%), the Chiefs have a dominant interior scorer and rim protector who can score around the bucket against the Spartans. Keokuk played Solon to a 9-point game in the postseason last year, so they know that they can play with the Spartans, and with the huge jump in development that Clark has made, they could be dangerous. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1476968' first='Diego' last='Garcia'] (13.3, 4.3 assists) is an athletic playmaker in the backcourt, and [player_tooltip player_id='1720208' first='Brenton' last='Hoard'] (12.4) and [player_tooltip player_id='2398015' first='Tramell' last='Smith'] (7.9, 46.3 3P%) give them some shooting to put around Clark. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Players to watch<br></span>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376687' first='Jake' last='Benzing'], Solon<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325525' first='Vince' last='Steinbrech'], Solon<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='2325516' first='Rylen' last='Stiegelmeyer'], Solon<br>2024 Gehrig Turner, Solon<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759949' first='Andrew' last='Rotzoll'], Clear Creek Amana<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1938206' first='Haiden' last='Hardy'], Clear Creek Amana<br>2025 Robert Meade, Clear Creek Amana<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1171685' first='Derek' last='Weisskopf'], Williamsburg<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2397303' first='Grant' last='Hocker'], Williamsburg<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1751226' first='Kellen' last='Cockrell'], Williamsburg<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978100' first='Jaxon' last='Clark'], Keokuk<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1476968' first='Diego' last='Garcia'], Keokuk<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1720208' first='Brenton' last='Hoard'], Keokuk<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1376720' first='Payton' last='Hagans'], Mount Pleasant<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978109' first='Christian' last='Stacy'], Mount Pleasant<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1499008' first='Nathan' last='Stroud'], Mount Pleasant<br>2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1945656' first='Hunter' last='Cresswell'], Fort Madison<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1428956' first='Logan' last='McDole'], Washington<br>2026 Drew Conrad, Washington<br>2025 Carter Will, Davis County<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2511586' first='Hayden' last='Utt'], Davis County</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Solon vs. Clear Creek Amana</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williamsburg certainly has an argument for upsetting CCA and reaching the substate final, but we'll side with the chalk here and set up a second meeting between these teams (Solon won 58-46 back on December 12). This is an interesting matchup between a dominant defensive team and an explosive offensive team. The game generally slows down a bit in the postseason, especially the deeper you get, which plays to the advantage of Solon. The Spartans have more offense than they did last year, and the defense to frustrate CCA here. <strong>Solon </strong>advances to the state tournament for the first time in eight years. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->