Substate Preview: 4A-6
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The favorite: Cedar Falls has been really, really good this season and without a doubt earned that #1 seed. The Tigers have lost three times – to Kennedy, Iowa City West, and Assumption – by a combined 12 points, so…
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Continue ReadingThe favorite: Cedar Falls has been really, really good this season and without a doubt earned that #1 seed. The Tigers have lost three times – to Kennedy, Iowa City West, and Assumption – by a combined 12 points, so this is a team who is truly just a few possessions in each game away from being unbeaten. Since the holiday break, they’ve hit another gear, as they battled injuries during the first part of the season to some of their standout players. Since the hiatus, they’ve gone 14-2 with an average point differential of +24.1. This is a balanced offensive team that is led by sophomore forward William Gerdes William Gerdes 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA (12.1, 70.9 FG%), one of the top 2026s in the state. A lanky 6-8 forward with good footwork, soft touch, and several good moves on the block, Gerdes has been really good on both ends of the floor. Junior guard Anthony Galvin Anthony Galvin 6'0" | PG Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (11.9, 38.3 3P%) is the team’s most dangerous 3-point shooter, while Cade Courbat Cade Courbat 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2024 State IA (10.5, 1.6 blocks) is a bouncy forward who can defend multiple positions and protect the rim. Nebraska offensive line recruit Jake Peters Jake Peters 6'4" | PF Cedar Falls | 2024 State IA (9.4, 60.3 FG%) gives them some more size and strength in the paint, and they have several guards who also contribute in Logan Wroe (6.3), Aiden Heth Aiden Heth 5'9" | PG Cedar Falls | 2024 State IA (5.3), Keegan Steege Keegan Steege 6'0" | SG Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (5.2), Jordan Townsend Jordan Townsend 5'11" | PG Cedar Falls | 2025 State IA (4.7), Jaydon Kimbrough Jaydon Kimbrough 6'1" | PG Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA (4.0), and Leyton Wolf Leyton Wolf 6'7" | SG Cedar Falls | 2026 State IA (3.1). Simply put, this team very comfortably goes deep into their bench and has a wealth of options that they can use to play just about any style.
The biggest threat: Most people around the state weren’t quite sure what to expect from Waukee Northwest this season after the Wolves lost four starters to graduation off of a team that played for the state title. They got off to a slow start, going just 4-6 in their first 10 games as they tried to gel and find their groove, but they’ve taken off since. In their last 12 games of the year, they’ve gone 10-2 with a +14.3 point differential, a stretch that includes wins over Valley, Grand View Christian, Ankeny, Dallas Center-Grimes, Johnston, and Dowling Catholic. Senior guard Grant Tigges Grant Tigges 6'4" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2024 State IA (14.3, 51.3 FG%), the lone returning starter, has led the team in scoring all year. He’s playing a bit closer to the rim this season than he did as a sharpshooting off-ball guard last year, but he’s still a weapon from deep who can stretch the floor. Luke Hart Luke Hart 5'11" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2024 State IA (9.8, 4.0 assists) played sparingly last season as he battled Type 1 Diabetes, but he has been great in the starting lineup for the Wolves, giving them another shooter (39.1 3P%) and shot creator. Maverick Inman Maverick Inman 6'2" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2025 State IA (6.9, 36.8 3P%) and freshman Mack Heitland (6.0, 42.4 3P%) provide some more shooting, while Sandro Bilic Sandro Bilic 6'5" | SF Waukee Northwest | 2024 State IA (6.0) comes off the bench to provide scoring from all three levels, posting 52-39-100 shooting splits. The real difference maker for this group, however, has been sophomore forward Landon Davis Landon Davis 6'8" | PF Waukee Northwest | 2026 State IA (6.6, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 blocks), who has been one of the best rim protectors in the state this season. He’s a versatile 6-8 forward who can do a little bit of everything offensively, but it has been his defense that has turned the tables for this group. They’ll get a test from Dowling in the semifinals, but those teams split this season, each winning on their home floor (Northwest 81-61 on February 6), and they’ll get the rubber match at home.
The dark horse: Few teams in the state have posted the high-quality wins that Dowling Catholic has this season. The Maroons have wins over Centennial (twice), Waukee Northwest, Waukee, and Norwalk, and have played Valley very tough twice. This is not your typical #3 seed in a substate, this is a good, tough basketball team that is capable of beating anyone on any given night. Ridik Meton Ridik Meton 6'2" | SF Dowling Catholic | 2024 State IA (14.0) leads the team in scoring and he has the ability to do so from all three levels. Joey Coppola Joey Coppola 5'11" | PG Dowling Catholic | 2024 State IA (13.0, 3.8 assists) is the team’s top playmaker, a quick, smart guard who can put the ball on the floor and attack or knock down shots off both the dribble and the catch. Joe Broderick Joe Broderick 6'4" | PF Dowling Catholic | 2024 State IA (11.7, 11.0 rebounds) has returned after missing last season with a knee injury and he has given the Maroons some toughness in the paint as well as a big body who can stretch the floor, opening up some space for Coppola, Meton, and Ryan Kleppe Ryan Kleppe 6'3" | SF Dowling Catholic | 2024 State IA (9.8) to attack off the dribble. This is a tough, physical, athletic team that isn’t going to back down from anyone. They know they can play with anyone.
Players to watch
2026
William Gerdes
William
Gerdes
6'8" | PF
Cedar Falls | 2026
State
IA
, Cedar Falls
2025
Anthony Galvin
Anthony
Galvin
6'0" | PG
Cedar Falls | 2025
State
IA
, Cedar Falls
2024
Cade Courbat
Cade
Courbat
6'8" | PF
Cedar Falls | 2024
State
IA
, Cedar Falls
2024
Jake Peters
Jake
Peters
6'4" | PF
Cedar Falls | 2024
State
IA
, Cedar Falls
2024
Grant Tigges
Grant
Tigges
6'4" | SG
Waukee Northwest | 2024
State
IA
, Waukee Northwest
2024
Luke Hart
Luke
Hart
5'11" | PG
Waukee Northwest | 2024
State
IA
, Waukee Northwest
2026
Landon Davis
Landon
Davis
6'8" | PF
Waukee Northwest | 2026
State
IA
, Waukee Northwest
2027 Mack Heitland, Waukee Northwest
2024
Ridik Meton
Ridik
Meton
6'2" | SF
Dowling Catholic | 2024
State
IA
, Dowling Catholic
2024
Joey Coppola
Joey
Coppola
5'11" | PG
Dowling Catholic | 2024
State
IA
, Dowling Catholic
2024
Joe Broderick
Joe
Broderick
6'4" | PF
Dowling Catholic | 2024
State
IA
, Dowling Catholic
2024
Ryan Kleppe
Ryan
Kleppe
6'3" | SF
Dowling Catholic | 2024
State
IA
, Dowling Catholic
2025
Trae Brown
Trae
Brown
6'4" | SF
Ottumwa | 2025
State
IA
, Ottumwa
2024
Rahsha Pope
Rahsha
Pope
6'0" | PG
Ottumwa | 2024
State
IA
, Ottumwa
2024
AJ Wright
AJ
Wright
6'0" | CG
City | 2024
State
IA
, City
2025
Trey Wright
Trey
Wright
5'11" | PG
Linn-Mar | 2025
State
IA
, City
2024 Jamal Taylor, Des Moines East
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Cedar Falls vs. Waukee Northwest
These have been two of the best teams in the state over the last two months, and both are probably deserving state tournament teams. Does Northwest have the firepower to keep pace with Cedar Falls and their incredible depth of scorers? There is no doubt that top-to-bottom the CIML was a far superior league to the MVC this season, but we’re going to side with the MVC team here, Cedar Falls, in what may be the best substate final in 4A.