Class 3A State Tournament Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#1 seed: Decorah (22-2)<br></span>About the Vikings: </strong>One of the most explosive teams in the state, regardless of class, Decorah is capable of going on a 15-0 run in the blink of an eye against just about anyone. An incredibly efficient offensive team, they've posted shooting splits of 54-47-72 as a team and lead 3A in scoring, putting up 77.5 points a game, and rank 9th in scoring defense, allowing 51.6 a night. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1256304' first='Ben' last='Bockman'] (19.8, 49.1 3P%) is a long, rangy wing with a pure stroke from deep, and with guard [player_tooltip player_id='1171655' first='Treyton' last='McCain'] (11.8, 7.1 assists, 51.2 FG%) sidelined with a knee injury last year, Bockman improved as a playmaker as well, an attribute that has really benefitted the Vikings as a whole this season. McCain is a quick guard with great handles and excellent court vision, and he has paired with [player_tooltip player_id='1381408' first='Zach' last='Driscoll'] (10.1, 4.7 assists, 52.5 3P%) to give them a dynamic backcourt. The X-factor for this group has been sophomore big man Cael LaFrentz (15.8, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 68.1 FG%), a 6-10 big who is the son of former NBAer Raef LaFrentz. He's a skilled lefty who can protect the rim, score around the bucket efficiently, and he has a solid face-up game. [player_tooltip player_id='1587745' first='Matthew' last='Bockman'] (9.6) provides scoring off the bench, and [player_tooltip player_id='2377280' first='Kaiden' last='Quandahl'] (4.3) is the glue guy who does a bit of everything. They don't go very deep into their bench, but their top six is the best in the field. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They've been the #1 team in the class for a decent chunk of the year behind an explosive and balanced offensive attack that can beat you in a number of different ways. An efficient team that plays solid, fundamental defense, they have the weapons and versatility on both ends of the floor that are needed to win it all.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2 seed: Waverly-Shell Rock (20-3)<br></span>About the Go-Hawks: </strong>The best 3-point shooting team in the state, the Go-Hawks are knocking down an average of 11.4 3s a game at an astounding 43.6% clip. They're able to put four fantastic shooters on the floor in [player_tooltip player_id='1759905' first='Luke' last='Frazell'] (18.8, 55.0 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='1751095' first='Noah' last='Frazell'] (17.0, 51.3 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='1376675' first='Cole' last='Marsh'] (16.0, 43.4 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='1751097' first='Benny' last='Ramker'] (12.5, 46.6 3P%). All four of them shoot it really well both off the dribble and the catch, and they move the ball extremely well, finding open spaces in the defense and moving it quickly to get open looks. Marsh, a future Iowa tight end, is the difference-maker on both ends of the floor because of his physical 6-6 frame, allowing him to wall up in the paint defensively, and he is really good at creating off the dribble offensively. [player_tooltip player_id='2377385' first='Luis' last='Portillo'] (4.9, 4.4 rebounds) is the unsung hero in the starting lineup, a tough forward who does all the little things that a team needs to win. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>Shooting at Wells Fargo Arena can be difficult, with the unusual shooting backdrop, but no team in the state has as many potent shooting threats as WSR does, and that makes them extremely dangerous.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#3 seed: MOC-Floyd Valley (21-3)<br></span>About the Dutchmen: </strong>Hailing from the 2A-heavy Siouxland Conference, the Dutchmen rank 7th in the class in both scoring offense (68.6) and defense (50.1), and they enter the state tournament riding a nine-game winning streak. They're led by 6-6 wing [player_tooltip player_id='1376686' first='Jesse' last='Van Kalsbeek'] (25.2, 10.8 rebounds, 61.0 FG%), who has been absolutely outstanding this season. He isn't shooting it well from the arc (22.9%) after having a good year from deep last season, but he's still scoring at an extremely efficient clip, attacking off the dribble and dominating games as a scorer, playmaker, and versatile defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2398061' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] (14.5, 65 3PM) is the team's most potent 3-point shooting threat, and he pairs well with Van Kalsbeek and [player_tooltip player_id='1523401' first='Ahman' last='Langton'] (9.9, 3.0 assists), knocking down open looks that he gets off of the dribble penetration from those two. The Dutchmen also get good production out of a pair of big men, [player_tooltip player_id='1951793' first='Owen' last='Vander Pol'] (7.9, 58.0 FG%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1978131' first='Draeden' last='Punt'] (7.0, 54.4 FG%), who give them some size, physicality, and athleticism in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>Van Kalsbeek may be the best scorer in the 3A field, a versatile wing who can take over games with his ability to get to the rim and free-throw line. If he gets rolling, this group is going to be tough to beat, because they have a lot of pieces around him who complement his game well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#4 seed: Assumption (16-8)<br></span>About the Knights: </strong>When Assumption has it rolling, like they do right now, they're probably the best team in the class. The Knights have destroyed teams so far in the postseason, winning their three games against Benton, Mount Vernon, and Marion by an average of 31 points a game. They're led by junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1759900' first='Damyen' last='Jackson'] (15.1) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1660062' first='Navon' last='Shabazz'] (14.8, 3.4 assists), a pair of quick, athletic guards who can play downhill and get to the rim seemingly at will. Shabazz holds Power 5 offers from Iowa, Iowa State, and Wake Forest already, and is the type of dynamic three-level scorer and playmaker who can take over games on either end of the floor. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1759902' first='Kayvion' last='Hodges'] (9.6, 7.0 rebounds, 54.5 FG%) is a long, athletic defender who can guard one through five at this level, and [player_tooltip player_id='1759943' first='Braylon' last='Thomsen'] (9.0) provides some shooting. Consistency has been a bit of an issue at times for the Knights, but when they're playing well, there is so much talent and athleticism on the floor that they're tough to beat. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>As we said, when they're playing well, this is the most dynamic team in the class. The Jackson/Shabazz pairing in the backcourt is nearly impossible to keep out of the paint, and they put so much athleticism on the floor that they're tough to contain.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#5 seed: Ballard (16-8)<br></span>About the Bombers: </strong>The Bombers got off to a bit of a slow start, but they were extremely young and inexperienced. This is another group led by a really talented sophomore guard, [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] (17.3, 5.3 assists), who creates well off the bounce for himself and his teammates, and they put a ton of shooting alongside him, playing off of his talents. Gibson is one of the top sophomores in the state, a lightning-quick two-way guard who loves to attack the rim and get the defense to collapse, and he's a good on-ball defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2397342' first='Jackson' last='Brown'] (14.2, 44.4 3P%) has emerged as a really good secondary scorer and knockdown shooter, as have fellow juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2398123' first='Mason' last='Gatchel'] (6.2, 38.0 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1759945' first='Miles' last='Mudd'] (4.8, 42.9 3P%). Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1256298' first='Nolan' last='Cogdill'] (9.8, 5.9 rebounds, 38.2 3P%) can stretch the floor and protect the paint defensively, and freshman forward [player_tooltip player_id='2124070' first='Parker' last='Miller'] (4.9, 3.8 rebounds) has given them some really good minutes off the bench as a rebounder and rim-runner. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They have a star guard leading the way in Gibson, and a lot of shooting to put around him. Every once in a while, we saw guards get scorching hot and carry their team to a state title unexpectedly. Why can't Gibson?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#6 seed: Bondurant-Farrar (15-9)<br></span>About the Bluejays: </strong>The defending 3A champions lost a lot of production off of last year's team following a pair of big graduations and a football injury to their top returnee, [player_tooltip player_id='1587403' first='Reed' last='Pfaltzgraff']. Playing in the Raccoon River Conference, they've taken some lumps this season, but they avenged a pair of regular-season losses to ADM to reach the state tournament with a 60-58 substate final win. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1288861' first='Tanner' last='Berggren'] (22.3, 38.9 3P%) had one of the best summers of any player in the state, and he has picked up where he left off, playing at an All-State level this season as their leading scorer with a feathery stroke from deep and the mid-range. Lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='2397237' first='Cole' last='Miller'] (12.6, 7.4 assists) had a fantastic week at the state tournament last year and has been great as the Jays lead guard this season, scoring from the mid-range, creating off the dribble, and making plays for his teammates, while [player_tooltip player_id='2397327' first='Hudson' last='McConnell'] (11.3, 52.5 FG%) has emerged as a reliable third scorer, and Nick Pfantz (2.7, 7.1 rebounds) has given them a great rebounder with needed toughness in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all:</strong> This is the only team back in Des Moines from last year's 3A field, and while a lot of the players from that roster are gone, there are some who are back, including Miller, who plays the most important position. Experience playing in this setting, and an elite wing scorer in Berggren, will make Bondurant-Farrar an extremely dangerous team at the bottom of this bracket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#7 seed: Pella (15-9)<br></span>About the Dutch: </strong>The Dutch entered postseason play limping, losing five out of seven down the stretch, but they've played quality ball in the playoffs, beating Carlisle, Clarke, and Winterset. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2120763' first='Jack' last='McGuire'] (14.3, 7.7 rebounds) is the headliner of the bunch, a lanky wing who can play downhill and create looks for himself and his teammates off the dribble. [player_tooltip player_id='1171672' first='Luke' last='Hardman'] (11.7, 37.3 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='2398044' first='Brayden' last='Traetow'] (9.4, 35.3 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='2413561' first='Austin' last='Schulte'] (7.6, 38.0 3P%) give them a number of skilled shooting options, while [player_tooltip player_id='2325476' first='Cameron' last='Rowe'] (10.5) and [player_tooltip player_id='1171673' first='Romon' last='Hugan'] (6.2) are a pair of experienced seniors who can do a little bit of everything. In their three postseason wins, the Dutch have played better on the defensive end, allowing just 48 points a game, and if they can continue to lock in on that end, they'll have a chance to do some damage. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>A balanced team that plays well together, the Dutch have quite a bit of shooting that they can put alongside a skilled playmaker in McGuire. This coaching staff has a good amount of state tournament experience, and that can be very beneficial.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#8 seed: Williamsburg (16-8)<br></span>About the Raiders:</strong> If you look at the BC Moore rankings, the Raiders are probably a surprise team in this field, ranked 37th in that power rankings system. They've had a bit of an up-and-down year, but they've played good ball in the postseason, beating Fort Madison, Clear Creek Amana, and Keokuk by a combined 37 points behind the stellar play of senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1171685' first='Derek' last='Weisskopf'] (21.0, 8.0 rebounds). A future Iowa linebacker, Weisskopf is a fantastic athlete who is capable of taking over games on both ends of the floor with his ability to score from all three levels, create off the dribble, and defend multiple positions. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2397303' first='Grant' last='Hocker'] (10.4) is a streaky shooter who can get hot and carry the Raiders offense for stretches, and senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1751226' first='Kellen' last='Cockrell'] (10.0, 8.1 rebounds, 52.2 FG%) is a long, bouncy forward who can protect the paint, finish around the rim, and pound the glass on both ends of the floor. The Raiders like to play a little more deliberate style than most of the other teams in this 3A field, so if they're able to dictate the tempo, they could find some success. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>Weisskopf is one of, if not the best, athletes in the field, and he's capable of having explosive games and taking it over on both ends of the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Staff picks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tony<br></span><strong>Quarterfinals:</strong> Decorah, Assumption, Waverly-Shell Rock, Bondurant-Farrar</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals: </strong>Decorah, Bondurant-Farrar</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Champion: </strong>Decorah</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->