Class 1A District Final Preview

We've got 16 games in Class 1A tonight, which will determine who gets the opportunity to play for a trip to the state tournament on Saturday. Below we've previewed all 16 games in the class and made our picks for each. Get out and enjoy some high level basketball tonight!   Class 1A postseason picks record (started with district semifinals): 29-3   District 1: Boyden-Hull (16-8) vs. South O'Brien (17-6) [at Sheldon]   This is an interesting game, with Boyden-Hull's lack of perimeter shooting likely coming into play against a stout South O'Brien 2-3 zone. The Wolverines allow just 42.5 points per game, good for 7th in 1A, and [player_tooltip player_id='2721643' first='Derek' last='Paulsen'] (22.0, 4.0 steals) is a menace in their zone, using his length and athleticism to get his hands on a ton of passes and turn defense into offense. Jaden Kreber (15.3) is the other big scorer for the Wolverines, a team that loves to pound the offensive glass. Boyden-Hull is led by a trio of double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='1765526' first='Carter' last='Kleinwolterink'] (17.8), [player_tooltip player_id='2731754' first='Garret' last='Van Es'] (13.3), and [player_tooltip player_id='2412735' first='Jakob' last='Pottebaum'] (10.4). The Comets are shooting just 23.2% from the 3-point line, so expect South O'Brien to pack their zone in even tighter and dare the Comets to beat them from distance. Our pick: South O'Brien   District 2: MMCRU (22-2) vs. Newell-Fonda (15-8) [at Sioux Central]   MMCRU is having their best season in school history, and they'll be looking to continue it on Tuesday night and advance to the substate final. The Royals have been really good on both ends of the floor all year, ranking 11th in scoring offense (69.5) and 17th in defense (46.6), and they're red-hot, having won 14 straight heading into this one. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1765534' first='Brayson' last='Mulder'] (12.7) and Wyatt Alesch (10.0) lead a really balanced attack that can beat you in a variety of different ways, and their length and athleticism on the defensive end has really frustrated teams throughout the year. Newell-Fonda is led by [player_tooltip player_id='2731864' first='Jacksyn' last='Hogrefe'] (18.4, 36.6 3P%), a dynamic three-level scorer who can take over a game as a scorer or playmaker. Expect a lot of different Royals to get shots at him defensively throughout this one. Our pick: MMCRU   District 3: Bishop Garrigan (20-3) vs. Lake Mills (17-5) [at Clear Lake]   Bishop Garrigan swept the regular season series between these teams, winning 63-51 on December 10, and 60-51 on January 21. The Golden Bears dominated the glass in both meetings, winning the rebounding battle 72-49, including 20 offensive rebounds. That work on the glass will need to be addressed by Lake Mills if the Bulldogs want to keep their season alive. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2731752' first='Amaury' last='Thomas'] (13.4, 9.8 rebounds) has been dominant in both games for Garrigan, and his athleticism and physicality in the paint has been a real game changer. [player_tooltip player_id='1781875' first='Carter' last='Schwab'] (14.5) and [player_tooltip player_id='2243086' first='Michael' last='Joyce'] (14.1) provide perimeter scoring, athleticism, and playmaking. This year's Lake Mills team has been more perimeter-oriented, led by guards [player_tooltip player_id='2721756' first='Kane' last='Koch'] (14.4, 39.4 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='1641849' first='Jackson' last='Gaul'] (13.5, 6.4 assists), Keaton Wempen (11.1), and [player_tooltip player_id='2731844' first='Nash' last='Delger'] (10.5, 4.7 assists). The Bulldogs will need to address the glass if they want to win this one. Our pick: Bishop Garrigan   District 4: St. Edmond (20-3) vs. Newman Catholic (17-4) [at Webster City]   St. Edmond has been one of the best teams in the class all year long, riding the ridiculously good play of junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1907683' first='Hunter' last='Horn'] (24.2, 9.3 rebounds, 60.4 FG%) to a 20-win season. Horn has been fantastic, scoring from all three levels, controlling the glass, and creating plays out of the post. [player_tooltip player_id='2887801' first='Jakob' last='Koopman'] (11.5, 8.5 rebounds) pairs with Horn to give them a ton of physicality and rebounding, while [player_tooltip player_id='2517050' first='Carson' last='Bargfrede'] (9.0) has been a great athlete on the wing. For Newman, five players average at least 9.8 points per game, led by sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2420788' first='Westley' last='Cole'] (18.8, 36.9 3P%) and senior Colin Bleile (11.3). The Knights can score in bunches, and that won't be the issue, but the question will be whether or not they have an answer for Horn on the interior. Our pick: St. Edmond   District 5: Marquette Catholic (23-1) vs. Bellevue (12-11) [at Western Dubuque]   These two schools, separated by a mile, will meet with a district title on the line. Despite the significant gap in their records, expect this one to be tight. They played in the regular season, a 70-62 Marquette win. The Defenders jumped out to a 26-8 lead after a quarter in that one before Bellevue came back to make it a competitive game in the second half. Bellevue is led by a trio of double-figure scorers - [player_tooltip player_id='2530470' first='KeShawn' last='DeShaw'] (14.0, 9.1 rebounds), [player_tooltip player_id='1765510' first='Cameron' last='Casel'] (12.0), and [player_tooltip player_id='2413527' first='Spencer' last='Abbott'] (10.1) - and they comfortably go about 8 or 9 deep. Similarly, Marquette is able to go deep into their bench, and they create a ton of turnovers with their constant pressure. [player_tooltip player_id='1759939' first='Spencer' last='Roeder'] (pictured, 20.3, 9.6 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2721446' first='Jacob' last='Litterer'] (20.0, 57.5 FG%) have been superlative this season for the Defenders, who have been the top-ranked team in the class all year. Marquette has tested themselves throughout their non-conference schedule with games against 4A schools (North Scott, Waterloo East, Dubuque Senior), and they'll be ready for whatever a game Bellevue team will throw at them. Expect it to be tight, but Marquette has proven time and time again throughout this season that they're fantastic and they'll find a way to sneak through this one. Our pick: Marquette Catholic   District 6: Don Bosco (18-6) vs. Maquoketa Valley (16-6) [at Sumner-Fredericksburg]   The Belew brothers - seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2425897' first='Zach' last='Belew'] (19.3, 8.8 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2425891' first='Ben' last='Belew'] (15.0, 7.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists) - have been great for Don Bosco, with Ben hitting a game-winner to sneak past Kee in the district semifinals to get here. That tandem is athletic, strong, and skilled, and they'll be a difficult matchup for Maquoketa Valley. The Wildcats are led by junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2731675' first='Brady' last='Wall'] (21.5), a good three-level scorer who can not only create quality looks for himself, but also good looks for his teammates. Anderson Holtz (8.9, 3.9 assists) is a good playmaker, and Dylan Knipper (4.5, 8.2 rebounds) isn't much of a scorer, but he's great on the glass. He'll have his hands full with the Belew brothers on the glass. Don Bosco has more scoring options and is probably the better top-to-bottom team, but this is a coin flip. Our pick: Don Bosco   District 7: North Linn (21-2) vs. Hillcrest Academy (21-3) [at Solon]   The defending 1A champions are "down" a bit by their ridiculously lofty standards, but they're still in position to get back to Des Moines with a chance to defend their title. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1484418' first='Mason' last='Bechen'] (30.7, 57.0 FG%) is the biggest reason why. The most dominant player in 1A basketball, he's a bulldog who can dominate games as a scorer, playmaker, and defender, and he's the focal point of a defense that still flies around and creates turnovers left and right. [player_tooltip player_id='2398044' first='Cole' last='Griffith'] (12.6, 7.3 assists) has been really good as the playmaker in the backcourt, and Drew Ries (10.1, 7.5 rebounds) controls the painted area. Hillcrest Academy is led by senior guards [player_tooltip player_id='2511490' first='Seth' last='Ours'] (14.4, 37.3 3P%) and Bryce Bailey (12.4, 35.6 3P%), and that tandem will need to knock down shots if they want to keep pace with the high-powered Lynx. Hillcrest turned it over 19 times against West Burlington, a fast, athletic 2A team that plays a similar style defensively to North Linn, so ball security will be vital if the Ravens want to pull off the upset. Our pick: North Linn   District 8: Notre Dame (18-4) vs. Holy Trinity Catholic (19-4) [at Central Lee]   These teams split during the regular season, with Holy Trinity winning 55-54 on December 20, and Notre Dame taking the rematch 64-53 on January 24. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1622174' first='Luke' last='Hellige'] (27.0, 8.1 rebounds, 56-50-90 splits) has been fantastic this season for Holy Trinity and has been really good in both meetings against the Nikes, averaging 24 points a game. [player_tooltip player_id='2887884' first='Layne' last='Rung'] (12.9, 4.5 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2397192' first='Adam' last='Sobczak'] (8.0, 9.1 assists) give them a pair of dynamic playmakers in the backcourt, but they're going to need to exert a lot of energy chasing around dynamic Notre Dame guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978106' first='Shay' last='Stephens'] (21.3, 6.6 assists, 7.5 rebounds). Stephens has been fantastic as a junior, scoring from all three levels and getting his teammates involved at a high level. [player_tooltip player_id='2394879' first='Jack' last='Drew'] (17.0) is the other big scorer for the Nikes, an efficient finisher around the rim who can occasionally stretch the floor. Both of these teams are good, and it likely comes down to which star outduels the other. Our pick: Notre Dame   District 9: North Mahaska (20-3) vs. Montezuma (20-3) [at Grinnell]   North Mahaska swept the season series, winning 58-46 on December 6, and 59-56 on January 24. In the first meeting, they held the Braves to just 26.2% shooting, and then they dominated the glass, 35-24, in the second meeting, overcoming poor shooting (33.9%) of their own to win that one as well. Montezuma guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765506' first='Brady' last='Boulton'] (28.2, 4.8 assists, 42.5 3P%) is one of the best scorers in the state, and he'll be the most dynamic player on the floor in this one. That said, the balance and physicality of North Mahaska has proven to be difficult for Montezuma to contend with, and the Warhawks may have the next three best players on the floor in Gabe Hora (15.7, 38.1 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='2721760' first='Asher' last='DeBoef'] (15.4, 9.9 rebounds), and Lucas Nunnikhoven (10.7). The depth of options of North Mahaska carries them to the full season sweep. Our pick: North Mahaska   District 10: Gladbrook-Reinbeck (20-3) vs. Dunkerton (18-5) [at Dike-New Hartford]   Gladbrook-Reinbeck has been great this season, with their three losses coming to ranked 2A teams Grundy Center (twice) and Aplington-Parkersburg. A majority of the Rebels schedule is 2A teams, and they've dominated the 1A competition they've faced, with the closest win coming by 23 points. The Rebels are led by a quartet of seniors - [player_tooltip player_id='2397276' first='Drew' last='Eilers'] (15.7, 10.3 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2397981' first='Michael' last='Boyd'] (15.0, 9.2 rebounds), and guards [player_tooltip player_id='2204862' first='Brandon' last='Mathern'] (13.0, 40.9 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='2820164' first='Austen' last='Mathern'] (12.5, 39.9 3P%). Dunkerton is led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1436496' first='Dylan' last='Marquart'] (19.2, 40.3 3P%), who has been fantastic over the last three years as a shooter and playmaker. [player_tooltip player_id='1759946' first='Noah' last='Fuelling'] (16.7, 4.6 assists), Aidan Hesse (11.3), and [player_tooltip player_id='1834827' first='Dalton' last='Weepie'] (11.3) give them some more scoring. The scoring and playmaking of Marquart will be a difficult assignment for the Rebels, but they've been tested all year, and their size and physicality on the glass will be tough for Dunkerton to contend with. Our pick: Gladbrook-Reinbeck   District 11: Ankeny Christian (16-7) vs. Martensdale-St Marys (20-4) [at Indianola]   Martensdale-St Marys has been one of the best defensive teams in the class this season, allowing just 40.3 points per game, 5th in the class. They'll have their hands full with an Ankeny Christian team that is averaging 69.1 points a game, 12th in 1A. ACA has a trio of double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='2906492' first='Jed' last='Rood'] (13.5), Austin Lundberg (11.6), and Hayden Davis (11.6), a balanced trio with each capable of scoring or creating. [player_tooltip player_id='1381427' first='Trey' last='Wright'] (10.4), Colton Wright (9.7, 7.2 rebounds), and Jack Gavin (7.9, 1.7 blocks) anchor a strong defensive team with a balanced attack. The Blue Devils aren't potent offensively, averaging just 53.4 points per game, and with only one averaging in double figures, but they've been so good defensively that they're going to be really tough to beat. Our pick: Martensdale-St Marys   District 12: Madrid (23-0) vs. Lynnville-Sully (18-5) [at Des Moines Lincoln]   Despite losing a ton of production from last year's state tournament team, Lynnville-Sully has put together another really good season, a testament to how strong the program has been. [player_tooltip player_id='2886854' first='Dawson' last='James'] (12.7, 53.6 FG%), Sawyer Veldhuizen (11.6), and Carson Maston (10.4, 8.8 rebounds) have all been really good this season, and if they were facing someone else here, they may have a chance to advance to the substate final. That said, they're running into a buzzsaw here. Madrid has been one of the most dominant teams in the state this season, winning games by an average of nearly 40 points per game. The Tigers are one of just three teams to rank within the top 10 in both scoring offense (1st, 81.5) and defense (9th, 42.9), and this is a team that has been building towards this year for the last four. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1174816' first='Toryn' last='Severson'] (23.6, 7.3 rebounds), [player_tooltip player_id='2397210' first='Brody' last='Buck'] (14.0, 43.2 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='2398087' first='Fabian' last='Ortiz-Alaniz'] (13.9, 48.9 3P%) pace a dynamic offensive attack, and they've all been starters since they were freshmen, so they have a ton of chemistry and experience. Freshman forward [player_tooltip player_id='2439640' first='Jevyn' last='Severson'] (16.0, 8.0 rebounds, 66.2 FG%) has added some needed size and toughness in the paint, as has sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2420789' first='Emerson' last='Bridgewater'] (9.3, 6.7 rebounds). This team can suffocate you defensively, overwhelm you offensively, and is just way too good to not get past Lynnville-Sully here. Our pick: Madrid   District 13: Coon Rapids-Bayard (21-2) vs. Mount Ayr (20-3) [at West Central Valley]   Points may be at a premium here, with Coon Rapids-Bayard ranking 3rd in the class in scoring defense, allowing 39.4 points per game, and Mount Ayr ranking 6th at 41.9 a night. Mount Ayr guard [player_tooltip player_id='2886911' first='Jackson' last='Ruggles'] (20.2, 45.6 3P%) is a skilled three-level scorer who can take over a game on the offensive end, and Tyler Martin (13.0, 40.3 3P%) provides more shooting. The Raiders have been really good at protecting the ball (8.7 turnovers a game) this season, and, led by Ruggles and Martin, they shoot it well from the 3-point line (39.8%). Coon Rapids-Bayard has also done a good job protecting the ball (9.3 turnovers a game), but they're a team more reliant on size, led by the tandem of [player_tooltip player_id='1765521' first='Cal' last='Heydon'] (22.4, 7.5 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2906442' first='Ty' last='Heydon'] (11.2, 11.5 rebounds). They'll have a significant edge on the glass in this one, which could be a major difference maker. Our pick: Coon Rapids-Bayard   District 14: Woodbine (21-2) vs. Bedford (22-1) [at Red Oak]   This is another game where points may be at a premium, with Woodbine ranking 4th in scoring defense (40.3 points per game allowed) and Bedford ranking 2nd (38.4). Bedford is led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1874772' first='Cal' last='Peterman'] (19.8, 9.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 4.0 steals), who has been a menace on both ends of the floor. Brody King (13.3, 37.1 3P%) provides some shooting, and this is a team that has been really good at using their defense to spark the offense. Woodbine reached the state tournament last season and brought back a large majority of that roster. [player_tooltip player_id='1951827' first='Carter' last='Gruver'] (17.6, 4.7 assists, 56.7 FG%) is a quick guard who can score from anywhere on the floor, and sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='1977076' first='Landon' last='Blum'] (15.2, 7.0 rebounds) is a freak athlete with great length on the wing. Expect Blum, Gruver, and [player_tooltip player_id='1951828' first='Carson' last='Kelley'] (9.2) to get shots at Peterman defensively. Both these teams are tough nuts to crack on the defensive end, but the scoring, and depth of scoring options, is probably a little more trustworthy with Woodbine. Our pick: Wodobine   District 15: ACGC (21-2) vs. IKM-Manning (12-11) [at Audubon]   This is the biggest mismatch over the 16 district finals, with IKM-Manning coming out of the bottom of the bracket as the #6 seed to face off with #1 seed ACGC. Both of the Chargers' losses came at the hands of Madrid, and they've been pretty dominant against the rest of their schedule. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2480003' first='Jathan' last='South'] (19.1) leads a quartet of double-figure scorers. [player_tooltip player_id='1416420' first='Noah' last='Kading'] (14.0, 5.7 assists), [player_tooltip player_id='1797393' first='Payton' last='Policky'] (13.9, 13.7 rebounds), and Joe Crawford (11.9) provide a bunch of scoring, and they have a ton of chemistry. They'll have their hands full defending IKM star [player_tooltip player_id='1765538' first='Ben' last='Ramsey'] (22.0, 4.8 assists), a dynamic three-level scorer and playmaker, but the Wolves probably don't have enough other weapons to keep pace with ACGC here. The Chargers should win this one pretty comfortably. Our pick: ACGC   District 16: St. Mary's, Remsen (19-4) vs. St. Albert (14-10) [at Denison-Schleswig]   St. Mary's is once again a dominant defensive team, allowing just 37.0 points per game, best in the class. The Hawks are always disciplined, well-coached, and stout defensively, and they do a great job controlling the glass, limiting second chances. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1759937' first='Collin' last='Homan'] (13.9, 6.8 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='1568264' first='Sam' last='Schmillen'] (12.7, 7.2 rebounds) have played in a ton of big games for the Hawks over the years, as have Carter Tentinger (8.4) and [player_tooltip player_id='2511517' first='Landon' last='Waldschmitt'] (7.9, 5.3 assists). LeMars transfer [player_tooltip player_id='2617521' first='Jeshua' last='Phillips'] (8.6) became eligible later in the season and has provided some length and athleticism on the perimeter that they haven't had. Expect Phillips to be one of several different defenders that the Hawks throw at St. Albert's standout guard, [player_tooltip player_id='1765504' first='Nicolas' last='Ballenger'] (14.0, 34.0 3P%). Ballenger is a streaky shooter, but when he gets it going, he can score in bunches with unlimited range. Freshmen [player_tooltip player_id='2509580' first='Colt' last='Spencer'] (12.0, 6.8 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2523893' first='Cooper' last='Hamilton'] (8.4) have been really good this season, but how will they adjust to the physicality and tenacity of St. Mary's defense? Our pick: St. Mary's, Remsen

We've got 16 games in Class 1A tonight, which will determine who gets the opportunity to play for a trip to the state tournament on Saturday. Below we've previewed all 16 games in the class and made our picks for each. Get out and enjoy some high level basketball tonight!