Class 2A District Semifinal Preview

District semifinals in Class 1A and 2A take place on Thursday night. We took a look at some of the top games in Class 2A action here, and picked all 32 matchups.   The Top Five Games   Osage (17-5) at Forest City (16-5)   Two of the top defensive teams in the class meet on Thursday night. Osage ranks 3rd in scoring defense (44.9) and Forest City is 11th (47.4). Playing in opposite divisions of the Top of Iowa Conference, these teams didn't meet in the regular season, but they routinely play competitive games when they do meet. They play similar styles of basketball, more halfcourt games with a lot of emphasis on defense and ball movement. Will it be the stars of Osage [player_tooltip player_id='1765543' first='Quinn' last='Street'] (19.9) and [player_tooltip player_id='1759935' first='Madden' last='Uhlenhopp'] (17.4) or the balance of Forest City ([player_tooltip player_id='2388492' first='Holden' last='Reynolds'] leads five averaging between 8.3 and 11.9 points per game) that wins out here?   South Hardin (12-11) at Manson-Northwest Webster (17-5)   Manson-Northwest Webster has put together a solid 17-win season, with a defense that ranks 4th (45.4) and an explosive offensive attack paced by a pair of big-time scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='2398114' first='Logan' last='Moline'] (20.4) and [player_tooltip player_id='1587314' first='Kelan' last='Koval'] (14.3). The Cougars have been impressive defensively, but how much of that is a result of a fairly weak schedule that ranks 79th out of 96 teams according to BC Moore? South Hardin, on the other hand, has played a schedule that ranks 35th, and their trio of double-figure scorers - [player_tooltip player_id='2511486' first='Traven' last='Wheeler'] (11.5), [player_tooltip player_id='2617513' first='Jake' last='Balvanz'] (10.2), and Sam Benson (10.2) - won't back down from the Cougars.   Jesup (13-9) at MFL MarMac (18-4)   This is another game featuring a substantial gap in strength of schedule, with Jesup's ranked 21st and MFL MarMac's 92nd. The J-Hawks have one of the best under-the-radar guards in the class leading the way in senior [player_tooltip player_id='1839807' first='Ryan' last='Treptow'] (20.0, 8.1 rebounds), an athletic guard who can play downhill or knock down shots from distance in bunches. [player_tooltip player_id='2820112' first='Landon' last='Vogel'] (11.1) also averages in double digits, and a lot will be asked of that tandem in terms of protecting the ball against a Bulldogs defense that loves to force turnovers. MFL loves to play an up-tempo, frenetic style on the defensive end, averaging more than 12 steals per game and forcing several other dead-ball turnovers. If the J-Hawks don't take care of the ball, allowing [player_tooltip player_id='2511550' first='Parker' last='Kuehl'] (17.7), Landyn Miene (12.6), and [player_tooltip player_id='2617484' first='Carter' last='Lightfoot'] (12.2, 6.6 assists) to get out in transition, they could be in for a long night.   Beckman Catholic (12-10) at Regina (18-3)   These teams met on January 16, a 49-47 Regina win at Beckman. In that game, Regina shot just 39.1% from the floor but on the backs of sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2419768' first='Tate' last='Wallace'] (17 points) and [player_tooltip player_id='2419815' first='Will' last='Litton'] (14) they found a way to escape with a win. The Regals take good care of the basketball and the Wallace-Litton tandem can be exceptional on the glass, and you can be sure that Paul Rundquist will have some sort of gameplan drawn up for Beckman Catholic star wing [player_tooltip player_id='2419787' first='Jake' last='Wegmann'], a big-time, efficient three-level scoring threat.   Lisbon (16-6) at Monticello (17-4)   Monticello is the better team, with more tradition, but this one could be a bit interesting because of the presence of Lisbon senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1951756' first='Grayson' last='Wollum'] (21.4, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks). Monticello doesn't really have the size to combat the athletic 6-8 forward, and he could have a huge game. That said, Lisbon doesn't have the defenders to slow down the ball movement and efficiency that the Panthers attack you with, and the shooting that [player_tooltip player_id='1765541' first='Conley' last='Schauf'], [player_tooltip player_id='1759903' first='Carson' last='Lambert'], and the rest of the Monticello crew provide.   Upset Alert   Forest City: Osage has been playing good basketball, losing by just two to 3A #2 Decorah, and they've gone 9-2 in their last 11 games, with the two losses coming by a combined three points. The Green Devils are riding high and won't be intimidated going to Forest City.   MFL MarMac: Jesup has played a much tougher schedule over the course of the year and if [player_tooltip player_id='1839807' first='Ryan' last='Treptow'] and company take care of the ball, preventing MFL from getting out and running, they could certainly go up to Monona and come back with a win.   Regina: The Regals won the regular season game, but by just 2, and Beckman Catholic will be looking to get some revenge. [player_tooltip player_id='2419787' first='Jake' last='Wegmann'], a sophomore standout on the wing, is a big-time scorer who can take over a game, and if he can get some help on Thursday night, it wouldn't be a surprise whatsoever to see the Blazers pick up a win and end Regina's season.   West Marshall: Pleasantville will have the best player on the floor in this game in sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2419699' first='Braylon' last='Bingham'] (28.0, 8.8 rebounds, 50.6 FG%). Bingham is an explosive, talented athlete who can dominate the game on both ends of the floor, and West Marshall will have a difficult time containing him.   Alburnett: The Pirates are the better team, but Union has four double-figure scorers who can each take over a game in [player_tooltip player_id='2678903' first='Tate' last='Van Dyke'] (11.8), [player_tooltip player_id='1726227' first='Caden' last='Sorensen'] (11.7), [player_tooltip player_id='2820139' first='Eric' last='Neipert'] (11.3), and [player_tooltip player_id='1986602' first='Cameron' last='Mullen'] (10.6). They have a number of different ways to beat you and have played a more difficult schedule than the Pirates have during the regular season.   Picking all 32 District 1: Unity Christian over Okoboji, Emmetsburg over Garner-Hayfield-Ventura District 2: Spirit Lake over Belmond-Klemme, Osage over Forest City District 3: West Lyon over MVAOCOU, Cherokee over South Central Calhoun District 4: Ridge View over Eagle Grove, Manson-Northwest Webster over South Hardin District 5: Aplington-Parkersburg over Waukon, North Fayette Valley over Oelwein District 6: Cascade over Anamosa, Jesup over MFL MarMac District 7: Grundy Center over West Branch, Regina over Beckman Catholic District 8: Northeast over West Liberty, Monticello over Lisbon District 9: West Burlington over Central Lee, Mid-Prairie over Mediapolis District 10: Grand View Christian over PCM, Pella Christian over Davis County District 11: Denver over Dike-New Hartford, Alburnett over Union District 12: Kuemper Catholic over East Marshall, Pleasantville over West Marshall District 13: Albia over Interstate 35, Van Meter over Chariton District 14: Treynor over Red Oak, Underwood over Clarinda District 15: Tri-Center over East Sac County, OABCIG over Southeast Valley District 16: Western Christian over Rock Valley, Hinton over Lawton-Bronson

District semifinals in Class 1A and 2A take place on Thursday night. We took a look at some of the top games in Class 2A action here, and picked all 32 matchups.