Substate Preview: 1A-1

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/1A-1.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/1A-1.png?w=783" alt="" class="wp-image-2770852" /></a></figure>   District 1   The favorite: Boyden-Hull earned the district's top seed and thus home court until the district final. The Comets have seven losses, but four have come to highly ranked 2A teams (Unity Christian, West Lyon), and another came to a 3A team that has spent a good chunk of the year in the rankings (MOC-Floyd Valley). So needless to say, they'll be the most "battle tested" group of any of the teams in this district. They're led by the inside-out tandem of juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1765526' first='Carter' last='Kleinwolterink'] (18.1) and [player_tooltip player_id='2731754' first='Garret' last='Van Es'] (13.3, 7.9 rebounds, 59.5 FG%), giving them the best one-two punch in the district. They don't shoot it particularly well, just 21.4% from behind the arc as a team, so the 2-3 zone that South O'Brien will throw at them should they meet in the district final could cause problems.   The biggest threat: The best individual player in the district may be [player_tooltip player_id='2721643' first='Derek' last='Paulsen'] (21.8, 54.0 FG%), a dynamic three-level scorer who impacts the game on both ends of the floor for South O'Brien. In addition to his scoring, Paulsen also leads the team in assists (3.0) and steals (3.9), causing chaos in the Wolverines' 2-3 zone. Junior forward Jaden Kreber (14.8) gives them a reliable secondary scoring threat, and the Wolverines have shot it better (31.0 3P%) than Boyden-Hull from distance, which could end up being an equalizer.   The dark horse: By virtue of the head-to-head loss last week, Gehlen Catholic is the #3 seed and will have to go back to South O'Brien in the district semifinals, should the Jays survive a third meeting with Akron-Westfield, who played them to a six-point game just a few weeks ago. The Jays don't light up the scoreboard by any means, averaging 51.5 points per game, but they've been stout defensively, giving up just 46.8 a night. Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2407451' first='Mason' last='Small'] (14.5, 6.2 rebounds) and junior guard Nolan Teel (8.9, 34.8 3P%) are the headliners offensively, and if they can slow the game down to the pace they want to play at and suffocate teams on the defensive end, they'll have a chance to make some noise.   Players to Watch 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765526' first='Carter' last='Kleinwolterink'] (Boyden-Hull) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731754' first='Garret' last='Van Es'] (Boyden-Hull) 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721643' first='Derek' last='Paulsen'] (South O'Brien) 2026 Jaden Kreber (South O'Brien) 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2407451' first='Mason' last='Small'] (Gehlen Catholic) 2026 Landon Howe (Kingsley-Pierson) 2026 Easton Nissen (Kingsley-Pierson) 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754701' first='Jayden' last='Lloyd'] (Woodbury Central) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978143' first='Reegan' last='McKee'] (Akron-Westfield) 2025 Carter Westra (Trinity Christian) 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2756998' first='Alex' last='Kruger'] (Sibley-Ocheyedan)   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/1A-2.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/1A-2.png?w=787" alt="" class="wp-image-2770853" /></a></figure>   District 2   The favorite: The Royals of MMCRU have been one of the most pleasant surprises in the state this year, regardless of class, rolling to an 18-2 record, with one of those losses coming to the top-ranked team in Class 2A, Western Christian, and the other coming by just four to another 2A team, Hinton. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1765534' first='Brayson' last='Mulder'] (12.8) leads a really balanced attack that features ten players who average at least 3 points per game. This is a group that shares the ball extremely well, averaging more than 19 assists per game, and they have a number of different options on any given night. With their depth, they can apply a lot of defensive pressure and cause problems on that end of the floor.   The biggest threat: Traditionally strong Newell-Fonda is lurking at the bottom of the bracket here. The Mustangs have arguably the best scorer in the district in junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2731864' first='Jacksyn' last='Hogrefe'] (17.9), a versatile three-level scoring guard who can take over the game as a scorer and playmaker. Seniors Max Carlson (11.1), Guyson Lyman (9.6), and Mason Hoberman (9.3) give them more scoring punch. The 'Stangs don't go nearly as deep as MMCRU does, which could be an issue in a district final meeting, but they do have a player who can take over a game offensively, which is a nice bonus.   The dark horse: If a team is going to get hot and make a run through this district unexpectedly, it's probably going to be GTRA, who features three double-figure scorers in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2731683' first='Teagan' last='Hanson'] (18.1) and [player_tooltip player_id='2519956' first='Sullivan' last='Hall'] (12.8, 2.7 blocks), and senior Kasey Hough (17.1). Hanson is not only a big-time scorer, he also averages more than six assists per game, creating quality looks for himself and his teammates on a nightly basis. Hall, a 6-10 big man, can protect the rim defensively and is the anchor with the size that teams can struggle to adjust to, while Hough is another solid perimeter scoring threat who can create looks for his teammates as well. Like Newell-Fonda, GTRA doesn't go nearly as deep as MMCRU, and they'll have to go on the road to face the Mustangs in the district semifinals, but they have the scoring punch to potentially get hot and make some noise.   Players to Watch 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765534' first='Brayson' last='Mulder'] (MMCRU) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731864' first='Jacksyn' last='Hogrefe'] (Newell-Fonda) 2025 Guyson Lyman (Newell-Fonda) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731683' first='Teagan' last='Hanson'] (GTRA) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2519956' first='Sullivan' last='Hall'] (GTRA) 2025 Kasey Hough (GTRA) 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2886896' first='Khael' last='Jones'] (North Union) 2026 Isaac Schierholtz (Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn) 2028 Caden Douma (Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn)   SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION   Boyden-Hull vs. MMCRU   Boyden-Hull, having to go through the Siouxland, will no doubt be the more "battle tested" team in this matchup, and there is something to say for that. There is also something to say for a team that just wins and finds ways to win on a nightly basis. Behind the balanced attack that [player_tooltip player_id='1765534' first='Brayson' last='Mulder'] leads, MMCRU finds a way to scrape out a tough-fought win and punch their ticket to the state tournament for the first time in school history.