Substate Preview: 4A-6

<!-- wp:image {"id":2779278,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/4A-6.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/4A-6.png?w=784" alt="" class="wp-image-2779278" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The favorite:</strong> (Largely) new names in the lineup, (largely) same results for <strong>Kennedy</strong>, who rolled to a strong 18-4 regular season record and a #1 substate seeding. The Cougars are led by [player_tooltip player_id='1381415' first='Trey' last='McKowen'] (22.2, 5.0 assists, 37.7 3P%), the one constant in the lineup from the last few years. A strong, skilled guard who can score, facilitate, and defend at a high level, he has taken his game up to even another level as a senior. The rest of the rotation is pretty much newcomers. [player_tooltip player_id='1951791' first='Reuben' last='Schlaak'] (12.5, 46.1 3P%), a senior guard, has provided some sharpshooting on the outside. [player_tooltip player_id='1381406' first='Landon' last='Deiters'] (9.3, 61.1 FG%) battled through injuries last year and is playing like a new man this winter. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2399474' first='Sharief' last='Thomas'] (7.2, 40.7 3P%) is a lanky, athletic three-level scorer who can create off the dribble as well. Role players [player_tooltip player_id='1978105' first='Justin' last='Powell'] (4.7), [player_tooltip player_id='2164515' first='Jaxson' last='Bean'] (4.5), [player_tooltip player_id='1951789' first='Pierce' last='McCrary'] (4.0), and [player_tooltip player_id='2886904' first='Deacon' last='Kucera'] (3.1) have been solid in their roles. They'll get their semifinal and final at home, where the Cougar Den can be a bees nest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The biggest threat: Muscatine</strong> has their best team since Joe Wieskamp's season year, winning the MAC and going 18-3 in the regular season. Their 18 wins are six more than they had in the previous three seasons combined, and just eight less than they had in the SIX years since Wieskamp graduated. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1759902' first='Kayvion' last='Hodges'] (20.0, 51.2 FG%), who started his career at Muscatine before transferring to Assumption and winning a 3A title last season, has been the headliner of the group on both ends of the floor. One of the best defenders in the state, he has the length and athleticism to defend on the perimeter, and the toughness and bounce to bang with bigger bodies in the paint and contest shots. Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2419783' first='Sam' last='Church'] (10.5, 53.4 3P%) has been really good on the perimeter, and junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1574870' first='Spencer' last='Biah'] (10.2, 55.5 FG%) is a downhill, attacking guard who lives in the paint. Ian Church (9.2), [player_tooltip player_id='2605429' first='Cade' last='Daufeldt'] (7.9), and newly returned from injury [player_tooltip player_id='1517427' first='Talan' last='Becker'] (7.4) give them a number of scoring options alongside Hodges, and this group has been really good defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The dark horse: Davenport North</strong> split with the Muskies in the regular season, with each winning on their home court, so they know that they can beat Muscatine in a rubber match. The Wildcats got off to a strong 12-2 start before a five-game losing streak between January 31 and February 14, but they rebounded with a pair of blowout wins over Clinton and Davenport West heading into postseason play. The 'Cats are a quick, athletic team that loves to play downhill and attack the rim, led by seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2511598' first='Tenerick' last='Brady'] (13.8) and [player_tooltip player_id='1484415' first='DeAndre' last='Smith'] (13.6, 52.9 FG%). Both are also viable shooting threats, with Brady having a sensational year as a shooting threat, burying 49% of his attempts from the arc. [player_tooltip player_id='2731773' first='Johnale' last='Johnson Jr'] (10.7) is another quick ball-handler who can get to the rim, and the trio of Jimmy Carter, [player_tooltip player_id='1288916' first='Cailen' last='Shadrick'], and [player_tooltip player_id='2886884' first='David' last='Joiner'] gives them some more experience and depth of scorers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Players to Watch<br></span>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381415' first='Trey' last='McKowen'] (Kennedy)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951791' first='Reuben' last='Schlaak'] (Kennedy)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1381406' first='Landon' last='Deiters'] (Kennedy)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1759902' first='Kayvion' last='Hodges'] (Muscatine)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419783' first='Sam' last='Church'] (Muscatine)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1574870' first='Spencer' last='Biah'] (Muscatine)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2740205' first='Devin' last='Harper'] (Pleasant Valley)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1587376' first='Cole' last='Beinborn'] (Pleasant Valley)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721755' first='Khai' last='Gatewood'] (Cedar Rapids Jefferson)<br>2025 Dayten Guy (Cedar Rapids Jefferson)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2511598' first='Tenerick' last='Brady'] (Davenport North)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1484415' first='DeAndre' last='Smith'] (Davenport North)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731773' first='Johnale' last='Johnson Jr'] (Davenport North)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2118611' first='Jerimiah' last='Washpun'] (Liberty)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1288921' first='Maddoc' last='Coapstick'] (Liberty)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Muscatine at Kennedy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Muscatine has been one of the best stories of the season, and they have the weapons to either play with Kennedy in an up-tempo game, or try to smother the Cougars in a halfcourt setting. That said, playing at home, and with a dynamic senior guard leading the way in [player_tooltip player_id='1381415' first='Trey' last='McKowen'], <strong>Kennedy</strong> takes this one and gets back to Des Moines for the fourth straight year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->