Substate Preview: 4A-7

<!-- wp:image {"id":2779279,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/4A-7.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/4A-7.png?w=783" alt="" class="wp-image-2779279" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The favorite: </strong>With all the new faces via both transfer and move-in, you figured it may take <strong>Waukee Northwest </strong>a little while to build their chemistry and start looking like the team we expected to see, and that figured to be the case. The Wolves have won nine straight heading into postseason play, and have gone 14-1 since the holiday break with a high-powered attack that is averaging nearly 72 points per game. Senior guards [player_tooltip player_id='1288891' first='Bode' last='Goodman'] (17.4, 5.0 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2119115' first='Peyton' last='McCollum'] (13.1, 5.5 assists) lead the team on the offensive end. Both are three-level scorers who play with pace and both do a great job getting their teammates involved as well. Junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1978099' first='Colin' last='Rice'] (11.6) has had a strong all-around season on both ends of the floor, and classmate big man [player_tooltip player_id='1643192' first='Landon' last='Davis'] (9.9, 3.7 blocks) is a game-changer as a rim protector. [player_tooltip player_id='2419793' first='Mack' last='Heitland'] (7.0, 50.0 3P%) provides additional floor spacing, and [player_tooltip player_id='1756989' first='Isaiah' last='Oliver'] (5.4) is a tremendous athlete in the backcourt who can get after it defensively and he excels in transition. Brett Watson is one of the best offensive coaches in the state, and he has a ton of weapons as his disposal with this group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The biggest threat:</strong> Another high octane offensive team resides in the bottom of the bracket in #2 seed <strong>Sioux City East</strong>. The Black Raiders lead 4A in scoring, putting up 76.7 points a game, behind a quartet of double-figure scorers: [player_tooltip player_id='1540183' first='Manasse' last='Kasongo Malu'] (14.4, 10.5 rebounds), [player_tooltip player_id='1765550' first='Bilal' last='Yusuf'] (13.0), [player_tooltip player_id='2265812' first='Fami' last='Yusuf'] (11.7), and [player_tooltip player_id='2520031' first='Chris' last='Loggins'] (10.3). Two other players - [player_tooltip player_id='1765551' first='Naef' last='Yusuf'] (9.6) and [player_tooltip player_id='2442409' first='Jang' last='Ruei'] (9.0) - average just under double-figures, giving them six explosive scoring threats on any given night. A deep, athletic team that loves to attack the rim both in transition and in the halfcourt, they can apply a lot of pressure on the defensive end with their length and athleticism, which helps get their offense jumpstarted. They have the horses to play with Northwest in the substate final, but have they been tested consistently enough throughout the year?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The dark horse: Roosevelt </strong>has gone 11-4 since the holiday break and have one of the most dynamic scorers in the state's 2027 class in [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (17.3, 7.0 rebounds). A skilled three-level scorer who is capable of having explosive scoring nights, King is the type of player who could get hot and carry a team to a few wins. The Roughriders have a ton of athleticism, speed, and length with guards [player_tooltip player_id='1439900' first='Remi' last='Taylor'] (15.0), Iven Karla (8.1), and Kuaye Noah (5.8), and they comfortably go deep into their bench. They won't be scared by an East team that is going to want to play an up-tempo game, which is where Roosevelt is at their best as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Players to Watch<br></span>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1288891' first='Bode' last='Goodman'] (Waukee Northwest)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2119115' first='Peyton' last='McCollum'] (Waukee Northwest)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978099' first='Colin' last='Rice'] (Waukee Northwest)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1643192' first='Landon' last='Davis'] (Waukee Northwest)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1540183' first='Manasse' last='Kasongo Malu'] (Sioux City East)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765550' first='Bilal' last='Yusuf'] (Sioux City East)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2265812' first='Fami' last='Yusuf'] (Sioux City East)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520031' first='Chris' last='Loggins'] (Sioux City East)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2520040' first='Kai' last='Chamberlain'] (Sioux City North)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2721787' first='Josh' last='Mogensen'] (Sioux City North)<br>2025 Dominic Foster (Sioux City North)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2419714' first='Evan' last='Abbott'] (Centennial)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='2398006' first='Sean' last='Tunks'] (Centennial)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2204081' first='Charlie' last='King'] (Roosevelt)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1439900' first='Remi' last='Taylor'] (Roosevelt)<br>2025 Tre Craft (Sioux City West)<br>2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1951829' first='Gio' last='Vazquez'] (Sioux City West)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sioux City East at Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A pair of high-powered offensive teams take the floor in this one, but the edge goes to Waukee Northwest, the team getting this one at home and that has had to go through the nightly grind of the CIML. It's a tight one for three quarters, much like when East played Valley, but over the course of 32 minutes, <strong>Waukee Northwest</strong> proves to be the better team and punches their ticket to the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->