Class 3A State Tournament Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong>#1 seed: Clear Lake (24-0)<br></strong></span><strong>About the Lions: </strong>The top-ranked Lions have been absolutely dominant all year. They haven't played a single game decided by single digits, their closest game being an 11-point win over Waverly-Shell Rock. They're the #3 scoring offense (73.9) and #1 scoring defense (42.5) in the class and are loaded with big, long, athletic players. Future Iowa tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1381416' first='Thomas' last='Meyer'] (16.8, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists) has been fantastic all year on both ends of the floor, pacing a high-powered attack. Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2419796' first='Jaxson' last='McIntire'] (10.9, 3.1 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2377642' first='Carson' last='Riser'] (10.6, 41.3 3P%) have been really good in the backcourt, with McIntire getting his teammates involved well and Riser knocking down his open looks. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1759906' first='Titan' last='Schmitt'] (9.8, 5.3 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2394706' first='Samuel' last='Howland'] (5.9, 68.5 FG%) and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2389820' first='Trevor' last='Theobald'] (5.1, 33. assists), [player_tooltip player_id='2413530' first='Max' last='Larson'] (5.0, 51.2 FG%), and Gage Larson (2.6, 51.0 FG%) round out a deep, athletic, and skilled rotation. Having not played any tight games this season, the only big question for this group is how will they respond in a close game in Des Moines?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They've been without a doubt the best team in the state all year, and their depth, balance, and athleticism makes them super difficult to defend or score against. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2 seed: Knoxville (24-0)<br></span>About the Panthers: </strong>Knoxville is one of two teams (Clear Lake) to rank within the top 5 in the class in both scoring offense (5th, 71.5) and defense (2nd, 43.7), and are one of just three remaining undefeated teams in the state, regardless of class. They're led by the Norris brothers, senior [player_tooltip player_id='1668669' first='Landen' last='Norris'] (20.8, 7.8 rebounds, 59.6 FG%) and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='2231637' first='Lincoln' last='Norris'] (17.2, 43.8 3P%). Landen is a skilled lead guard with good size at 6-3 who can score from all three levels, create plays off the dribble, and he's tremendous on the glass on both ends. Lincoln is one of the state's elite shooters, having games this season in which he has made 10 and 11 3-pointers. He's a skilled off-balance shooter who can get scorching hot and carry the Panthers for long stretches. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2511505' first='Kaiden' last='Smith'] (9.8, 7.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks) gives them some defensive versatility, and [player_tooltip player_id='2811942' first='Koby' last='Higginbotham'] (6.8) has been a really good defender as well. The final piece of the starting five is junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2731843' first='Drake' last='Larson'] (8.0, 5.2 assists), who has been among the best in the state at protecting the ball this season, posting a 3.05 assist-to-turnover ratio. The one knock on the Panthers is playing in the South Central Conference, giving them a strength of schedule that ranks last in the 3A field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>As they've shown throughout the course of the season, they know how to win. They're one of the top defensive teams in the state and have two fantastic offensive weapons who can take over games as scorers and playmakers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#3 seed: Ballard (21-2)<br></span>About the Bombers: </strong>After reaching the state tournament last season and losing in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Assumption, Ballard is looking to make some real noise this season. They're led by junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] (15.6, 3.2 assists, 2.3 steals), a lightning-quick guard who puts constant pressure on opposing defenses with his quickness and talent. Senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2397342' first='Jackson' last='Brown'] (12.1, 39.3 3P%) and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'] (8.3, 39.0 3P%) do a great job taking advantage of the open looks that Gibson gets them, and sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'] (10.4, 61.7 FG%) is a long, athletic forward who finishes really well around the rim. This is one of the deeper teams in the 3A field, comfortably going eight deep, and they apply a ton of pressure on you defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They play a style that many teams in the class don't see often, applying constant full-court pressure and making opposing ball-handlers make quick decisions with the ball. They can get the game sped up and frustrate teams, and they have a lead guard in Gibson who they can trust to make winning plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#4 seed: Storm Lake (22-1)<br></span>About the Tornadoes: </strong>The highest scoring team in the state, the Tornadoes are averaging 77 points per game, led by junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1765515' first='Jaidyn' last='Coon'] (24.2, 9.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 blocks). A 6-6/6-7 wing with explosive athleticism, three-level scoring, and defensive versatility, he can take over games on both ends of the floor. He holds several Power 5 offers and is the most dynamic player in the 3A field. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765508' first='Cameron' last='Boyd'] (14.8, 4.4 assists, 46.5 3P%) is a knockdown shooter and creative playmaker, and Panorama move-in [player_tooltip player_id='2420801' first='Trey' last='Boettcher'] (7.7) can score from all three levels as well off the bench. The Tornadoes are long, super athletic, and can comfortably go eight deep. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They have the most dynamic individual player in the state in Coon, who can dominate games on both ends of the floor, and they have the weapons around him to score in bunches. If they can dictate the tempo and play at the breakneck pace they want to, they can make some real noise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#5 seed: ADM (21-4)<br></span>About the Tigers:</strong> ADM is paced by one of the best scorers in the state, junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] (24.9). Lorensen is an extremely skilled three-level scorer, posting 54-42-89 shooting splits, and he's able to get to his spots whenever he wants to off both the dribble and off-ball movement. Classmates [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] (12.8, 6.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='1978146' first='Hudson' last='Shull'] (10.0, 42.1 3P%) are both big-time players as well alongside Lorensen. Bryte has great size as a lead guard at 6-3 and is a triple-double threat every time he sets foot on the floor, and Shull is a knockdown shooter off the catch. That trio handles a significant portion of the scoring load, while role players [player_tooltip player_id='2811916' first='Cade' last='Fisher'] (7.2, 8.5 rebounds, 2.2 blocks) and [player_tooltip player_id='2811924' first='Wyatt' last='Schweiger'] (5.0) understand their roles and play them well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>The Tigers have been one of the best teams in the class all year, with three of their four losses coming to teams in this field (Ballard twice by 3 each and Clear Lake), and they have one of the state's elite scorers leading the way. That makes them extremely dangerous.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#6 seed: MOC-Floyd Valley (19-4)<br></span>About the Dutchmen: </strong>Four starters from last year's state semifinalist team return for MOC-Floyd Valley - seniors [player_tooltip player_id='2398061' first='Blake' last='Aalbers'] (20.0, 45.9 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='1523401' first='Ahman' last='Langton'] (11.5, 3.8 assists), and [player_tooltip player_id='1951793' first='Owen' last='Vander Pol'] (10.8, 6.9 rebounds), and junior [player_tooltip player_id='1978131' first='Draeden' last='Punt'] (10.3, 51.5 FG%). Aalbers is a fantastic shooter, as are junior guards [player_tooltip player_id='2887838' first='Carter' last='Van Gelder'] (8.3, 4.0 assists, 44.2 3P%) and Carter Brightwell (4.2, 40.0 3P%), giving them a ton of shooting. Langton is a quick guard who can get into the teeth of the defense and score or find open teammates, and the Vander Pol-Punt combination in the frontcourt gives them a lot of size, toughness, and athleticism. Punt in particular is a versatile defensive weapon who can hold his own against smaller, quicker guards, or bang with bigger bodies in the paint. A team filled with offensive weapons and enough defensive versatility to throw lots of different looks at teams, the Dutchmen can be a real problem. in Des Moines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They have more state tournament experience than any other team in the field with four players returning from a semifinalist, and experience can be a massive advantage in Des Moines. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#7 seed: Xavier (15-9)<br></span>About the Saints:</strong> Ignore the nine losses on Xavier's resume, or at least go look at their schedule. Seven losses came against teams who played in 4A substate finals, and five of them were against teams who reached the 4A state tournament. Then they navigated arguably the toughest 3A path to reach Des Moines, having to beat Wahlert and Decorah to get here. [player_tooltip player_id='1978144' first='Zander' last='Murray'] (14.3, 37.2 3P%), a junior guard, can get really hot from the 3-point line and carry the team for stretches. [player_tooltip player_id='2204878' first='Kaleb' last='Wilgenbusch'] (13.6, 37.0 3P%) has been fantastic as a senior leader, shooting it at a high clip, playing solid defense, and getting his teammates involved, and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='1765554' first='AJ' last='Evans'] (11.0, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks) and [player_tooltip player_id='1361499' first='Lorenzo' last='Pino'] (7.8, 3.5 assists) are both really good in their roles. Evans, in particular, can be a real difference-maker in Des Moines with his ability to protect the paint, finish around the rim, and switch defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>Nobody in the class has played a tougher schedule than Xavier, with seven of their nine losses coming against teams who played in 4A substate finals (five against teams that qualified for the 4A state tournament). Going through that type of gauntlet means that they won't be intimidated by anyone they run into in Des Moines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">#8 seed: Central DeWitt (13-11)<br></span>About the Sabers:</strong> The Sabers were the #4 seed in their substate, pulling off a pair of upsets over Waverly-Shell Rock and Assumption to get to the state tournament. Playing in the MAC, a 4A league, has prepared them well for postseason play and they won't be intimidated going up against Clear Lake in the quarterfinals. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1484410' first='Ryan' last='Watters'] (15.8, 9.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 blocks) is a name that people may remember from his freshman season, when he was an impact player on the 3A runner-up team. A 6-6/6-7 forward who can score inside and out as well as protect the rim, he's a potential matchup problem. [player_tooltip player_id='2811905' first='Max' last='Burgmeier'] (15.8, 44.3 3P%) is a knockdown shooter on the perimeter who can also create quality looks for his teammates, and [player_tooltip player_id='2731756' first='Hudson' last='Krukow'] (7.3, 6.3 rebounds) is a long forward who finishes at the rim, controls the glass, and can stretch the floor. [player_tooltip player_id='1765533' first='Brady' last='Meadows'] (6.9, 4.4 assists) is a quality lead guard who does a great job protecting the ball, and five other Sabers see significant playing time. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They're accustomed to playing against good competition having gone through the MAC, and Watters is one of the toughest matchups in the field with his ability to score inside and out with his size. Not much was expected of the Sabers going into the 2022 state tournament either, and they reached the title game as a #7 seed. Could this be a repeat run?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Staff Picks</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tony<br></span><strong>Quarterfinals: </strong>Clear Lake, ADM, Ballard, Xavier</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals: </strong>Clear Lake, Xavier</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Champion: </strong>Clear Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->