Power Score Top 3 Matchups This Week (Jan. 12)

The top four teams in the Class 4A Power Score rankings matchup this week, plus a battle between the two biggest metro areas in the state.   No. 47 Cedar Rapids Kennedy at No. 26 Norwalk, Mon. Jan 12 at 7   Fresh off winning their matchups vs. Cedar Rapids Washington and Bettendorf in the Conference Crossover, two teams from the biggest metro areas in Iowa will face off.   Norwalk comes in as winners of five-straight, likely propelling themselves into the Power Score Top 25 with a win over Kennedy. Junior sharp-shooter [player_tooltip player_id='2419755' first='Tillman' last='Papcun'] leads the way for the Warriors, averaging 21.1 points per game (PPG) and shooting 43.1% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free throw line. Adding 6.2 rebounds per game, Papcun does a little bit of everything for the Warriors. Fellow junior guard also puts up 12.9 PPG.   In slightly different circumstances, Cougars of Kennedy enter Monday's contest off a 20-point loss to Dubuque Senior, but also with a recent upset bid over Cedar Rapids Xavier, defeating the Saints 67-60. [player_tooltip player_id='2164515' first='Jaxson' last='Bean'] leads the way for Kennedy, averaging 11.1 points per contest, along with 4.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists.   No. 2 Dowling Catholic (10-0) at No. 4 Waukee Northwest (8-1), Tues. Jan. 13 at 7:45   Looking to bounce back after a clash with new No. 1 Cedar Falls in the Conference Crossover, Waukee Northwest is back with another top four matchup in the Power Score rankings, facing off with Dowling Catholic at home on Tuesday evening. The Wolves will have their first home contest in nearly a month, as they face off with the Maroons, who sit atop the Power Score and 4A rankings just behind Cedar Falls.   Northwest is led by their high-major duo of [player_tooltip player_id='1978099' first='Colin' last='Rice'] (committed to Nebraska and [player_tooltip player_id='1643192' first='Landon' last='Davis'] (committed to Illinois), as Rice is averaging 22.1 PPG, and Davis is adding 13.4 PPG. The loaded lineup goes down through the rest of the starting five, as [player_tooltip player_id='2478747' first='Nash' last='Kooken'] (10 PPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1756989' first='Isaiah' last='Oliver'] (9.9 PPG) and [player_tooltip player_id='2419793' first='Mack' last='Heitland'] (9.9 PPG) each fill out the scoring sheet each night. Three of the five starters -- Rice (43.1%), Oliver (61.5%) and Kooken (50%) -- are shooting better than 40% from three as well, with a minimum of 13 attempts so far this season. Rice and Davis are also averaging a double-double in rebounds, both putting up just over ten boards per contest.   The key for Dowling -- as it will be for any other foe that takes on Northwest -- will be getting one of the starters in foul trouble, as no other player on the Wolves' roster is averaging a single point per game.   The undefeated Maroons, who have had just two games finish within single digits this season (50-46 over Johnston and 46-42 over Centennial), aren't quite as top heavy. Leading the way for Dowling is a trio of seniors, each averaging more than ten points per contest. [player_tooltip player_id='2731790' first='Noah' last='Martens'] (13.2 PPG), [player_tooltip player_id='2617486' first='Charles' last='Crane'] (11.8 PPG) and [player_tooltip player_id='2204869' first='Giovanny' last='Quiles'] (10.6 PPG) are the leaders, while Crane -- a Navy commit -- is averaging 10.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game as the Maroons' 6-foot-10 center.   No. 6 Ames (9-1) at No. 1 Cedar Falls (9-0), Sat. Jan 17 at 4   Right after facing No. 16 Linn-Mar at home on Friday night, No. 1 Cedar Falls will face two top 10 Power Score teams in 4A back-to-back nights. Assuming they can get past the Lions for the second time this season as Linn-Mar is riding a hot streak, they'll take on Ames, who has regisstered just one loss this season.   Cedar Falls is led by Winona State commit, [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough']. Looking like one of the top hoopers in the state, Kimbrough is averaging 20.6 PPG by creating his own shot off-the-dribble, getting to the rim, out-muscling opponents and showing soft touch when he gets down hill. Appearing like he should be a Division 1 target, Kimbrough has been dominant to start his senior campaign. Paired with Northern Iowa commit [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'], who's averaging 19.8 PPG and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 74.8% from the field and 42.9% from three, Gerdes and Kimbrough are two of the best basketball players the state has to offer at the moment. Throw in fellow seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1765505' first='Parker' last='Berns'] and Cedar Falls has a bevy of riches to work with each and every night.   A crew of seniors lead the way for the Little Cyclones, as well. [player_tooltip player_id='1978102' first='Will' last='Thomas'] (13.8 PPG), [player_tooltip player_id='1765516' first='Marach' last='Dau'] (9.9 PPG), [player_tooltip player_id='3255125' first='Brandon' last='Johnson'] (8.7 PPG) and [player_tooltip player_id='3255120' first='Max' last='Burgason-Sutton'] (5.3 PPG) combine to put up nearly 40 points a night on behalf of Ames. Dau, who stands a 6-foot-8 with a seven-foot wing span, is one of the more interesting senior prospecs Iowa has to offer, as he's also grabbing 7.7 rebounds per game.

The top four teams in the Class 4A Power Score rankings matchup this week, plus a battle between the two biggest metro areas in the state.