2A District Final Preview

Class 2A postseason picks record: 29-3   District 1: West Lyon (11-12) at Unity Christian (20-2)   Unity Christian swept the season series, winning by 9 on January 13 and 22 on February 6. The Knights simply have too much firepower for the undermanned Wildcats to keep up with. They can beat you with great guard play with [player_tooltip player_id='2413578' first='Dylan' last='Bosma'] (18.2, 42.7 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='2407223' first='Keagen' last='Winterfeld'] (13.2, 36.6 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='2413600' first='Austin' last='Wieringa'] (12.5), and they can beat you in the paint with [player_tooltip player_id='2419800' first='Tyce' last='Van Donge'] (13.4) and their guards ability to get to the rim. Or they can apply constant pressure, turn you over, and get easy buckets in transition. Just a bad matchup for the Wildcats here.   The pick: Unity Christian   District 2: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (15-8) at Southeast Valley (20-1)   Southeast Valley hasn't lost since a season-opening loss to Madrid. In the regular season finale they beat Clarion-Goldfield-Dows by just four points, so the Cowboys know they can play with the Jaguars. The Jaguars had to outscore CGD 19-9 in the fourth quarter to come away with the win in that one and won by just four despite winning the turnover battle 21-10. If the Cowboys can clean up the mistakes a bit, they can go on the win and pull off this upset.   The pick: Clarion-Goldfield-Dows   District 3: Garner-Hayfield-Ventura (9-15) at Roland-Story (17-5)   GHV comes in riding high off an upset win over Forest City, and they've got nothing to lose here, but Roland-Story's defense is too strong for the Cardinals here. The Norsemen allow just 42.7 points per game, and the tandem of junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2754727' first='Luke' last='Thoreson'] (17.7) and forward [player_tooltip player_id='2906518' first='Eli' last='Van Hove'] (12.4, 7.9 rebounds, 1.4 blocks) is too much for GHV to handle.   The pick: Roland-Story   District 4: South Hardin (13-9) at Kuemper Catholic (20-3)   Top-ranked Kuemper has been steamrolling everyone in their path of late, and that probably doesn't change here. South Hardin got the most difficult draw imaginable here, with a Knights team that is absolutely loaded with talent across the board. Too much [player_tooltip player_id='1765513' first='Ryan' last='Clair'], too much [player_tooltip player_id='2420798' first='Griffin' last='Glynn'], too much [player_tooltip player_id='2420805' first='Dylan' last='Schon'], too much [player_tooltip player_id='2519974' first='Jack' last='Badding']. Too much Kuemper.   The pick: Kuemper Catholic   District 5: Van Meter (14-8) at Grundy Center (21-1)   Expect a physical battle between this pair of perennial football powers. Grundy Center, under first year head coach Owen Thomas, has been much better than expected, gets this game at home, and has the best player on the floor in [player_tooltip player_id='2413534' first='Judd' last='Jirovsky']. He controls the game on both ends of the floor from start-to-finish, and the Spartans advance to the substate final with a nice home win.   The pick: Grundy Center   District 6: Beckman Catholic (13-10) at Denver (15-7)   Beckman is peaking at the right time, absolutely dominating Alburnett on the road in the district semifinals, 59-33, and they're riding high on their trip to Denver. All-State wing [player_tooltip player_id='2419787' first='Jake' last='Wegmann'] and junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2754692' first='Tayveon' last='Barnhart'] give the Blazers a dynamic one-two punch, and [player_tooltip player_id='1765519' first='Brady' last='Gogel'] has been really good as a lead ball-handler who can protect the ball. Beckman has been strong defensively, and while Denver has three double-figure scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='2729418' first='Jackson' last='Joerger'], [player_tooltip player_id='2724157' first='Quintin' last='Honn'], and [player_tooltip player_id='3344399' first='Lincoln' last='Roethler'], they may find the Blazers to be a tougher-than-expected nut to crack. Hot Beckman continues their run in an upset win.   The pick: Beckman Catholic   District 7: Crestwood (18-5) at Aplington-Parkersburg (20-3)   Since getting star guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765547' first='Benny' last='Waller'] (21.1, 37.4 3P%) back from injury, A-P has been fantastic. The high-powered Falcons will be perfectly comfortable playing the up-tempo game that Crestwood likes to play, and they've played a much, much more difficult schedule. [player_tooltip player_id='2594659' first='Tyler' last='Wedeking'] (15.7, 39.0 3P%) gives A-P another really good perimeter scorer, and Charlie Wessels (8.7), a freshman big man, has been a revelation late in the season. Crestwood can score in bunches, but can they stop the Falcons here?   The pick: Aplington-Parkersburg   District 8: Cascade (15-7) at Monticello (16-6)   Monticello swept the season series, 60-57 on December 16, and 49-41 on January 30, earning them the right to host this game. Cascade standout guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978108' first='Mick' last='Hoffman'] had good games in both meetings, the Cougars just didn't get enough production from the rest of the roster. Hoffman will need to be superlative, and the Cougs will need to find a way to limit the production of Monticello's second leading scorer, [player_tooltip player_id='2886871' first='Alex' last='Jamison'], who has had a pair of strong games against them and been a real difference maker, averaging 18 points and 5.5 rebounds.   The pick: Monticello   District 9: Central Lee (15-7) at Regina Catholic (20-1)   This is probably one of the biggest mismatches of the night, with Regina's size and athleticism too much for Central Lee to handle here. The Hawks have a 6-7 standout in senior [player_tooltip player_id='1978138' first='Will' last='Hayes'] (13.0, 7.1 rebounds), but he'll have his hands full with 6-9 [player_tooltip player_id='2523886' first='Ben' last='Wade'] (11.3, 7.0 rebounds), 6-5 [player_tooltip player_id='2419815' first='Will' last='Litton'] (12.5, 6.2 rebounds), and 6-5 [player_tooltip player_id='2419768' first='Tate' last='Wallace'] (17.0, 6.1 rebounds), each of whom can feast around the bucket. If Hayes gets into foul trouble, it's lights out for the Hawks. Look for the Regals to pound the paint again and again in an effort to get him out of the game and really open things up.   The pick: Regina Catholic   District 10: Mid-Prairie (16-6) at Northeast (16-7)   What wins out here? The strength, physicality, and toughness of Northeast, or the 3-point variance that comes with Mid-Prairie's trigger-happy attack? Sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2523908' first='Jaxen' last='Christiansen'] (21.9) leads a strong Northeast team that relies heavily on pounding the offensive glass, while [player_tooltip player_id='2520036' first='Bryce' last='Henry'] (17.6, 39.5 3P%) is the headliner for a Golden Hawks team that averages nearly nine made 3-pointers per game. If Mid-Prairie is shooting it well, they're capable of beating just about anyone. If not, Northeast can control this one.   The pick: Northeast   District 11: Columbus Catholic (14-8) at Union (20-3)   Union won the regular season meeting, 65-54, back on December 16, despite losing the rebounding battle by 10, 33-23. The Knights' ability to stretch the floor with their multitude of shooting threats makes them difficult to defend, and they have the experience of having gone on an unexpected postseason run last year. Columbus Catholic has a few really nice athletes in [player_tooltip player_id='2425904' first='Eli' last='Evans'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2629262' first='Amani' last='Robinson'], but Union has the deeper, more talented team and they're at home. Edge Knights.   The pick: Union   District 12: Grand View Christian (14-9) at Pella Christian (13-10)   Pella Christian won the regular season meeting by just a point, 48-47, on December 18. The Eagles have improved since then, in particular their role players alongside star wing [player_tooltip player_id='2724147' first='Gilbert' last='Flagel']. Having gone through the Little Hawkeye, PC has played an incredibly tough schedule and won't be intimidated by the moment here. The [player_tooltip player_id='2287857' first='Brayden' last='Hoben']-[player_tooltip player_id='2724147' first='Gilbert' last='Flagel'] matchup will be a ton of fun to watch, but the Eagles role players win this one for PC.   The pick: Pella Christian   District 13: OABCIG (17-5) at Underwood (18-4)   In 6-8 [player_tooltip player_id='2823320' first='Evan' last='Hoffman'] (14.8, 7.6 rebounds) and 6-6 [player_tooltip player_id='2420793' first='Jaxx' last='DeJean'] (12.3, 8.4 rebounds), OABCIG is one of the few teams that has the size and athleticism to contend with Underwood star forward [player_tooltip player_id='2731691' first='Garrett' last='Luett'] (16.5, 11.7 rebounds). The problem for the Falcons is that they tend to turn it over too much (16.5 a game), they don't shoot it well from 3 (29.3%), and they don't shoot it well from the free-throw line (54.5%). Those are three recipes from trouble in postseason play, and a few could rear their heads here.   The pick: Underwood   District 14: Ridge View (19-4) vs. Treynor (20-3) [at Council Bluffs Lincoln]   Treynor isn't on the same level as Kuemper Catholic, but when Ridge View played the Knights, they lost 107-51. Will this one be that ugly? Of course not, but Treynor should be considered a pretty healthy favorite here. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978103' first='Alec' last='Lovely'] leads a potent attack that can force the Raptors into turnovers, and if the Cardinals make this more of an up-and-down game instead of the halfcourt grind that Ridge View wants, they should be in business.   The pick: Treynor   District 15: Cherokee (15-6) vs. Tri-Center (20-2) [at Lewis Central]   Cherokee has a pretty significant edge in strength of schedule here, having played the 14th toughest schedule in 2A versus the 44th schedule of Tri-Center. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978145' first='Jaxon' last='Paulsrud'] (17.1, 5.4 assists) and forward [player_tooltip player_id='2731759' first='Coy' last='Lewis'] (16.2, 9.5 rebounds) are going to be a really difficult tandem for Tri-Center to slow down, but on the flip side, so will Tri-Center's duo of [player_tooltip player_id='2420786' first='AJ' last='Harder'] (19.9, 6.7 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id='2628806' first='Tyler' last='Baatz'] (18.2, 60.3 FG%). The Cherokee role players are probably a bit better and more reliable, and they've been tested more.   The pick: Cherokee   District 16: Rock Valley (15-8) at Western Christian (16-6)   This is one of the best games of the night. Western Christian won in the regular season, 71-65, in a foul-heavy game that saw 43 fouls called. The Wolfpack have a significant edge in perimeter shooting, averaging nearly eight made 3-pointers per game, while Rock Valley makes just five on average. The two-time defending champions torch the Rockets from deep, get a big game from sophomore guard [player_tooltip player_id='2772345' first='Tayden' last='Moret'], and hold off a really good Rock Valley team to move into the substate final.   The pick: Western Christian

Class 2A postseason picks record: 29-3