Class 3A, Substate 4 Looks Wide Open with MAC, WaMaC Powers

<!-- wp:image {"id":3506644,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"media"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/Screen-Shot-2026-02-18-at-1.52.48-PM.png"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/Screen-Shot-2026-02-18-at-1.52.48-PM.png?w=614" alt="" class="wp-image-3506644" /></a></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The favorite: </strong>The Iowa men's basketball team isn't the only team in eastern Iowa benefitting from the Iowa hire Ben McCollum, so is <strong>Solon</strong>, with the addition of his junior son, [player_tooltip player_id='2530471' first='Tate' last='McCollum'] (19.8). A flamethrower in the backcourt, he's capable of getting scorching hot from distance and carrying the team offensively. He's averaging more than four made 3-pointers per game, shooting just under 40% from deep. The Spartans are able to surround him with a ton of physicality and athleticism, with a number of talented football players joining him on the hardwood. Juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2906433' first='Maddox' last='Kelley'] (9.5, 4.0 steals), [player_tooltip player_id='2906429' first='Grant' last='Gordon'] (8.6), and Simon Einwalter (6.9) have all been solid contributors, as have [player_tooltip player_id='3219739' first='Tanner' last='Heims'] (5.8), Kaden Hoeper (5.2), Ethan Ulch (4.2), and Luke Merrick (4.1). The Spartans can comfortably go eight deep, are strong defensively, super athletic, and have the best pure scorer in the substate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The biggest threats:</strong> The hottest team in the substate is <strong>Central DeWitt</strong>, the #2 seed. The Sabers had their eight-game winning streak snapped by Muscatine in the regular season finale Thursday night, but they've been playing really good ball. That eight game streak includes quality wins over Assumption, Northeast, North Scott, and Bettendorf. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765533' first='Brady' last='Meadows'] (14.9, 5.3 assists, 41.7 3P%) and wing [player_tooltip player_id='2731756' first='Hudson' last='Krukow'] (14.3, 7.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists) have a ton of experience and are primed for a deep postseason run. Playing in the 4A-heavy MAC gives the Sabers an advantage in terms of strength of schedule over the other teams in the substate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Marion </strong>is another team entering postseason play on a high, winning nine of their last 11 games. The Wolves have arguably the strong top four of any team in the substate in juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2754674' first='Tait' last='Rahe'] (16.9), [player_tooltip player_id='2754695' first='Jaryn' last='Griffith'] (10.5), and [player_tooltip player_id='2448279' first='Brooks' last='Coates'] (10.0, 7.3 rebounds, 2.4 blocks), and senior [player_tooltip player_id='1978109' first='Christian' last='Stacy'] (14.0). Nobody else on the roster averages more than 3.3 points per game, but with a top four like that, they don't really need to. That quartet has a nice blend of skill sets, with Griffith, Rahe, and Stacy all capable perimeter shooting threats, and Coates being an at-times dominant interior force on both ends. The Wolves have been up-and-down, with good wins over Clear Creek Amana, Xavier, Decorah, and a sweep of Mount Vernon, but they've also looked uncompetitive in some games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>The dark horse: Assumption </strong>has stumbled down the stretch, losing five of their last six games, but the Knights have shown what they're capable of throughout the regular season, posting really good wins over Muscatine, Bettendorf, and a sweep of a Davenport North team that is extremely athletic. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2717164' first='Henry' last='Stremlow'] (18.6) has been really good, coming on especially strong down the stretch, and is the type of quick, skilled guard who can put pressure on opposing teams with his ability to score or create shots for his teammates. Nolan Dittmer (11.2, 7.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks) gives them some size and athleticism in the paint, and [player_tooltip player_id='1552452' first='Synceare' last='Simons'] (10.8, 3.6 assists) is a big guard who can control the game with the ball in his hands. The Knights are always going to be dangerous because of the schedule they play throughout the course of the season, and while they've been inconsistent, at their best they can beat anyone in this substate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Players to Watch<br></span>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2530471' first='Tate' last='McCollum'] (Solon)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906433' first='Maddox' last='Kelley'] (Solon)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2906429' first='Grant' last='Gordon'] (Solon)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1765533' first='Brady' last='Meadows'] (Central DeWitt)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2731756' first='Hudson' last='Krukow'] (Central DeWitt)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754674' first='Tait' last='Rahe'] (Marion)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1978109' first='Christian' last='Stacy'] (Marion)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2754695' first='Jaryn' last='Griffith'] (Marion)<br>2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2448279' first='Brooks' last='Coates'] (Marion)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2523914' first='Lincoln' last='Hickie'] (Western Dubuque)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2717164' first='Henry' last='Stremlow'] (Assumption)<br>2026 Nolan Dittmer (Assumption)<br>2026 [player_tooltip player_id='1552452' first='Synceare' last='Simons'] (Assumption)<br>2028 Isaiah Lange (Mount Pleasant)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2772334' first='Ryan' last='Helling'] (Mount Pleasant)<br>2026 Noan Lange (Mount Pleasant)<br>2027 Joseph Delgado (West Liberty)<br>2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2917315' first='Camden' last='Crees'] (West Liberty)<br>2026 Cyrell Etzen (South Tama)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central DeWitt at Solon</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It wouldn't be a surprise to see this be an all-MAC (Assumption/DeWitt), all-WaMaC (Solon/Marion), and another MAC/WaMaC combination here, with strong arguments to be made for any of the top four seeds in this substate. We'll side with Solon reaching the substate final out of the top, and the strength of DeWitt's backcourt carrying them through the bottom. The Spartans have had a really nice season, but may be a year away from their best basketball. <strong>Central DeWitt</strong> goes on the road and takes home the substate crown, punching their ticket to Des Moines, where they'll enter as one of the hottest teams in the state. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->