Class 3A State Tournament Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#1 seed: Ballard (23-1)<br></span><strong>About the Bombers:</strong> The top-ranked Bombers have been fantastic all year, with their lone loss coming to second-seeded ADM in a rematch. They rank third in both scoring offense (73.2) and defense (43.3) and are the best defensive team in the field. They're extremely fast, athletic, and long, and they fly all over the floor on that end of the floor, throwing different pressing looks at teams constantly. Senior lead guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765518' first='Jude' last='Gibson'] (16.5, 4.8 assists, 3.6 steals) is having a fantastic season, his most efficient shooting year of his career (52-43-72 shooting splits). He's lightning-quick, highly intelligent, and is an elite on-ball defender. [player_tooltip player_id='2419750' first='Parker' last='Miller'] (12.1, 5.5 rebounds) is a long, lanky forward who can defend one through five at this level, and junior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2419714' first='Evan' last='Abbott'] (19.2, 54.7 FG%) has been incredible as their leading scorer. A 6-4 wing with great footwork and three-level scoring, he can dominate games on the offensive end. [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'] (8.6) and [player_tooltip player_id='3255116' first='Mojoe' last='Nybong'] (7.1), their fourth and fifth leading scorers, may be the X-factors for this group and their ultimate success. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>The Bombers have been elite all season, firmly establishing themselves as the team to beat in the class. They're fast, long, fantastic defensively, and filled with scoring threats. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2 seed: ADM (22-2)<br></span><strong>About the Tigers: </strong>The Tigers have the 4th-ranked scoring offense (70.7) and defense (44.2), and have been nearly as dominant as Ballard has been this season. They split with the Bombers during the regular season, and things seem to be set up here for a rubber match for the 3A title. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978130' first='Hudson' last='Lorensen'] (22.4, 45.5 3P%) is the program's all-time leading scorer and is a remarkably efficient three-level scorer, posting 53-46-94 shooting splits. A smooth lefty who can get to his spots off the dribble and he moves really well without the ball in his hands. [player_tooltip player_id='1978115' first='Trey' last='Bryte'] (14.7, 9.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists) is a triple-double threat on a nightly basis, posting 57-43-81 shooting splits himself, and [player_tooltip player_id='1978146' first='Hudson' last='Shull'] (10.4, 44.0 3P%) gives them another player who is capable of creating off the dribble and knocking down shots off the catch. This is a group that protects the ball extremely well (2.06 assist-to-turnover ratio), shoots it at a high level from 3 (38.0 3P%), and has three standout guards who are all reliable with the ball in their hands.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>Their trio of guards is as good as it gets in the state, each capable of controlling the game with the ball in their hands. Guard play wins in high school basketball, and the Tigers are as good as it gets there. Those three guards are also all excellent at the free throw line (Lorensen 94.4%, Bryte 80.7%, Shull 88.2%), so if they're in a tight game late and need to ice it away, they should be able to do so.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#3 seed: Storm Lake (23-2)<br></span><strong>About the Tornadoes: </strong>Coming off a state tournament appearance last season, and knowing that they were going to be really good again this year, Storm Lake went out and scheduled aggressively. They added games against Carroll, Sioux Falls Christian (SD), OABCIG, Omaha Westside (NE), Kuemper Catholic, and Sioux City East, testing themselves much more than they were tested last year. And for the most part, they passed those tests with flying colors. The highest scoring team in 3A, they average 78.5 points per game, using their overwhelming length and athleticism to turn teams over and get out in transition, where they can put on a show. Creighton signee [player_tooltip player_id='1765515' first='Jaidyn' last='Coon'] (21.4, 8.7 rebounds, 54.1 FG%) is the headliner of the group. A 6-6/6-7 wing who is hyper athletic, he provides highlight-reel plays time after time. [player_tooltip player_id='1765508' first='Cameron' last='Boyd'] (20.6, 44.6 3P%) has emerged as a fantastic secondary scorer alongside Coon, shooting it at a high clip from the 3-point line, and their role players - [player_tooltip player_id='2833525' first='Garbieno' last='Weno'] (10.6, 7.8 rebounds), [player_tooltip player_id='2420801' first='Trey' last='Boettcher'] (10.4, 40.6 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id='2420795' first='Timothy' last='Yanga'] (9.4), and [player_tooltip player_id='2419850' first='David' last='William'] (7.9) - are all good athletes who know their roles and play to their strengths well. No team in the 3A field is as athletic and long as the Tornadoes are, and if they're able to turn games into track meets, teams will struggle to keep pace.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>In Coon, they have the most talented individual player in the 3A field. They play an up-tempo style that can really frustrate teams with their length and athleticism and when they get it rolling, they're capable of dropping a 15-0 run on you out of nowhere.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#4 seed: Pella (21-4)<br></span><strong>About the Dutch: </strong>Senior wings [player_tooltip player_id='2120763' first='Jack' last='McGuire'] (17.3, 6.8 rebounds) and [player_tooltip player_id='2413561' first='Austin' last='Schulte'] (16.8, 6.7 rebounds) are the type of dynamic one-two punch of scoring threats that can take over games and carry them for long stretches. Both are capable of creating looks off the dribble for themselves and their teammates, and both have improved as shooting threats over the course of the last year. Two others, [player_tooltip player_id='3255121' first='Harrison' last='Mullens'] (8.4) and [player_tooltip player_id='2439145' first='Griffin' last='Simpson'] (8.2), are north of eight points per game, giving them two more reliable scoring threats on a nightly basis, and the Dutch can comfortably go 8 deep in their rotation. This is a group that loves to rely on their athleticism and length to create some chaos on the defensive end of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They have one of the best tandems in the state in McGuire and Schulte, a pair of players who can take over games and lead the Dutch to wins and a championship winning coach on the sidelines.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#5 seed: Carroll (20-5)<br></span><strong>About the Tigers:</strong> All five of Carroll's losses have come to teams in this field (ADM, Storm Lake, Ballard twice, Gilbert), and they have three quality wins over state tournament teams of their own (Kuemper Catholic, ADM, Gilbert). They have a strong quartet of seniors leading the charge in [player_tooltip player_id='2413644' first='Jared' last='Mohr'] (15.0, 8.4 rebounds), Trey Tassell (11.5), Mac Collision (11.5, 3.7 assists), and [player_tooltip player_id='3255087' first='Lual' last='Tharjiath'] (9.7, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks). They don't shoot it well from the 3-point line (31.1%) or the free-throw line (60.3%), but they pound the offensive glass hard (11.6 offensive rebounds per game) and do a great job forcing turnovers, averaging 10 steals a contest. They've proven capable of beating just about anyone, and their balance is a real asset.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They're strong defensively, especially with Tharjiath protecting the rim. His presence in the paint can be a major difference maker on that end of the floor. They've proven to be capable of beating high-level teams and their athleticism and toughness on the offensive glass gets them a ton of extra possessions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#6 seed: Solon (23-2)<br></span><strong>About the Spartans:</strong> Solon returns to the state tournament for the first time since 2016 on the strength of junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2530471' first='Tate' last='McCollum'] (19.2, 40.2 3P%) and a slew of talented athletes around him. McCollum, the son of Iowa head coach Ben McCollum, battled through a dislocated finger on his shooting hand in the substate final to deliver some magical moments. He can be electric with the ball in his hands, with his ability to shoot from 25+ feet and he's a wizard as a ball-handler and passer. [player_tooltip player_id='2906433' first='Maddox' last='Kelley'] (10.6, 3.5 assists, 4.0 steals) stepped up in a big way in the substate final, using his speed and toughness to routinely get to the rim for finishes, and [player_tooltip player_id='2906429' first='Grant' last='Gordon'] (8.4, 36.1 3P%) gives them another floor spacer. The Spartans have been really good on the defensive end all year, ranking 6th in 3A in scoring defense (46.6), and they do a great job forcing opposing ball-handlers to make decisions with the ball under pressure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all:</strong> McCollum is as electric a scorer as there is in the class, capable of exploding for 30+ on any given night, and they have a ton of athleticism and physicality alongside him. They're really good defensively, versatile and deep.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#7 seed: Xavier (15-8)<br></span><strong>About the Saints: </strong>The Saints have had an up-and-down season after reaching the semifinals last year and bringing back three key contributors from that group. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1978144' first='Zander' last='Murray'] (20.8, 52.7 FG%) is having a fantastic final season, posting his most efficient shooting splits and he's one of the top players in the field. James Madison commit [player_tooltip player_id='1765554' first='AJ' last='Evans'] (12.2, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 blocks) is a force in the paint, especially on the defensive end, and [player_tooltip player_id='1361499' first='Lorenzo' last='Pino'] (9.4) is a skilled guard who can play with or without the ball in his hands. The Saints get a large majority of their scoring from those three, but have five others averaging between 3.2 and 4.7 points per game, giving them eight reliable contributors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They have plenty of experience back from last year's semifinal run, and having gone through the MVC and playing primarily 4A teams during the year, they're battle tested and won't be intimidated by anyone they run into next week. Murray is one of the best scorers in the class, and Evans can be a difference-maker in the paint defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#8 seed: Gilbert (16-8)<br></span><strong>About the Tigers:</strong> Of the Tigers' eight losses, six have come to teams in this 3A field (Pella, Ballard twice, ADM twice, Carroll). Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1765542' first='Preston' last='Stensland'] (16.0, 3.2 assists) leads an offensive attack that is among the best shooting teams in the field (37.2 3P% as a team), and as we all know, the 3-point line is the ultimate equalizer. Sophomore Matthew Ochalla (15.5, 39.6 3P%), a move-in from Wisconsin, has been fantastic in his debut year with the Tigers, providing some serious scoring punch on the perimeter as well as some versatility on the defensive end. He can guard two through five at this level with his size and length. Turnovers have been an issue at times for Gilbert, giving it away over 14 times a game, but if they're able to protect the ball and limit live-ball turnovers, they have the weapons to score in the halfcourt.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They have two really good scorers in Stensland and Ochalla, and have played an extremely difficult schedule. They've already gotten two looks at Ballard, and if they're able to pull off that upset, they'll be riding high and capable of beating anyone.</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</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinals: </strong>Ballard, Pella, ADM, Storm Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals: </strong>Ballard, ADM</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Champion: </strong>Ballard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Eliot</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinals: </strong>Ballard, Pella, ADM, Storm Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals: </strong>Ballard, Storm Lake</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Champion: </strong>Ballard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->