Class 4A State Tournament Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#1 seed: Cedar Falls (22-0)<br></span><strong>About the Tigers: </strong>The Tigers have been absolutely dominant this season, with only three games decided by single digits. They're an incredibly efficient offensive team, averaging 70.2 points on 58-35-64 shooting splits, led by senior forward [player_tooltip player_id='1765553' first='William' last='Gerdes'] (20.7, 74.7 FG%, 2.1 blocks). The future Northern Iowa big man is a 6-8 lefty who can score inside and out with remarkable efficiency, and he has been a dominant force as a rim protector, pairing with senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1765549' first='Leyton' last='Wolf'] (8.8, 4.7 assists, 1.4 blocks) to give the Tigers a ton of size and length around the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='1777914' first='Jaydon' last='Kimbrough'] (19.2, 39.4 3P%), who recently de-committed from Winona State to re-open his recruitment, is one of the state's elite shooting threats, capable of taking over games with his ability to shoot it off the catch or create plays off the dribble, and the backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='1765505' first='Parker' last='Berns'] (7.9) and [player_tooltip player_id='2446123' first='Carsen' last='Gary'] (6.2) has been rock solid. The concerning thing for the Tigers is the fact that they've very rarely been tested, so how will they react in a tight game late, but this is a senior heavy team with a ton of big-game experience.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They've been dominant all year long on both ends of the floor, with their size around the rim making it difficult for teams to score, and their ball movement is on another level from other teams. Gerdes and Kimbrough are fantastic, and they already hold a head-to-head win over Waukee Northwest, a potential title game opponent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#2 seed: Waukee (21-2)<br></span><strong>About the Warriors: </strong>The Warriors don't have the pair of Big Ten players on their roster that their crosstown rivals do, but they enter the tournament red-hot, having won 16 straight games. They haven't lost since December 19, when they lost to Dowling Catholic a few nights after losing to Waukee Northwest. They avenged both losses later on in the season and blew through both Lewis Central and Council Bluffs Lincoln to get here. [player_tooltip player_id='1765524' first='Evan' last='Jacobson'] (14.4, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks), a 6-6/6-7 forward, is the team's leading scorer, headlining a group of four double-figure scorers, with a fifth just under that threshold. The senior backcourt of [player_tooltip player_id='1765539' first='Max' last='Roach'] (12.7, 4.1 assists, 48.4 3P%) and [player_tooltip player_id='1978110' first='Jaishon' last='White'] (12.7) complement each other well. Roach is a shifty guard who handles it well, sees the floor, and shoots it extremely well from 3, while White is a tough, quick, athletic guard who loves to play downhill and get to the bucket. He puts constant pressure on opposing defenses with his speed and strength. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2594655' first='Pete' last='Craig'] (11.3, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks) leads the team in rebounding and is a very versatile defender who will get looks at several different players on any given night, and senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='2823296' first='Landon' last='Hanson'] (9.8, 42.0 3P%), a Northwest transfer, rounds out their starting five. He has brought another long, rangy wing to their rotation. The Warriors don't go incredibly deep, with their starting five getting a huge chunk of the minutes, but that starting five is fantastic, complements each other well, and is playing at an extremely high level right now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>The Warriors have won 16 straight games and are playing with a ton of confidence. They have an extremely balanced group of scoring threats who can each beat you in a number of ways, and they have great chemistry on both ends of the floor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#3 seed: Waukee Northwest (20-4)<br></span><strong>About the Wolves:</strong> The Wolves have the most talented starting five in the state. They feature a pair of Big Ten signees - [player_tooltip player_id='1978099' first='Colin' last='Rice'] (21.8, 9.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, 2.3 blocks, 53.6 FG%), headed to Nebraska, and [player_tooltip player_id='1643192' first='Landon' last='Davis'] (14.2, 9.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 3.4 blocks), who has committed to play at Illinois. Rice is a big wing at 6-7/6-8 who can score from anywhere on the floor as well as defend any spot on the floor at this level, and Davis is one of the elite rim protectors we have seen at the 4A level in the last decade. [player_tooltip player_id='2478747' first='Nash' last='Kooken'] (10.2, 4.0 assists, 42.5 3P%), a sharpshooting sophomore guard, has early offers from Arizona State and Oregon. [player_tooltip player_id='2419793' first='Mack' last='Heitland'] (9.7, 36.2 3P%) is a good shooting threat who can get red hot, as he did in a game against Urbandale this season knocking down eight 3-pointers in a half, and senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1756989' first='Isaiah' last='Oliver'] (9.7, 5.7 assists, 41.4 3P%) is one of the best athletes in the state. He has committed to play wide receiver at Iowa and is explosive. Like their crosstown counterparts, the Wolves don't go deep into their bench.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all:</strong> They have the most talented roster in the state, and anytime a team in Iowa has a pair of Power 5 players on their roster, they're going to be a real threat to win it all. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#4 seed: Dowling Catholic (20-3)<br></span><strong>About the Maroons: </strong>The Maroons have been exceptional on the defensive end of the floor this season, allowing just 48.2 points per game. They held Waukee to 46 and 49 points in their two meetings and Waukee Northwest to 43 in a matchup, just to highlight how great they can be on that end. Their defense is anchored by a pair of big, athletic forwards - senior [player_tooltip player_id='2617486' first='Charles' last='Crane'] (13.1, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks) and junior [player_tooltip player_id='2443978' first='Alfred' last='Kolee'] (10.3, 8.7 rebounds, 1.0 blocks). Both are athletic, versatile defenders who can play in any type of defensive coverage, and both are exceptional rim protectors who can erase anything around the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='2731790' first='Noah' last='Martens'] (13.0, 4.3 assists), [player_tooltip player_id='2204869' first='Giovanny' last='Quiles'] (8.1), and [player_tooltip player_id='1978098' first='Nathan' last='Jenkins'] (6.7) are the team's top perimeter scoring options. The Maroons don't shoot it very well from 3 (30.4%) or the free-throw line (61.5%), but they'll pound you on the glass and smother you defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They are fantastic on the defensive end and are capable of holding even some of the most explosive teams in the state in the 40s. Anytime you have a pair of rim protectors like Crane and Kolee anchoring the defense, you're going to have a chance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#5 seed: Dubuque Senior (21-2)<br></span><strong>About the Rams: </strong>The Rams are a few possessions away from being an undefeated, top-ranked team in the state. They lost to Ames and Cedar Falls by three points each, and have pretty much steamrolled through the rest of the schedule. Their three-headed monster of seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1172887' first='Tevin' last='Schultz'] (24.8, 64.6 FG%), [player_tooltip player_id='1765555' first='Drake' last='Medinger'] (13.8, 43.0 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='1765536' first='Cooper' last='Porter'] (13.0, 45.1 3P%) account for nearly 80% of the team's scoring output this season, but they have a lot of good role players alongside them who thrive on the defensive end. Schultz, a 6-7 combo forward, is one of the state's elite scoring threats, and both Medinger and Porter have been electric from the 3-point line. The Rams shoot 40.7% from the arc as a team and average just 7.3 turnovers per game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>They protect the ball, play really good defense, and have three big-time scorers who can bury shots from anywhere. They were really close to going through the regular season unbeaten and they know how to win up-tempo games, low-scoring games, and have one of the best players in the field on their roster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#6 seed: Johnston (15-8)<br></span><strong>About the Dragons: </strong>Johnston is one of the hottest teams in the 4A field, winners of eight straight games heading into this tournament. The Dragons are once again strong on the defensive end, allowing 52.1 points per game, in large part because of their elite perimeter defenders. [player_tooltip player_id='2419846' first='Nicare' last='Cavil'] (15.9), [player_tooltip player_id='1765517' first='Tino' last='Daye Jr'] (12.4), and [player_tooltip player_id='2148648' first='Emri' last='Jones'] (6.9) are all high-level on-ball defenders with quick hands, great feet, and a love for playing defense. [player_tooltip player_id='2116043' first='Joshua' last='Jenkins'] (11.6, 42.9 3P%) has emerged as a strong third scoring option and is a long, athletic wing who gives them some defensive versatility, as do Caleb Gbarjolo (6.6) and [player_tooltip player_id='2419751' first='Darren' last='Grandon'] (4.1). The Dragons like to play at a slower tempo, using their defense to dictate games, and allowing their two-headed tandem of guards in Cavil and Daye Jr to create shots late in the clock.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>Defense wins championships, and Johnston has been exceptional on the defensive end, especially in the backcourt. Their guard play is among the best in the field, and if they're able to dictate the tempo in games, they can smother teams on that end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#7 seed: Prairie (18-5)<br></span><strong>About the Hawks: </strong>The Hawks are the third highest scoring team in the field, averaging 70.6 points per game, behind an offensive attack that loves to shoot it from the arc. They average 8.5 made 3-pointers per game, using their bevy of shooting threats to space the floor for players like [player_tooltip player_id='2419754' first='Quantae' last='Alexander'] (10.4, 3.7 assists, 57.2 FG%) and [player_tooltip player_id='2731874' first='David' last='Fason'] (7.7, 4.7 assists) to get downhill and to the rim. [player_tooltip player_id='2419840' first='Cayden' last='Larson'] (11.2, 6.4 rebounds), a 6-7 forward, has been steady in the paint on both ends of the floor, averaging more than a block per game as well, but the two players who will probably ultimately decide just how successful the Hawks are going to be next week are [player_tooltip player_id='2023719' first='Will' last='Wehr'] (12.8) and [player_tooltip player_id='2419791' first='Austin' last='Joens'] (11.4, 40.5 3P%). Wehr hasn't been nearly as efficient as he was last season, shooting 32.7% from the arc after shooting 48.8% last season, but he's capable of getting scorching hot and carrying this group offensively for long stretches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all: </strong>With a quartet of double-figure scorers and the ability to shoot it from 3, the ultimate equalizer in modern basketball, the Hawks are able to beat you in a multitude of different ways. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">#8 seed: Urbandale (14-8)<br></span><strong>About the J-Hawks: </strong>Seven of the J-Hawks losses this season came against 4A state qualifiers, with the other loss coming to Roosevelt, who played in a substate final. They're led by a trio of senior wings - [player_tooltip player_id='1978111' first='Jake' last='Pargeon'] (17.5), [player_tooltip player_id='1978101' first='Quentin' last='Teeter'] (16.8, 39.1 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id='1950542' first='Davis' last='Hardersen'] (14.5, 36.9 3P%). Pargeon and Teeter are both 6-5 and long, using their length to their advantage on both ends of the floor, while Hardersen has good size too at 6-3. Those three handle a large majority of the scoring for the J-Hawks, accounting for over 75% of the team's points on the season. They'll need someone else to step up alongside those three if they're going to upset some teams and make a run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Why they can win it all:</strong> They have three big-time scoring threats who can cause some issues with their length on the perimeter, and they've beaten Johnston and Ames (20-3, twice), as well as played really tight games against several teams in the field, so they know they can play with 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>Cedar Falls, Dowling Catholic, Waukee, Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals:</strong> Cedar Falls, Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Champion:</strong> Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Eliot</span></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Quarterfinals: </strong>Cedar Falls, Senior, Waukee, Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals: </strong>Cedar Falls, Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Champion: </strong>Waukee Northwest</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->