Iowa State Tournament Day 1: 3A Stockrisers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Breaking down the play of the top five stockrisers from the first day of the Iowa High School State Tournament in Des Moines. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2731749"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69af00fb277db"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Considered my X-Factor for Ballard to win the 3A state title, [player_tooltip player_id='2731749' first='Easton' last='Ersland'] showed why on Monday. Using his length around the rim to block shots and finish at the cup, Ersland was as effective as he has been all season. Not the star for the Bombers, Ersland showed why he's just as important as anyone on the rest of the squad as a defensive stalwart that puts pressure on the defense as a 6-foot-5 forward that can put the ball on the floor and get buckets. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Finishing with 15 points, on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line, Ersland not only scored in the paint, but drew fouls and scored at the line. He added two rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks for the Bombers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1978144"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69af2e839dba2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A score-first guard for the Saints, [player_tooltip player_id='1978144' first='Zander' last='Murray'] upped his game big time during his senior campaign. He showed off that growth and work in the quarterfinals against ADM on Monday, putting up a monstrous performance for Xavier in his final game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dropping 21 points with some elite shot-making from the perimeter and athletic finishes at the rim, Murray showed off why he opened up his recruitment this season with the pursuit of playing college basketball. A solid ball-handler and shot-creator, the 6-foot-1 guard has a future in hoops. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2906429"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69af543699199"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Averaging 8.4 points and 4.6 rebounds going into the quarterfinals contest vs. Storm Lake, [player_tooltip player_id='2906429' first='Grant' last='Gordon'] blew past his scoring average in the first half, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-2 from three, putting up 12 points in the first 16 minutes of play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Long and and underrated athlete, Gordon attacked the rim and was a ready and able shooter when the defense collapsed on his teammates. Initially viewing Solon as a team that solely had a conglomeration of football talent, plus their leading scorer, Gordon's play helped prove that the Spartans belonged at the state tournament in hooops too. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3255087"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69af5436991f5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">For the small schools in attendance, I wouldn't blame a single coach for saying "We need the tall, lanky, athletic guy that can swat shots, defend bigs and guards, and dunks everything."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In case you didn't gather, that's [player_tooltip player_id='3255087' first='Lual' last='Tharjiath'] of Carroll. The program's single-season record holder for blocks, it's easy to glean why the 6-foot-6 senior averaged three per game during the season in northwest Iowa. A bouncy, long-framed athlette that can jump and get almost any lob in his general vicinity, Tharjiath is a walking highlight. He finished with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor and added five rebounds. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2419850"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69af54369923b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The junior wing did his part on the offensive side of the ball, hitting two clutch threes in the fourth quarter and overtime, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor. He starred on the other end, though. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defending one of 3A's top scorers, [player_tooltip player_id='2530471' first='Tate' last='McCollum'] from start to finish, the third-year football prospect locked him up for the whole game. The son of Iowa head coach, Ben McCollum, Tate averages just over 19 points per game, and William held the All-State caliber guard to just 11 points on 3-of-18 shooting from the field, and 3-of-13 shooting from deep. A 40+ percent shooter from three, William gave McCollum no space once he crossed halfcourt, suffocating one of the best scorers the state has to offer with his length, agility and athleticism. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->