Tuesday’s Games to Watch

Centennial (3-0) at 4A #3 Ames (4-0)

Centennial lost three starters from last year’s team, but brought back a pair of impact players in Jaron Crews (15.3) and Colin McAleer Colin McAleer 6'3" | SG Ankeny Centennial | 2021 State IA (15.0), who are pacing four players averaging in double figures. They’ve gotten strong production early from junior wings Caden Kelling (10.0) and Jackson Snyder (10.0), and the Jaguars have done an excellent job protecting the ball early, committing just six turnovers a game so far. They’ll have their hands full against an Ames team that is filled with good perimeter defenders.

Ames star guard Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'2" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA (19.3) hasn’t missed a beat after losing his entire sophomore season to an ACL injury. He’s just as dominant on both ends of the floor as he’s ever been, and now he has a lot of weapons around him. Keyshaun Brooks Keyshaun Brooks 6'1" | CG Ames | 2021 State IA (14.3) was a go-to scorer last year in Lipsey’s absence, and he’s a knockdown shooter with length and athleticism on the wing. Junior big man Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA (10.3) is versatile on both ends, and senior guard Casey Mumm Casey Mumm 5'11" | PG Ames | 2021 State IA (6.0) is a very good defender. This group is still waiting to break in transfers Jonathan Beverly Jonathan Beverly 6'2" | SF Ames | 2022 IA (Hoover) and Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA (Waterloo East), as well. The Little Cyclones play excellent, disciplined defense, and they’ll really make Centennial work for their buckets tonight.

West Branch (6-0) at Camanche (5-1)

West Branch is off to a strong 6-0 start, with only one of their wins coming by single digits. The Bears have been strong on the defensive end, giving up 36 or fewer points in four of their six games. They’ve got three double-figure scorers in Simon Palmer Simon Palmer 6'5" | PF West Branch | 2021 State IA (18.7), Jeff Bowie Jeff Bowie 6'5" | PF West Branch | 2021 State IA (15.7), and Thomas Gould (11.0), and the Palmer/Bowie tandem is great on the glass. This group hasn’t been terribly efficient yet (43-23-66 shooting splits), but their work on the defensive end and on the offensive glass (10.5 a game) has helped offset that.

Camanche enters off a blowout loss to a good 3A Solon team, and they’ve been dealing with injuries early this year. Senior guard Jordan Lawrence Jordan Lawrence 5'9" | PG Camanche | 2021 State IA (15.4) is one of the best defensive players in the state, and he’s become a go-to scorer for them. They’ve gotten good production from senior forward Zayne Feller Zayne Feller 6'7" | PF Camanche | 2021 State IA (12.8) and junior wing Adam Dunlap (8.6) as well. 

Senior (1-2) at 4A #2 Cedar Falls (4-0)

Senior has been a bit underwhelming to open the year, escaping West Delaware with a one-point, buzzer-beating win, then dropping games to Wahlert Catholic and Western Dubuque. We had fairly high expectations for the Rams this year, ranking them in the top-10 in 4A to open the season, but they haven’t played to expectations so far. There is a lot of talent on this roster, however, and they’ll be dangerous on a nightly basis moving forward. They’ve been led by senior big man Jim Bonifas Jim Bonifas 6'5" | PF Senior | 2021 State IA (15.7, 8.7 rebounds), who has been dominant in the paint. Senior guard Cain McWilliams Cain McWilliams 5'10" | CG Senior | 2021 State IA (9.7) and wing Tyler Schuster Tyler Schuster 6'2" | SF Senior | 2021 State IA (8.7) have been solid scoring options as well, and this is a group that is going to be really deep. They like to apply pressure and use their athleticism and length to create chaos, but they’ll have difficulty doing that against a veteran Tigers backcourt.

If Waukee didn’t exist, Cedar Falls would have far and away the most talented roster in the state. The Tigers are led by senior wing Landon Wolf Landon Wolf 6'5" | CG Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (18.5) and big man Chase Courbat Chase Courbat 6'9" | C Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (12.8), who will both play at Northern Iowa. Wolf is one of the most efficient scorers in the state, a big wing armed with a lethal jumper. Junior lead guard Trey Campbell Trey Campbell 6'4" | PG Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA (12.0) is lightning quick and puts constant pressure on his opponent on both ends of the floor. Talented, playmaking wing Carter Janssen Carter Janssen 6'5" | SF Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (9.3, 5.8 assists) has taken a major leap this year, giving them another gifted passer, and sophomore wing Dallas Bear Dallas Bear 6'8" | SF Cedar Falls | 2023 State #276 Nation IA (5.8, 43.8 3P%) already holds a Division I offer. All of that talent, and we haven’t even mentioned senior big man Joe Knutson Joe Knutson 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2021 State IA (5.3), yet. He’ll play college ball at D2 Truman State, and gives them a big, physical presence in the paint. This group is deep and talented.

3A #7 Assumption (3-1) at 4A #10 North Scott (4-0)

Assumption has run off three straight double-digit wings following a season-opening loss to a ranked 4A Hempstead team. Senior wing Emarion Ellis Emarion Ellis 6'4" | SF Assumption | 2021 State #141 Nation IA (16.8) is leading the team in scoring, but isn’t doing so at a very efficient clip yet. The Texas signee is a highly gifted scorer who impacts the game on both ends of the floor, and when he gets it rolling, 3A needs to watch out. They’ve gotten really strong production out of junior wing Noah Mack Noah Mack 6'0" | SG Assumption | 2022 State IA (13.5) and senior guard Dayne Hodge Dayne Hodge 5'11" | PG Assumption | 2021 State IA (12.5), who are a combined 13-30 from 3 (43.3%) so far this season. 

Surprise, surprise, North Scott is winning games and taking souls on the defensive end. The Lancers have established themselves as one of the best programs in 4A under Shamus Budde, and it doesn’t matter what they return - they just play defense and grind out win after win. They’re led by senior wing Landon Eiland Landon Eiland 6'4" | SF North Scott | 2021 State IA (13.3), who will play college ball at Truman State. Eiland is an athletic, slashing wing who can also really shoot the ball, and he’s thriving with more opportunities this year. Junior guard Oliver Hughes (13.3) has also gotten off to a really strong start, starting the year 9-21 (42.9%) from behind the arc. If there is an area for this group to improve, they need to protect the ball better, as they’re giving the ball away nearly 16 times a game.

St. Mary’s, Remsen (5-0) at 1A #10 Gehlen Catholic (7-1) 

Like North Scott in 4A, St. Mary’s has established themselves as an elite defensive program, and they’re doing it again this year, off to a 5-0 start and holding teams to just 37.2 points a game. The Hawks have four players averaging in double figures, led by sophomore Jaxon Bunkers (13.4), a versatile scorer who is also dishing out 4.2 assists a game. Senior guard Blaine Harpenau Blaine Harpenau 6'0" | SG St. Mary's, Remsen | 2021 State IA (12.4) is experienced, and has made a major impact on both ends, with 4.8 assists and 3.8 steals a game. The other name to look out for here is junior forward Austin Jensen Austin Jensen 6'2" | PF St. Mary's, Remsen | 2022 State IA (10.0, 6.4 rebounds), a physical presence in the paint who controls the glass on both ends.

A young Gehlen Catholic team is coming off a blowout loss to Unity Christian last night, 73-48. They had beaten that Knights team 62-54 earlier this season. They’ve been led by the high-scoring tandem of sophomore Keaten Bonderson Keaten Bonderson 6'0" | PG Gehlen Catholic | 2023 State IA (20.3) and junior Carter DeRocher Carter DeRocher 6'2" | SF Gehlen Catholic | 2022 State IA (18.7). Anticipate seeing St. Mary’s trying to take one of them out of the game, so the other will have to step up in a big way against a very talented defensive team. 

2A #10 Treynor (5-1) at Underwood (4-0)

Treynor has dominated this series of late, winning the last seven meetings by an average score of 70.6-47.4. Expect this meeting to be more competitive. The Cardinals have three players averaging in double figures in Tim Zimmerman (16.3), Noah James (14.3) and Sid Schaaf Sid Schaaf 5'11" | CG Treynor | 2021 State IA (15.8), but they aren’t shooting it well from the arc so far this season (just 26% as a team). They’ve made up for it by forcing turnovers on defense and crashing the offensive glass, getting more possessions for themselves. 

The Eagles are off to a solid start, led by senior guard Timothy Conn (16.8). They’re shooting 42% from the arc as a team and only turning the ball over 10 times a game, which will be key against a Cardinals team that flies all over the court. In addition to Conn, four others are averaging between 6.5 and 9.5 points a game.