Substate Preview: 4A-1

<p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/4A-1.png"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-1384067" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2022/02/4A-1-1024x302.png" alt="" width="1024" height="302" /></a></p> [caption id="attachment_1288578" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Carson-Johnson-top-250-crop-4512x2963-1632317333.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1288578 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Carson-Johnson-top-250-crop-4512x2963-1632317333-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1171660" first="Carson" last="Johnson"][/caption] <p><strong>The favorite:</strong> A deep, balanced, and athletic team from <strong>Ankeny</strong> earned the substate’s top seed, and deservingly so. The Hawks have put together a strong resume that includes wins over Indianola, Valley, Northwest, and a sweep of Centennial. Three players average in double-figures in senior [player_tooltip player_id="962614" first="Ryan" last="Crandall"] (11.2, 8.6 rebounds), sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1171676" first="Lio" last="Aguirre"] (11.0), and junior [player_tooltip player_id="1167709" first="JJ" last="Kohl"] (10.4), while four others average between 6.3 and 9.8 points a game, giving them seven legitimate scoring threats. Sophomore point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1171660" first="Carson" last="Johnson"] (9.8) is a steady, calming presence as the lead ball-handler and distributor, and he’s also a knockdown shooter off the catch, so they can play him off the ball at times and let him burn teams from deep. In Crandall and junior [player_tooltip player_id="1230688" first="Karson" last="Wehde"] (6.4) they have a pair of strong defensive wings, and Kohl and senior [player_tooltip player_id="1352972" first="Braden" last="Simonsen"] (6.3) provide a lot of size and physicality in the paint. This team can come at you in waves, and their depth and versatility on both ends of the floor will be key as they progress through the tournament. </p> [caption id="attachment_1070401" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/VanDyk.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1070401 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/VanDyk-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1167750" first="Brandt" last="Van Dyke"][/caption] <p><strong>The biggest threat: Sioux City East</strong> lost quite a bit of production off of last year’s team, but in some ways, it may have been addition by subtraction. Nonetheless, the Black Raiders are second in 4A in scoring offense, putting up 70.8 points a game, and Coach Ras Vanderloo has them in a position to make it to the state tournament for the 21st time in school history. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1158432" first="Bie" last="Ruei"] (13.6) leads a balanced attack that has four players averaging in double figures. Ruei is a long, athletic forward who does a majority of his damage inside the arc, and he has really improved as a playmaker and passer. Junior guards [player_tooltip player_id="1196279" first="Preston" last="Dobbs"] (12.3) and [player_tooltip player_id="1367396" first="Cole" last="Ritchie"] (11.2) and junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1167750" first="Brandt" last="Van Dyke"] (10.0) are the other big scorers for this group that loves to get up and down. The Raiders don’t shoot it particularly well from the arc (32.2% as a team), but they do a good job on the glass, force turnovers, and look to play downhill as much as possible. This is a potent offensive team that has some length and athleticism that could create some issues on the defensive end as well. </p> [caption id="attachment_1289168" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Vance-Peiffer-crop-4852x3186-1632325455.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1289168 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Vance-Peiffer-crop-4852x3186-1632325455-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1167685" first="Vance" last="Peiffer"][/caption] <p><strong>The dark horse: Waukee</strong> won the 4A title last year, but this is an entirely different team after the new school opened and took the two players who would’ve been the top returnees. All five starters and the top two bench players are all gone from that roster, and people may have expected the Warriors to fall off dramatically. That has not been the case, as a young, new-look Warriors team has battled to a 12-9 record behind a balanced, deep attack. Junior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1167685" first="Vance" last="Peiffer"] (11.5, 6.7 rebounds) and guard [player_tooltip player_id="1288872" first="Cade" last="Littlefield"] (10.3, 48.6 3P%) are the team’s top two scorers, a strong inside-out tandem that plays really well together. Sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="1171683" first="Mason" last="Costello"] (8.7) is a talented three-level scorer, [player_tooltip player_id="1239875" first="Cooper" last="Randall"] (8.2, 39.4 3P%) is a knockdown shooter, and [player_tooltip player_id="1171657" first="Keysean" last="Moore"] (6.5), [player_tooltip player_id="1067655" first="Kaidan" last="Ivory"] (4.7), and Deion Kinnetz-Jenkins (3.4) provide a lot of quickness and athleticism on the perimeter. If you pay attention to BC Moore’s power rankings system, seven of Waukee’s nine losses have come to top-5 teams in the state, so they’ve been tested and will be ready for a semifinal against East. </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Players to watch<br /> </span>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962614" first="Ryan" last="Crandall"], Ankeny<br /> 2024 [player_tooltip player_id="1171676" first="Lio" last="Aguirre"], Ankeny<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167709" first="JJ" last="Kohl"], Ankeny<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158432" first="Bie" last="Ruei"], Sioux City East<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1196279" first="Preston" last="Dobbs"], Sioux City East<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1367396" first="Cole" last="Ritchie"], Sioux City East<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167685" first="Vance" last="Peiffer"], Waukee<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1288872" first="Cade" last="Littlefield"], Waukee<br /> 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="1167668" first="Keavian" last="Hayes"], Sioux City West<br /> 2022 Carter Pinney, Sioux City North<br /> 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1158507" first="Austin" last="Schubert"], Council Bluffs Jefferson</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;">SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION</h3> <p style="text-align: center;">Ankeny vs. Sioux City East</p> <p>Expect plenty of fireworks in this game, as both of these teams like to get up and down the floor. Both of these teams are able to go deep into their benches comfortably and it should be a pretty well-played game, if it materializes. We'll side with the team that has played in the tougher league and that has the lead guard that we trust slightly more and give <strong>Ankeny</strong> the edge in what should be an excellent substate final. </p>