Class 1A District Final Preview

<h5><strong>District 1: Newell-Fonda (21-2) vs. Woodbury Central (15-8) [at Kingsley-Pierson]</strong></h5> <p>This is an interesting contrast in roster makeup and style of play, as Newell-Fonda is filled with small, quick guards who look to get up and down, force turnovers, and play fast, while Woodbury Central likes to get the ball inside to star forward [player_tooltip player_id="1158450" first="Dallas" last="Kluender"] (20.5, 11.7 rebounds), a 6-4 force in the paint. Kluender and younger brother Drew Kluender (6.8, 8.0 rebounds) will look to take advantage of the smaller Mustangs on the glass, as the Wildcats average 13.6 offensive rebounds a game, which helps offset shooting 40.5% from the floor as a team. Newell-Fonda will look to pressure Woodbury Central’s guards and force turnovers, something that they do with great frequency, averaging over 15 steals a game. The Mustangs are led by wing [player_tooltip player_id="1167701" first="Carter" last="Sievers"] (19.7) and guard [player_tooltip player_id="962677" first="Trey" last="Jungers"] (12.7, 4.1 assists). Jungers and Mason Dicks (8.0, 4.0 assists) headline a backcourt that does a great job keeping the ball moving, and the ’Stangs play a style that gets a lot of players involved. They should be able to force a ton of turnovers in this game and offset the size that Woodbury Central possesses with their speed advantage. <br /> <strong>Our pick: Newell-Fonda</strong></p> <h5><strong>District 2: Remsen, St. Mary’s (22-0) vs. South O’Brien (15-8) [at Unity Christian]</strong></h5> <p>St. Mary’s has to be considered one of the biggest favorites of any team in these district finals, as the Hawks swept the season series 57-34 and 49-28. They’re a dominant defensive team that allows just 34.0 points a game, and they’ll force South O’Brien into tough shots all night. St. Mary’s possesses a balanced offensive attack led by [player_tooltip player_id="1167735" first="Jaxon" last="Bunkers"] (13.4) that sees six players averaging between 7.1 and 13.4 points a game. Bunkers is a strong wing who can get to the bucket and knock down open jumpers, while [player_tooltip player_id="962656" first="Austin" last="Jensen"] (10.5) provides size and strength in the paint. The Hawks have been incredibly efficient offensively, posting 56-44-64 shooting splits this season, and they do an excellent job sharing the ball, averaging 18.5 assists a game. South O’Brien will need to get a huge game from junior big [player_tooltip player_id="956890" first="Jake" last="Wallin"] (14.9, 9.0 rebounds) if they want to stay in this one and have a chance late. The Hawks should cruise to the substate final.<br /> <strong>Our pick: Remsen, St. Mary’s</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1147247" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Wyatt-Helming-crop-2786x1829-1615315103-crop-446x293-1615315117.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1147247 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Wyatt-Helming-crop-2786x1829-1615315103-crop-446x293-1615315117-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1158420" first="Wyatt" last="Helming"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 3: Lake Mills (22-1) vs. GTRA (17-6) [at West Hancock]</strong></h5> <p>Lake Mills has been one of the most dominant teams in the state this season, winning games by an average of 32 points a game and excelling on both ends of the floor. The Bulldogs are led by senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1158420" first="Wyatt" last="Helming"] (18.2, 9.6 rebounds, 3.2 blocks), a 6-6/6-7 forward who provides versatility on both ends of the floor. [player_tooltip player_id="1158456" first="Bennett" last="Berger"] (13.8, 6.7 assists) has been one of the top floor generals in the state, posting a 6.7-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and Denton Kingland (10.8) provides some additional perimeter scoring. GTRA has gotten solid guard play from juniors [player_tooltip player_id="1367443" first="Drew" last="Schnell"] (15.5) and [player_tooltip player_id="1367441" first="Max" last="Hough"] (12.3, 6.8 assists), and the Titans have done a good job limiting turnovers this season. That said, the size and physicality of the Bulldogs should be way too much for a GTRA team that doesn’t have anyone taller than 6-2 on the roster. <br /> <strong>Our pick: Lake Mills</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1131461" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/121-Douglas-Taylor-crop-2096x1377-1613166453.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1131461 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/121-Douglas-Taylor-crop-2096x1377-1613166453-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="956891" first="Douglas" last="Taylor"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 4: Dunkerton (21-3) vs. Newman Catholic (22-1) [at West Fork]</strong></h5> <p>Newman Catholic is one of the hottest teams in the state heading into the postseason, winners of 12 straight, including a blowout 86-62 win over this Dunkerton team. The Knights shot 53.6% from the floor, forced 14 turnovers, and dominated the rebounding battle 37-26 in that contest, getting 32 points and 10 rebounds from junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="956891" first="Douglas" last="Taylor"] (22.2, 9.6 rebounds), a player who is a difficult matchup for the Raiders with his size, length, and athleticism. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1158510" first="James" last="Jennings"] (17.6, 40.2 3P%) is the other big scorer for Newman, a big-time shooter who moves well off the ball, and junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="956889" first="Max" last="Burt"] (7.9, 7.4 assists) thrives on getting others involved. Dunkerton is led by junior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1367394" first="Preston" last="Gillespie"] (23.5), one of the top scorers in the class. He has had a fantastic, efficient year, posting 62-41-74 shooting splits, and he’ll need to be excellent in this one. Junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1167715" first="Casey" last="Gardner"] (16.3, 9.2 assists) leads the state in assists and is a dynamic pass-first guard who can also score in bunches from all three levels. Dunkerton shouldn’t have any issue scoring, the question for them will be whether or not they can find an answer for Taylor and get enough stops.<br /> <strong>Our pick: Newman Catholic</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1147251" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Austin-Hilmer-new-crop-2786x1829-1615315146-crop-536x352-1615315160.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1147251 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Austin-Hilmer-new-crop-2786x1829-1615315146-crop-536x352-1615315160-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 5: North Linn (22-1) vs. Janesville (18-5) [at Union]</strong></h5> <p>The North Linn juggernaut has kept on rolling this year, with the Lynx winning games by an average of 47.4 points a game, including a 5-1 record against teams playing in district finals with an average margin of 22.7 points a game. Senior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="682273" first="Austin" last="Hilmer"] (20.5, 8.1 assists) leads the up-tempo charge on both ends of the floor for the Lynx, ranking among the state’s leaders in both assists and steals. Three others average in double figures - [player_tooltip player_id="1167704" first="Tate" last="Haughenbury"] (15.7), [player_tooltip player_id="962641" first="Dylan" last="Kurt"] (13.3), and [player_tooltip player_id="962658" first="Cade" last="Haughenbury"] (11.0) - and this team thrives on forcing turnovers and burying teams early. Janesville is led by senior power forward [player_tooltip player_id="962655" first="Wiley" last="Sherburne"] (19.6, 7.6 rebounds), an efficient and powerful presence in the paint, and they’ve gotten good production out of senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="1352988" first="Jared" last="Hoodjer"] (13.5). The return of point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1158458" first="Leo" last="Dodd"] (4.3, 5.0 assists) from injury will help against the Lynx pressure, but the speed that North Linn plays at is really tough for teams who haven’t seen it before, and they should win this one pretty comfortably.<br /> <strong>Our pick: North Linn</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1321277" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/113-Gunner-Meyer-crop-1596x1048-1635950122.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1321277 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/113-Gunner-Meyer-crop-1596x1048-1635950122-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="962601" first="Gunner" last="Meyer"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 6: Edgewood-Colesburg (20-3) vs. Wapsie Valley (17-5) [at Starmont]</strong></h5> <p>This figures to be one of the most competitive district finals of the bunch. Wapsie Valley has lost just twice since December 17, and both of those losses have come to a Jesup team that is playing in a 2A district final. The Warriors have a quartet of double-figure scorers led by senior wing [player_tooltip player_id="962601" first="Gunner" last="Meyer"] (15.7, 9.0 rebounds), one of the most athletic wings in the class and a dominant two-way player. Parker Landsgard (11.0, 41.2 3P%) provides shooting, [player_tooltip player_id="1240097" first="Andrew" last="Westpfahl"] (10.5) is the primary ball-handler, and [player_tooltip player_id="956883" first="Mason" last="Harter"] (10.0, 10.0 rebounds) is a physical presence in the paint. Ed-Co has been excellent defensively this year, allowing 42.7 points a game. Their roster is comprised of all seniors, and this group has been building towards this season for a long time. Mason Ashline (13.9) and Jack Wiskus (11.1) are the team’s leaders, a pair of big, physical wings that use their length well on the defensive end. The Vikings can comfortably go deep into their bench and have a number of scoring options. This should be an excellent game, but we’ll give the slightest edge to Wapsie Valley, who will have the best player on the floor in Meyer. <br /> <strong>Our pick: Wapsie Valley</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1288254" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/William-Kiburis-crop-4852x3186-1632260355.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-1288254 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/William-Kiburis-crop-4852x3186-1632260355-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1167671" first="William" last="Kiburis"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 7: Gladbrook-Reinbeck (22-1) vs. Alburnett (17-6) [at Center Point-Urbana]</strong></h5> <p>In junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1167671" first="William" last="Kiburis"] (21.7, 7.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists), Gladbrook-Reinbeck has one of the best two-way players in the class on their side. At 6-2/6-3, Kiburis has good size and length, sees the floor extremely well, and thrives with his ability to play downhill and get to the rim. The Rebels are able to put a pair of good shooters alongside him in Caleb Egesdal (11.3, 44.4 3P%) and Luke Riffey (10.7, 35.7 3P%), as well as a solid forward in [player_tooltip player_id="1158493" first="Tristen" last="Sanford-Anders"] (14.8, 8.8 rebounds), who controls the paint on both ends of the floor. Alburnett has an athletic and physical team that shares the ball at a really high level, led by senior wing Andrew Ossman (16.2). The Pirates go deep into their bench and have six other players averaging between 4.8 and 8.6 points a game, and they’re a strong defensive team that has a few longer wings that they can throw at Kiburis in an attempt to slow him down. <br /> <strong>Our pick: Gladbrook-Reinbeck</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1161576" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/IMG_3332-rotated-e1631561334243.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1161576 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/IMG_3332-rotated-e1631561334243-300x207.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="207" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="962643" first="Luke" last="Menster"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 8: Bellevue (11-12) vs. Springville (19-4) [at Maquoketa]</strong></h5> <p>Bellevue upset Easton Valley to get to the district final, holding a potent River Hawks attack to just 42 points. They’ll have their work cut out for them again against a Springville team that averages 68.9 points a game and has a pair of dominant perimeter scoring threats in [player_tooltip player_id="962618" first="Rhenden" last="Wagaman"] (22.0) and [player_tooltip player_id="962643" first="Luke" last="Menster"] (18.1). Wagaman is a 6-3 wing who can score from all three levels and has the size to get his shot off whenever he wants. He has really improved as a perimeter shooting threat, and that has opened up the rest of his offensive arsenal. Menster is a quick lefty point guard who gets to the rim seemingly at will, and he’s a pest on the defensive end of the floor. Bellevue counters with senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1158506" first="Colby" last="Sieverding"] (13.2) and junior wing Jensen Wedeking (11.0). The Comets struggle to shoot from the arc (27.0%), and they’ll really need to focus in on the defensive end and limit turnovers against a quick and athletic Orioles team, or this could get away from them. <br /> <strong>Our pick: Springville</strong></p> <h5><strong>District 9: Danville (21-2) vs. Winfield-Mt. Union (21-2) [at Central Lee]</strong></h5> <p>These SEISC teams haven’t met since 2015, and this one figures to be significantly lower scoring than that meeting was, when the Bears won 82-68. Winfield-Mt. Union has the third-best scoring defense in 1A, allowing 34.1 points a game, while Danville ranks 12th, giving up just 41.0 a night. The Wolves are led by a pair of talented sophomores in forward [player_tooltip player_id="1171697" first="Cam" last="Buffington"] (19.5, 10.3 rebounds) and wing [player_tooltip player_id="1171698" first="Abram" last="Edwards"] (12.1, 9.1 rebounds). Buffington is a big, physical, athletic forward who has already committed to play football at Iowa, while Edwards is a multi-dimensional wing who can score from all three levels, switch defensively, and get others involved. Danville, coached by the Soukup twins who starred there in the 2010s, is playing a similar style to when they were playing at the school, forcing turnovers left and right and looking to push the tempo when the opportunity presents. They average 17.3 steals a game and 13.1 offensive rebounds a night, helping offset the 27.0% they shoot from behind the arc. [player_tooltip player_id="1352966" first="Drake" last="Johnson"] 914.3), [player_tooltip player_id="1288859" first="Caiden" last="Gourley"] (13.9), and [player_tooltip player_id="1235044" first="Sawyer" last="Nelson"] (10.0, 9.5 rebounds) are the team’s top scorers, and Nelson in particular will be key in keeping Buffington and Edwards off the glass. <br /> <strong>Our pick: Winfield-Mt. Union</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1254941" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Kade-Benjamin.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1254941 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/07/Kade-Benjamin-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="956872" first="Kade" last="Benjamin"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 10: New London (20-2) vs. WACO (19-4) [at Mediapolis]</strong></h5> <p>These SEISC South rivals split their season series, with New London winning 60-57 on December 3, and WACO winning 67-48 on January 22. It needs to be noted, however, that New London forward [player_tooltip player_id="956872" first="Kade" last="Benjamin"] (14.4, 6.6 rebounds, 2.2 blocks) didn’t play in the loss, and WACO took full advantage of his absence, winning the rebounding battle 40-27 and shooting 53.1% from the floor, with most of their attempts coming inside the arc. Having Benjamin back on the floor will be huge for the Tigers in this third meeting. The Tigers are led by junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="956871" first="Blaise" last="Porter"] (17.6, 5.4 assists), who plays really well with Benjamin. That tandem has played a ton of basketball together, as they are teammates with the Iowa Barnstormers as well. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1158513" first="Devin" last="Swanson"] (13.4) gives them some more scoring, and Porter is the type of quick lead guard who can give a bigger WACO team some issues. The Warriors are young, with their top six scorers comprised of three sophomores and three juniors, and they’re a deep and balanced team that loves to pound the offensive glass (13.2 a game) and force turnovers (14.2 steals), which helps offset some of their shooting numbers. Hunter Hughes (11.9) is the top scorer, but this is a team that can have a different leading scorer every night. With Benjamin back on the floor, WACO shouldn’t be able to control the glass quite as well as they did in the last meeting.<br /> <strong>Our pick: New London</strong></p> <h5><strong>District 11: Martensdale-St. Marys (20-3) vs. Lynnville-Sully (17-6) [at Pleasantville]</strong></h5> <p>Lynnville-Sully was dealt a blow a few weeks ago when they lost [player_tooltip player_id="1167730" first="Preston" last="Rodibaugh"] to injury. He was averaging 13.6 points a game, but they’ve played well in his absence, advancing to the district final. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1240095" first="Conner" last="Maston"] (13.7, 43.1 3P%) leads a trio of double-figure scorers, with sophomores [player_tooltip player_id="1171666" first="Corder" last="Noun Harder"] (10.7, 5.5 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id="1376719" first="Klayton" last="Van Dyke"] (10.6, 9.5 rebounds). The Hawks have been strong on the defensive end, allowing 43.0 points a game, but they’ll have their hands full with a Martensdale-St. Marys team that averages 61.6 a night. The Blue Devils are led by senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="962666" first="Hogan" last="Franey"] (18.2, 6.6 assists) and [player_tooltip player_id="1352931" first="Gavin" last="Stott"] (17.2, 39.9 3P%). Franey is a quality lead guard with a lot of postseason experience, having been a key contributor on back-to-back state tournament teams, and that experience and his calmness with the ball in his hands could be a difference maker. Martensdale-St. Marys is also a significantly better free-throw shooting team, which could be key in what figures to be a tight game.<br /> <strong>Our pick: Martensdale-St. Marys</strong></p> <h5><strong>District 12: Moravia (20-3) vs. North Mahaska (18-5) [at Central Decatur]</strong></h5> <p>This is another game with a significant gap in strength of schedule, as Moravia has played the 144th most difficult schedule in 1A (out of 148 teams). A young Mohawks team that has four juniors and two sophomores comprising their top six scorers, they’ll be amped up for this opportunity after putting together one of the best seasons in school history. [player_tooltip player_id="1367453" first="Gage" last="Hanes"] (16.1) and [player_tooltip player_id="1367459" first="Riley" last="Hawkins"] (14.8) lead a deep attack and they do an excellent job pounding the offensive glass, averaging 15.2 offensive boards a game, a stellar 48.0% offensive rebounding rate. They’ll have their hands full with North Mahaska’s star [player_tooltip player_id="1167743" first="Nash" last="Smith"] (20.5), a long and athletic 6-5/6-6 wing who is the front man of the Warhawks halfcourt trapping pressure that creates turnovers at a high clip. [player_tooltip player_id="1367407" first="Lane" last="Harmon"] (14.1, 41.4 3P%) is an excellent shooter, and [player_tooltip player_id="1167746" first="Braden" last="Steel"] (9.7) has been excellent on the glass with his non-stop motor. The size and length of Smith will be tough for Moravia here.<br /> <strong>Our pick: North Mahaska</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1147291" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Manny-Hammonds-crop-2786x1829-1615315783-crop-507x333-1615315795.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1147291 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/03/Manny-Hammonds-crop-2786x1829-1615315783-crop-507x333-1615315795-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 13: Grand View Christian (22-0) vs. Madrid (17-6) [at Ballard]</strong></h5> <p>The top-ranked Thunder have been dominant this season, beating teams by an average of 38.6 points a game and leading the class in scoring at 84.1 points a night. They are led by the high-scoring backcourt of seniors [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"] (24.7) and [player_tooltip player_id="1141465" first="Josh" last="Baucum"] (19.5), a pair of quick guards who can break down a defense and get to the rim, but are also really good shooting threats. [player_tooltip player_id="1367400" first="Josh" last="Sanderson"] (10.0, 6.4 assists) has stepped into the primary ball-handling role for the Thunder and been excellent, while junior big man [player_tooltip player_id="956875" first="Daniel" last="Tobiloba"] (8.2, 14.3 rebounds, 4.7 blocks) is a human eraser at the back end of their defense. The athletic 7-footer allows their guards to take more chances on the perimeter, knowing that they have someone behind them that nobody can finish against. Freshman guard [player_tooltip player_id="1174816" first="Toryn" last="Severson"] (19.1, 41.1 3P%) has been outstanding for Madrid this season, putting together one of the best freshman seasons we’ve seen. [player_tooltip player_id="1155054" first="Kadyn" last="Severson"] (14.9) is another strong scoring option on the perimeter, while senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1352890" first="Brady" last="Leonard"] (5.1, 12.8 rebounds) isn’t much of an offensive threat, but he’s fantastic on the glass. Look for the Tigers to try and attack Tobiloba early to open up the paint. If they have success in that regard, they have the weapons to keep pace with the Thunder. If not, Grand View Christian will roll to another win.<br /> <strong>Our pick: Grand View Christian</strong></p> <h5><strong>District 14: East Mills (18-5) vs. St. Albert (11-11) [at Clarinda]</strong></h5> <p>East Mills has the better record and stats, but those need to be taken with a grain of salt considering the extreme difference in level of competition that these teams have faced. According to BC Moore’s power rankings system, St. Albert has played the 4th most difficult schedule among 1A teams and East Mills strength of schedule ranks 130th. That type of difference provides a huge edge to the Falcons in this game. Carter White (13.6) leads a trio of double-figure scorers for St. Albert, and the Falcons do an excellent job controlling the glass, despite playing primarily against bigger schools and teams. Junior [player_tooltip player_id="1167727" first="Mason" last="Crouse"] (20.5, 7.0 rebounds) is the catalyst for the Wolverines, a strong three-level scorer who can control the game on both ends of the floor, while Braden West (13.7, 7.6 rebounds) provides more scoring and rebounding. They’ll need to pound the glass on both ends of the floor if they want to advance to the substate final.<br /> <strong>Our pick: St. Albert</strong></p> <h5><strong>District 15: AHSTW (22-1) vs. Exira-EHK (15-8) [at Harlan]</strong></h5> <p>AHSTW won the regular-season meeting comfortably, 81-65, despite Exira-EHK shooting 65.8% from the floor. The Vikings have been dominant this season on both ends of the floor and should have their way in this rematch as well. Their trio of [player_tooltip player_id="1167687" first="Brayden" last="Lund"] (18.6, 41.5 3P%), [player_tooltip player_id="784987" first="Raydden" last="Grobe"] (18.0, 44.2 3P%), and [player_tooltip player_id="1167692" first="Kyle" last="Sternberg"] (16.0, 41.6 3P%) is one of the top trios in the state, each capable three-level scorers who share the ball and impact the game defensively, while junior point guard [player_tooltip player_id="1240070" first="Cole" last="Scheffler"] (3.9, 4.6 assists) does a good job setting the table for everyone. Exira-EHK has a balanced attack with five players averaging between 8.0 and 12.3 points a game, led by sophomores Cash Emgarten (12.3) and Aiden Flathers (11.2), but they’re overmatched here against an AHSTW team that is on a mission.<br /> <strong>Our pick: AHSTW</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1290488" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/85-Sage-Evans.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1290488 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/85-Sage-Evans-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1167703" first="Sage" last="Evans"][/caption] <h5><strong>District 16: West Harrison (20-3) vs. Coon Rapids-Bayard (17-6) [at Denison-Schleswig]</strong></h5> <p>Coon Rapids-Bayard won the regular-season meeting between these teams back on January 18, 56-41, outscoring the Hawkeyes 24-11 in the fourth quarter to come away with the convincing win. They took 34 free throws in that game and held West Harrison to just 14-53 shooting (26.4%), which is unlikely to happen again. West Harrison’s standout trio of [player_tooltip player_id="1288871" first="Mason" last="King"] (15.6), [player_tooltip player_id="1167693" first="Koleson" last="Evans"] (14.3, 9.7 rebounds), and [player_tooltip player_id="1167703" first="Sage" last="Evans"] (13.5, 14.1 rebounds, 6.4 assists) shot just 9-34 (26.5%) from the floor in that first meeting, and the trio shoots 48.5% from the floor combined, so don’t expect to see them struggle that badly again. The Crusaders are led by seniors [player_tooltip player_id="962664" first="Gabe" last="Obert"] (14.2) and [player_tooltip player_id="1352935" first="Tanner" last="Oswald"] (13.4), and junior Lance Clayburg (13.3, 10.3 rebounds). CR-B will definitely have confidence that they can win again after the way they dominated the fourth quarter in that game, but we don’t expect the Hawkeyes to shoot nearly as poorly as they did in that contest. This should be decided late.<br /> <strong>Our pick: West Harrison</strong></p>