State Tournament: Wednesday Preview
[player_tooltip player_id="956868" first="Pryce" last="Sandfort"] Photo: Sean Bock 247Sports 4A Quarterfinal: #4 Kennedy (20-3) vs. #5 Northwest (20-4), 10:30 am Analysis: Kennedy is making their 16th state tournament appearance, and their first trip since 2017, while Northwest qualified in their first…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue Reading4A Quarterfinal: #4 Kennedy (20-3) vs. #5 Northwest (20-4), 10:30 am
Analysis: Kennedy is making their 16th state tournament appearance, and their first trip since 2017, while Northwest qualified in their first year as a school. This should be a fun, up-tempo game between two of the top offensive teams in 4A. Kennedy is headlined by their talented junior backcourt tandem of Colby Dolphin Colby Dolphin 5'10" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA (14.1, 39.8 3P%) and Kenzie Reed Kenzie Reed 5'11" | PG Kennedy | 2023 State IA (12.4, 7.0 assists). Dolphin is a tough, physical guard who can knock down shots and looks to attack the rim relentlessly, while Reed is one of the best pure point guards in the state, a pass-first guard who excels in ball-screen action. The Cougars are able to put more shooting around those two in the form of Carson Blietz Carson Blietz 5'11" | SG Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022 State IA (8.9, 41.5 3P%), a Jefferson transfer who has provided some scoring spark on the wing. Jackson Bowman Jackson Bowman 6'7" | PF Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022 State IA (10.4, 4.7 rebounds) is an athletic forward who runs the floor, while Craig Mills Craig Mills 6'5" | PF Kennedy | 2022 State IA (7.7, 7.1 rebounds) is a big body in the paint with soft hands and good touch around the rim. Coach Jon McKowen loves to switch up his defenses and throw a number of different looks at teams, and he’ll have his hands full with the weapons that Northwest can throw at you.
Pryce Sandfort Pryce Sandfort 6'7" | SF Waukee Northwest | 2023 State #123 Nation IA (27.2, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks) has been the best player in the state this season. He’s a 6-7 wing with defensive versatility, and he’s one of the best shotmakers in the state, armed with a quick release, unlimited range, excellent size, and the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to wherever he wants to go. He holds offers from Iowa, Drake, and Washington State, and that list is going to explode this summer. It’s not a one-man show for the Wolves, however, as junior point guard Cade Kelderman Cade Kelderman 6'0" | PG Waukee Northwest | 2023 State IA (16.1, 5.5 assists, 43.3 3P%) has been excellent in his first year as a starter. He’s a physical guard who can get to the bucket and finish through contact, and he’s also a great shooter. Henry Manning Henry Manning 6'1" | SG Waukee | 2023 State IA (11.0, 38.1 3P%) and Grant Tigges Grant Tigges 6'4" | SG Waukee Northwest | 2024 State IA (8.5, 44.6 3P%) provide more shooting, and this team has been excellent at the free-throw line this season, shooting nearly 80% as a group. This figures to be one of the best games of the entire tournament.
Players to watch
Kennedy: 2023
Colby Dolphin
Colby
Dolphin
5'10" | PG
Kennedy | 2023
State
IA
(14.1 points, 2.9 assists, 39.8 3P%), 2023
Kenzie Reed
Kenzie
Reed
5'11" | PG
Kennedy | 2023
State
IA
(12.4 points, 7.0 assists, 38.4 3P%), 2022
Jackson Bowman
Jackson
Bowman
6'7" | PF
Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 58.3 FG%)
Northwest: 2023
Pryce Sandfort
Pryce
Sandfort
6'7" | SF
Waukee Northwest | 2023
State
#123
Nation
IA
(27.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 41.1 3P%), 2023
Cade Kelderman
Cade
Kelderman
6'0" | PG
Waukee Northwest | 2023
State
IA
(16.1 points, 5.5 assists, 43.3 3P%), 2023
Henry Manning
Henry
Manning
6'1" | SG
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
(11.0 points, 38.1 3P%)
Our pick: Northwest 68, Kennedy 60
4A Quarterfinal: #1 Ames (20-3) vs. #8 Burlington (17-7), 12:15 pm
Analysis: This is Ames’ 23rd trip to the state tournament, and the third trip in the last four seasons, while Burlington is making their first appearance since winning the title in 1987. The Little Cyclones opened the year as our top-ranked team in 4A, and they’ve done nothing to make us think otherwise this season, with their lone loss with a healthy Tamin Lipsey Tamin Lipsey 6'2" | PG Ames | 2022 State #163 Nation IA (15.9, 6.1 assists) coming to Christian Brothers College (MO). Lipsey, a future Iowa State guard, missed the final six games of the regular season with a hamstring injury, but returned for postseason play and picked up where he left off. In his absence, Trevion Labeaux Trevion Labeaux 6'3" | SF Ames | 2022 State IA (15.3, 6.4 rebounds) and Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 6'5" | PF Ames | 2022 State IA (11.3, 5.6 rebounds) stepped up and played well on both ends of the floor. Ames is the best defensive team in the state, allowing just 42.7 points a game while playing in the loaded CIML.
Burlington has won 10 of their last 11 games heading into the tournament, including a substate final win over previously undefeated Pleasant Valley. The Grayhounds are led by a pair of athletic wings in senior Amarion Davis Amarion Davis 6'3" | SF Burlington | 2022 State IA (14.2, 6.0 rebounds) and junior Merquiche Lewis Jr (13.2, 5.2 rebounds). They can both get to the bucket and make plays on the defensive end, but if they want to pull off a shocking upset, they’ll need to get a ton of production out of them and senior guard Nate Spear (7.5, 42.1 3P%), the team’s top shooter. This has been a great run for the Grayhounds, but it likely ends here.
Players to watch
Ames: 2022
Tamin Lipsey
Tamin
Lipsey
6'2" | PG
Ames | 2022
State
#163
Nation
IA
(15.9 points, 6.1 assists, 2.5 steals, 57.4 FG%), 2022
Trevion Labeaux
Trevion
Labeaux
6'3" | SF
Ames | 2022
State
IA
(15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 57.4 FG%), 2022
Corey Phillips
Corey
Phillips
6'5" | PF
Ames | 2022
State
IA
(11.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 51.9 FG%)
Burlington: 2022
Amarion Davis
Amarion
Davis
6'3" | SF
Burlington | 2022
State
IA
(14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 53.1 FG%), 2023 Merquiche Lewis Jr (13.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 55.1 FG%), 2022 Nate Spear (7.5 points, 42.1 3P%)
Our pick: Ames 56, Burlington 40
4A Quarterfinal: #2 Cedar Falls (19-2) vs. #7 Prairie (17-6), 2:00 pm
Analysis: This is Cedar Falls’ fifth consecutive trip to Des Moines, while Prairie is making their first trip since winning the title in 1998. The Hawks handed Cedar Falls their last loss, way back on January 4, and the Tigers have won 16 straight since then behind the stellar play of senior guard Trey Campbell Trey Campbell 6'4" | PG Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA (24.0, 4.2 assists). Campbell, a future Northern Iowa lead guard, is a long and athletic 6-4 guard who can score from all three levels, and he doesn’t force anything. Dallas Bear Dallas Bear 6'8" | SF Cedar Falls | 2023 State #276 Nation IA (14.4, 56 3PM) is a 6-8 shooter who can get hot and carry the offense, and they’ve gotten good production in the paint out of sophomore forward Cade Courbat Cade Courbat 6'8" | PF Cedar Falls | 2024 State IA (6.9, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks), an athletic shotblocker.
Prairie is a deep, athletic, and physical team that will look to physically wear teams down. They held Hempstead to just 20 points in the substate final and they can comfortably go eight deep, even after the injury to starting point guard Elijah Ward Elijah Ward 6'2" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA . Gabe Burkle Gabe Burkle 6'7" | PF Prairie | 2022 State IA (14.7), an Iowa State football commit, anchors the team on both ends of the floor. He’s a physical forward who scores efficiently around the bucket and protects the rim defensively. Younger brother Reid Burkle Reid Burkle 6'5" | PF Prairie | 2024 State IA (3.9, 4.0 rebounds) has been strong off the bench in a similar role. Senior guard Jake Walter Jake Walter 5'10" | CG Prairie | 2022 State IA (13.2, 3.7 assists) is the team’s top perimeter scoring threat, and they’ll need a big game from him if they want to advance. These teams are extremely familiar with each other and it should be tight, but the state tournament experience of Campbell will be invaluable here.
Players to watch
Cedar Falls: 2022
Trey Campbell
Trey
Campbell
6'4" | PG
Cedar Falls | 2022
State
IA
(24.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.2 steals, 40.0 3P%), 2023
Dallas Bear
Dallas
Bear
6'8" | SF
Cedar Falls | 2023
State
#276
Nation
IA
(14.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 83.7 FT%), 2024
Cade Courbat
Cade
Courbat
6'8" | PF
Cedar Falls | 2024
State
IA
(6.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks)
Prairie: 2022
Gabe Burkle
Gabe
Burkle
6'7" | PF
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
(14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 58.3 FG%), 2022
Jake Walter
Jake
Walter
5'10" | CG
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
(13.2 points, 3.7 assists, 38.2 3P%), 2023
Jack Wagemester
Jack
Wagemester
6'1" | SG
Prairie | 2023
State
IA
(7.1 points, 39.5 3P%)
Our pick: Cedar Falls 52, Prairie 44
4A Quarterfinal: #3 Johnston (19-3) vs. #6 Ankeny (19-4), 3:45 pm
Analysis: Both of these teams have enjoyed recent success in Des Moines, with Johnston finishing runner-up last season and Ankeny winning it all in 2020. Playing in different divisions within the CIML, they did not meet this season. Johnston enters the tournament on an eight-game winning streak and brought back two starters from that runner-up team in Trey Lewis Trey Lewis 5'10" | PG Johnston | 2022 State IA (21.7, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists) and Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA (16.0, 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists), who have been sensational this season. Both are dynamic three-level scorers and athletes who are headed to play college ball next season, with Lewis off the board to D2 Drury and Kramer headed to South Dakota. The Dragons are the best 3-point shooting team in the 4A field (41.0%), and they’re able to surround Lewis and Kramer with three great shooters in Masen Ryan Masen Ryan 6'3" | SF Johnston | 2022 State IA (8.7, 45.5 3P%), Nathan Ruisch Nathan Ruisch 6'4" | SF Johnston | 2023 State IA (7.5, 44.6 3P%), and Samuel Tornabane (5.5, 42.5 3P%).
Seven players average at least 6.5 points a game for Ankeny, making them arguably the deepest team in the 4A field. The Hawks are led by senior forward Ryan Crandall Ryan Crandall 6'1" | SF Ankeny | 2022 State IA (11.7, 8.4 rebounds), an athletic and physical combo forward who provides versatility on both ends of the floor. He leads the team in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals. Sophomore wing Lio Aguirre Lio Aguirre 6'3" | SF Ankeny | 2024 State IA (10.6, 5.1 rebounds) provides some perimeter scoring punch with his slashing ability, and JJ Kohl JJ Kohl 6'8" | PF Ankeny | 2023 IA (10.3, 6.0 rebounds) is a big presence in the paint. This team will go, however, as sophomore point guard Carson Johnson Carson Johnson 5'11" | PG Ankeny | 2024 State IA (10.1, 2.5 assists) goes. The team’s best shooter and playmaker, if he plays well, the Hawks will be successful.
Players to watch
Johnston: 2022
Trey Lewis
Trey
Lewis
5'10" | PG
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(21.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 38.6 3P%), 2022
Steven Kramer
Steven
Kramer
6'5" | SG
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(16.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 51.9 FG%), 2022
Masen Ryan
Masen
Ryan
6'3" | SF
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(8.7 points, 45.5 3P%)
Ankeny: 2022
Ryan Crandall
Ryan
Crandall
6'1" | SF
Ankeny | 2022
State
IA
(12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 52.4 FG%), 2024
Lio Aguirre
Lio
Aguirre
6'3" | SF
Ankeny | 2024
State
IA
(10.7 points, 5.1 rebounds), 2023
JJ Kohl
JJ
Kohl
6'8" | PF
Ankeny | 2023
IA
(10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds), 2024
Carson Johnson
Carson
Johnson
5'11" | PG
Ankeny | 2024
State
IA
(9.9 points, 2.4 assists, 36.1 3P%)
Our pick: Johnston 66, Ankeny 59
1A Semifinal: #1 Grand View Christian (25-0) vs. #4 Lake Mills (25-1), 5:30 pm
How they got here: Top-ranked Grand View Christian survived an overtime scare from Bellevue, getting a free-throw from Noah John with 0.2 seconds left to come away with a 64-63 win. Lake Mills won a defensive slugfest against Danville, 39-22, holding the Bears to a record-low number of points in a state tournament game.
Analysis: Grand View Christian got all they could handle from Bellevue in the opening round game and they’ll need to find ways to get Manny Hammonds Manny Hammonds 6'2" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA (23.2) and Josh Baucum Josh Baucum 6'1" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA (18.8) more involved if the Bulldogs throw a junk defense at them like Bellevue did when they went to a triangle-and-two. Those two are their most talented offensive players and need to be more involved if the Thunder want to advance to play for the 1A championship. Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA was his usual dominant interior presence in the quarterfinals, finishing with 9 points, 19 rebounds, and 9 blocks. In that quarterfinal win, GVC shot just 16-33 from the free-throw line and turned it over 14 times. Those things can’t continue to happen, or they’ll be in trouble.
Lake Mills was absolutely dominant defensively against Danville, holding the Bears to a state tournament record-low 22 points. While the Bulldogs weren’t particularly impressive on the offensive end themselves, it got the job done, and they’ll look to improve in the semifinals with a game under their belts. Senior forward Wyatt Helming Wyatt Helming 6'6" | SF Lake Mills | 2022 State IA (17.8, 9.7 rebounds) is the type of physical forward who will look to go at Tobiloba, and Bennett Berger Bennett Berger 6'2" | PG Lake Mills | 2022 State IA (14.3) was excellent in the quarterfinal win. The ’Dogs will need someone to knock down some perimeter shots after going just 1-11 in the first round, but this team has to feel more comfortable now, and they’ll go into this one with nothing to lose.
Players to watch
Grand View Christian: 2022
Manny Hammonds
Manny
Hammonds
6'2" | SG
Grand View Christian | 2022
State
IA
(23.2 points, 2.8 assists, 42.4 3P%), 2022
Josh Baucum
Josh
Baucum
6'1" | SG
Grand View Christian | 2022
State
IA
(18.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 52.9 FG%), 2023
Daniel Tobiloba
Daniel
Tobiloba
7'0" | C
Grand View Christian | 2023
State
IA
(8.3 points, 14.7 rebounds, 4.8 blocks)
Lake Mills: 2022
Wyatt Helming
Wyatt
Helming
6'6" | SF
Lake Mills | 2022
State
IA
(17.8 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 58.0 FG%), 2022
Bennett Berger
Bennett
Berger
6'2" | PG
Lake Mills | 2022
State
IA
(14.3 points, 6.6 assists, 2.5 steals, 41.5 3P%), 2023 Denton Kingland (10.7 points, 3.0 assists, 40.6 3P%)
Our pick: Grand View Christian 58, Lake Mills 54
1A Semifinal: #2 North Linn (25-1) vs. #3 St. Mary’s, Remsen (25-0), 7:15 pm
How they got here: Neither team had much trouble in their quarterfinal wins, with North Linn blasting North Mahaska 89-43, and St. Mary’s cruising past West Harrison 70-52.
Analysis: Both of these teams rolled in the quarterfinals, with North Linn reaching the running clock plateau in the second quarter of their win over North Mahaska. The constant pressure that the Lynx are able to put on teams was too much for the Warhawks in that one, as they forced 26 turnovers and turned those into 36 points. They’ll have a more difficult time getting out in transition against a St. Mary’s team that is deep, experienced, and has a number of reliable ball-handlers. The Hawks like to control the tempo, and they should have more success than North Mahaska was able to have in that regard, averaging just over 7 turnovers a game. Still, knowing what is coming is entirely different than seeing it in person, and expect the Lynx to throw their usual pressure looks at the Hawks in an effort to get the game sped up to their liking. Point guard Austin Hilmer Austin Hilmer 5'10" | PG North Linn | 2022 State IA (20.0, 7.8 assists, 4.4 steals) leads the attack on both ends of the floor, with his speed impacting the game on nearly every possession in some way. Tate Haughenbury Tate Haughenbury 6'5" | PF North Linn | 2023 State IA (15.5, 68.3 FG%) had a huge game in the quarterfinals on both ends of the floor, using his length effectively on defense and turning it into easy offense. When you’re playing North Linn, it feels like you’re playing 5-on-8 because of the speed and precision that they attack you with.
St. Mary’s, like North Linn, is making their sixth straight trip to the state tournament, and the Hawks are an outstanding defensive team, as usual. But what separates this year’s team from other iterations of St. Mary’s teams is the explosiveness they have on the offensive end of the floor. They don’t have a go-to scorer, but they have a balanced and deep attack with six players averaging between 7.1 and 12.9 points a game, led by junior wing Jaxon Bunkers Jaxon Bunkers 5'11" | SF St. Mary's, Remsen | 2023 State IA (12.9, 49.0 3P%). The Hawks have a number of shooting threats and are shooting at nearly a 43% clip from behind the arc this season. If St. Mary’s is able to keep the game in the 50s or low 60s, they’ll feel good about their chances.
Players to watch
North Linn: 2022
Austin Hilmer
Austin
Hilmer
5'10" | PG
North Linn | 2022
State
IA
(20.0 points, 7.8 assists, 4.4 steals), 2023
Tate Haughenbury
Tate
Haughenbury
6'5" | PF
North Linn | 2023
State
IA
(15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 68.3 FG%), 2022
Dylan Kurt
Dylan
Kurt
6'3" | SF
North Linn | 2022
State
IA
(13.4 points, 40.8 3P%)
St. Mary’s: 2023
Jaxon Bunkers
Jaxon
Bunkers
5'11" | SF
St. Mary's, Remsen | 2023
State
IA
(12.9 points, 3.7 assists, 49.0 3P%), 2022
Austin Jensen
Austin
Jensen
6'2" | PF
St. Mary's, Remsen | 2022
State
IA
(10.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 61.0 FG%), 2022
Carter Schorg
Carter
Schorg
5'9" | PG
Remsen, St. Mary's | 2022
State
IA
(9.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 53.0 FG%)
Our pick: North Linn 68, St. Mary’s 60