Williamsburg Avenges Regular-Season Sweep By CCA

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TIFFIN, Iowa - </strong>Williamsburg found itself on the road Thursday night here at Clear Creek Amana for a substate semifinal. The Raiders conceded home-court advantage by losing twice during the regular season to the rival Clippers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That seemed to be all the motivation they needed. Williamsburg started strong and never looked back in this one, <a href="https://yourprepsports.com/2024/02/22/weisskopf-led-williamsburg-surges-past-clear-creek-amana-in-substate-semifinal/">cruising to an 83-63 victory</a>. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Raiders advanced to Monday's substate final against Keokuk in Cedar Rapids, while Clear Creek Amana ended its campaign at 16-7. The Clippers won 11 more games this season than it did last winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa Football linebacker commit [player_tooltip player_id='1171685' first='Derek' last='Weisskopf'] played like he wasn't satisfied with the school's first-ever state championship on the gridiron in November. The senior went off with game-highs in points (37) and rebounds (nine) Thursday. He knocked down four three-pointers and also locked down on defense in keeping his school's hopes alive for reaching the state tournament for the first time since 2015. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Weisskopf, who could compete in basketball or track in college if he chose either sport, received plenty of help from his teammates on Thursday. [player_tooltip player_id='1751226' first='Kellen' last='Cockrell'] (11), [player_tooltip player_id='2397303' first='Grant' last='Hocker'] (10) and Braden Plotz (10) reached double figures in scoring. Clayten Steckly's eight points included a pair of triples. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Raiders stand out as a well-rounded group with the ability to hurt opponents from deep or by pounding the ball inside. They also feature versatile defenders capable of guarding multiple positions, which keeps them from breaking down when switching. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cockrell, who is off to Ellsworth Community College for football, could help plenty of college basketball programs. The 6-foot-6 senior is a handful in the paint with his athleticism and quickness. He can finish with either hand and presents a presence in the lane defensively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hocker (6-4) is an intriguing guard prospect with the ability to play on or off the ball. Another member of the football squad, the junior shows a good handle and changes speeds well in shaking defenders. His long arms help him in finishing at the rim and on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>CCA dared Plotz (6-4) to beat it with a face-up game instead of letting the big-bodied senior bang on the low block. He obliged by hitting key 15-footers early with the Clippers sagging into the paint and focusing their defense on stopping others. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Steckly keeps defenses honest with his ability to knock down perimeter jumpers. The 6-0 senior handles the ball well and shows nice form on his jumper. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the Clippers, Andrew Rotzell led the way with 32 points. The junior has improved his strength since I saw him last season. It allowed him to finish better at the basket to go with his skill in scoring on the other two levels and keeping defenders off his handle. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1938206' first='Haiden' last='Hardy'] proved again Thursday that he's a dynamic point guard capable of aiding a lot of programs on the next level. He showed excellent pace with the ball in his hands and a consistent knack for getting by defenders. On the other end of the court, he pestered opposing ball handlers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Junior post [player_tooltip player_id='1381405' first='Brody' last='Clubb']'s future is in football with an Iowa State scholarship offer already in hand. The 6-4 junior holds his own on the hardwood, however, offering skill and muscle. Guard [player_tooltip player_id='1759931' first='Cale' last='Berry'], a junior, is another intriguing Clipper contributor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->