What else can be said about Gerdes as this point? The future Northern Iowa forward shot 11-16 from the floor and his field goal percentage on the season went DOWN. That’s how efficient he has been this season, how dominant he has been this season, and he has Cedar Falls on the verge of a third state title since 2018. He got Charlie Crane into early foul trouble with his relentless attacking of the rim, and that opened things up for everyone else. He finished with 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks in the Tigers’ win over Dowling Catholic.

It’s hard for a player shooting 75% from the floor on the season to see his field goal percentage increase after a state tournament game, but that’s exactly what will happen with Gerdes, who was 13-14 from the floor en route to 28 points for the Tigers. He does a great job making quick decisions on his post touches, keeping the ball high, and his footwork is fantastic. He was relentless on the offensive glass, using his size advantage to tap the ball up to himself and corral it, finishing with 9 offensive rebounds, and 15 total. He was dominant on both ends of the floor.

Gerdes, committed to play his college ball at Northern Iowa, is an incredibly efficient 6-8 forward who is shooting just under 75% from the floor while averaging 20.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.1 blocks per game. He has great footwork, soft touch, and is able to step out and stretch the floor, shooting 43% from the 3-point line. He’s a dominant offensive player who can initiate offense as a scorer and passer out of the post and high-post.

Gerdes was nearly perfect against the Hawks, scoring 24 points on 11-12 shooting to go with 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. The Northern Iowa commit has only continued to improve, becoming stronger in his upper body, allowing him to power through contact on the block. He has also become more decisive on his post touches, making quick decisions when he touches it, using his elite footwork and soft touch to score with either hand at the rim. He displayed impressive vision out of the post, finding open shooters on the opposite wings for shots. A long, switchable defender, he protects the paint at a high level.