Games of the Week (Week 5)
TUESDAY (Jan. 3) Game of the night: Cedar Falls at 4A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy Kennedy opens the post-break part of their schedule playing their first game as the No. 1 ranked team in 4A. The Cougars are sitting…
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Continue ReadingTUESDAY (Jan. 3)
Game of the night: Cedar Falls at 4A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Kennedy opens the post-break part of their schedule playing their first game as the No. 1 ranked team in 4A. The Cougars are sitting at 6-0, but have a difficult task in front of them playing host to Cedar Falls and star guard A.J. Green. Green is averaging 23.2 points a game for the Tigers and shooting above 50% from the floor. If he’s able to get some help from Ben Gerdes (11.8) and Isaiah Johnson (10.8), he may be able to do enough to snatch a big road win. Kennedy’s constantly changing defenses will cause all sorts of problems, and Cedar Falls will need to find a way to slow Drake Brewster, who has been playing at a really high level for Kennedy. This one should be very entertaining.
Others to monitor
Ankeny Centennial at 4A No. 9 Ames
4A No. 10 Waukee at Ankeny
Cedar Rapids Xavier at Davenport Assumption
Rock Valley at Boyden-Hull
3A No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock at 3A No. 7 Charles City
Clear Lake at 2A No. 10 Garner-Hayfield-Ventura
AGWSR, Ackley at 1A No. 1 Gladbrook-Reinbeck
3A No. 8 Atlantic at Harlan
Centerville at Knoxville
Council Bluffs, St. Albert at 2A No. 2 Carroll Kuemper
4A No. 7 West Des Moines Dowling at Mason City
Grinnell at Newton
Rockford at 2A No. 9 Osage
LeMars at 3A No. 9 Storm Lake
Sioux Center at West Lyon
THURSDAY (Jan. 5)
Game of the night: 4A No. 4 Council Bluffs, Lewis Central at 4A No. 2 Sioux City East
Lewis Central and Sioux City East both enter this week undefeated, , and barring a major upset on Tuesday night, they should be 7-0 and 6-0 heading into this game, respectively. However, this is going to be a major test for Lewis Central, who has yet to play a game against a 4A team this season, so it’ll be a good chance to see where they actually stand in the class. They’ve gotten some stellar production out of wing Chad Moran (17.3) and big man Kyle Arrington (14.5 points, 12.7 rebounds), but he’ll have his hands full with East big Van Rees, who has the athletic ability to beat Arrington down the floor. With East’s quartet of double figure scorers (Rees 17.3, Aidan Vanderloo 15.8, Jailen Billings 14.2 and Trae Robinson 13.0), it’s tough to see the Titans keeping pace. But if they’re able to, watch out, because this team could be for real.
Others to monitor
Lisbon at 1A No. 7 Lone Tree
FRIDAY (Jan. 6)
Game of the night: 4A No. 10 Waukee at 4A No. 6 West Des Moines Valley
These two teams played in a good one back on December 9, with Waukee beating Valley by four, 56-52. Now, they make the return trip to see the Tigers, who enter the week on a three-game winning streak, and winners of five of their last six (only loss to Waukee). The Warriors won the first meeting despite getting very little production out of Jacob Rau, a good sign for Waukee. If they can get some better production out of him this time around, they’ll have a good chance at sweeping the season series.
Others to monitor
4A No. 9 Ames at Ankeny
Muscatine at 4A No. 8 Bettendorf
Des Moines Hoover at Des Moines North
4A No. 5 Dubuque Senior at Dubuque Hempstead
2A No. 2 Carroll Kuemper at Glenwood
2A No. 1 Pella Christian at Grinnell
East Marshall at Jesup
3A No. 6 Spirit Lake at LeMars
Highland, Riverside at 1A No. 4 New London
3A No. 3 Pella at Newton
Davenport Central at North Scott
Oskaloosa at Norwalk
Cedar Rapids Xavier at Cedar Rapids Prairie
West Lyon at Sheldon
Boyden-Hull at Sioux Center
Solon at 3A No. 2 West Delaware
SATURDAY (Jan. 7)
Game of the night: 2A No. 1 Pella Christian at Norwalk
The second game of a tough back-to-back for Pella Christian (at Grinnell on Friday night), the Eagles will have their hands full against Norwalk’s tandem of talented guards, Luke Vaske (20.9) and Bowen Born (16.4). The Warriors have lost three games already, but those losses have been by 3, 2 and 1 points, so they’re tested and tough. The guard matchup here between Levi Jungling and Vaske should be lots of fun, and if David Kacmarynski (15.2) is able to have a big game for Pella Christian, that would go a long ways in getting them a tough road win.
Others to monitor
Rockford at AGWSR, Ackley
Newton at Knoxville
Rock Valley at 4A No. 2 Sioux City East
Forest City at Clear Lake