Class 1A, Substate 5 Preview
DISTRICT 9 The favorite: Top seed Lone Tree enters postseason play with a 16-5 record, riding there on the backs of big man Niko Gosnell (17.5, 9.5 rebounds, 59 blocks) and point guard Jovonte Squiers (12.6, 7.8 assists, 97…
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Continue ReadingDISTRICT 9
The favorite: Top seed Lone Tree enters postseason play with a 16-5 record, riding there on the backs of big man Niko Gosnell (17.5, 9.5 rebounds, 59 blocks) and point guard Jovonte Squiers (12.6, 7.8 assists, 97 steals). The tandem is one of the better inside-out pairings in 1A, and are a difficult matchup for anyone. Four role players alongside them average between 7.0 and 8.1 a game, giving them a balanced rotation of scoring. Lisbon is a dangerous semifinal game for the Lions, given that Lisbon has already beaten them this season, but we still give a slight edge to Lone Tree and their dynamic duo.
The biggest threat: As previously mentioned, Lisbon already owns a head-to-head win over Lone Tree, coming back on January 5th, 54-51. The Lions have won six in a row and have a difficult matchup of their own in Bailey Arwine (14.3), a versatile scoring wing who can get it done in a number of ways.
The dark horse: Iowa Mennonite has lost just three times since the holiday break (Lone Tree, 2A Highland, Danville), and has legendary coach Dwight Gingerich patrolling the sidelines, so they’ll be prepared for anything that is thrown at them. If they’re able to navigate the lower half of the bracket, they’ll run into either Lone Tree or Lisbon in the district final, a winnable game. IMS has the No. 9 scoring defense in 1A, allowing just 43.2 points a game.
Players to watch
Niko Gosnell, Lone Tree, 2017
Jovonte Squiers, Lone Tree, 2017
Bailey Arwine, Lisbon, 2018
Zach March, Springville, 2019
DISTRICT 10
The favorite: A pair of sophomore standouts have propelled New London into the top-half of the 1A rankings here for quite a while now, and make them the favorite in this district. Mason Porter (19.8, 9.2 rebounds) and Keontae Luckett (10.1, 6.2 assists) have been fantastic for the Tigers, and they’ve gotten a lot of help from role players like Isaac McSorely (9.8), Alex Dentlinger (9.2) and Justin Henecke (7.6). If they’re able to finally get standout big man Ben Dentlinger (12.4) back from injury, this is a team that would not only be a favorite in this district, but could make some noise in Des Moines. Dentlinger was averaging over 11 rebounds and three blocks a game, and would be a huge boost if he is able to make it back. They split the season series with Danville, but with a slightly easier path to the district final, they’re considered the slight favorite here.
The biggest threat: Few teams in 1A are playing better since the holiday break than Danville. The Bears have won 12 of 14 post-break games, including a win over New London. In the 11 games that sophomore guard Max Wilcox has been with them, he’s leading the team in scoring at 18.6 points a game, and torching the nets at a 44.6 3P% clip. He gives them an added scoring dimension that was lacking before he joined the fray, and placing him alongside fellow double figure scorers Kaleb Haeffner (16.1) and Kole Perkins (14.9), makes this group explosive offensively and dangerous.
The dark horse: Few teams in the state chuck up 3s as frequently as Keota does, hoisting 26 attempts a game from behind the arc. If Cole Stout (38.7%), Hunter Wilson (36.1%) or JD Stout (36.7%) are able to get hot from deep, the Eagles could find themselves some wins.
Players to watch
Mason Porter, New London, 2019
Keontae Luckett, New London, 2019
Max Wilcox, Danville, 2019
Kaleb Haeffner, Danville, 2017
Kole Perkins, Danville, 2017
Jacob Wickenkamp, Keota, 2017
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Lone Tree vs. New London
A rematch of the SEISC Shootout game that New London won 79-71, we see the same result here. The Tigers have a bit too much firepower for Gosnell, Squiers and crew to keep up with in what should be a highly entertaining substate final.