STATE TOURNAMENT: Class 3A Recaps
Championship: No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier 54, No. 6 Sergeant Bluff-Luton 49
The Saints of Cedar Rapids Xavier had an up-and-down season, there’s no other way to put it. At one point they were 4-9. But they put it all together late, and have a repeat championship season to show for it. Xavier outlasted a very good Sergeant Bluff-Luton team on Saturday night, winning their second straight 3A championship, 54-49.
In a game that featured 17 lead changes, including seven in the fourth quarter, it was Xavier’s star that came up big down the stretch. Before free throws from Jackson Joens and Nolan Butkowski iced it, Mims had scored eight of the Saints’ 10 points in the fourth quarter to help them, including a driving layup with 42 seconds to play to give them a lead they didn’t give up the rest of the way. Jackson Joens added a pair of free throws to make it 52-49, and after forcing a missed 3 from Chris Kroll, Nolan Butkowski made the game-icing free throws with 3.8 seconds to play, providing the final 54-49 margin.
An extremely well-played game by both teams, the teams combined for just 12 turnovers and each shot above 45%. In a tournament that has been filled with sloppy play and poor shooting, it was nice to see a cleanly played game to wrap up the 3A tournament.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton ends the season with a 17-10 record. The Warriors were led by Jackson Wright, who had 19 points and earned all-tournament honors. Chris Kroll added 13 points and joined Wright on the all-tournament team, and Keegan Savary had 10 points in the loss. Sergeant Bluff-Luton was making their first state tournament appearance and were exceptional all week, proving they belonged among 3A’s elites with their balanced and disciplined style of play.
Cedar Rapids Xavier (16-11) had four in double figures, led by Matt Mims with 17. Nolan Butkowski and Max Techau each had 12, and Jackson Joens added 11 for the Saints in the win. With Mims and Joens back next season, the Saints will be among the favorites in 3A next year, with a very good chance to 3-peat.
MVP: Matt Mims (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — 17 points (7-15 FG, 1-5 3P, 2-2 FT), two rebounds, five assists, one block, one steal
Mims took over down the stretch for the Saints, scoring eight of the Saints’ first 10 points of the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead layup with 42 seconds left to give Xavier a lead they wouldn’t give up. He was exceptional all week, earning captain of the all-tournament team honors.
All-tournament team: Austin Phyfe (Waverly-Shell Rock), John Nagel (West Delaware), Chris Kroll (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), Jackson Wright (Sergeant Bluff-Luton), Jackson Joens (Cedar Rapids Xavier), Matt Mims (Cedar Rapids Xavier)
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 12 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 49 |
Cedar Rapids Xavier | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 54 |
Sergeant Bluff-Luton: Jackson Wright 19, Chris Kroll 13, Keegan Savary 10, Sam DeMoss 7
Cedar Rapids Xavier: Matt Mims 17, Nolan Butkowski 12, Max Techau 12, Jackson Joens 11, Max Johnson 2
Team stats
Sergeant Bluff-Luton: 21-45 FG (46.7%), 4-12 3P, (33.3%), 3-5 FT (60.0%), five offensive rebounds, 15 defensive rebounds (20 total), five turnovers, seven assists
Cedar Rapids Xavier: 21-44 FG (47.7%), 6-14 3P (42.9%), 6-6 FT (100.0%), eight offensive rebounds, 19 defensive rebounds (27 total), seven turnovers, 13 assists
Semifinal No. 2: No. 6 Sergeant Bluff-Luton 72, No. 2 West Delaware 59
Second-seeded West Delaware scored the first bucket of their semifinal game against sixth seed Sergeant Bluff-Luton. That 2-0 lead was the last lead they had, as the Warriors were in control from start to finish, beating the previously beaten Hawks, 72-59, to advance to Saturday night’s 3A championship game, where they’ll face Cedar Rapids Xavier.
The Warriors trailed for just 22 seconds during the contest, playing perhaps the best all-around game that any team has played this week, regardless of class. They shot 56.1% from the floor, 50% from behind the arc, knocked down 20 of 27 free throws, and committed just five turnovers en route to the win.
Senior guard Chris Kroll carried the Warriors to a halftime lead, 36-28, behind 18 first half points. Any time West Delaware made a run in the second half, Kroll or one of the many other weapons on this SB-L team had an answer, as the Hawks never got any closer than five points in the second half.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton (17-9) was led by Chris Kroll, who had 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Jackson Wright added 17 for the Warriors.
West Delaware, the state’s last remaining unbeaten, falls to 25-1 with the loss. The Hawks were led by Derek Krogmann, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds. John Nagel added 19 points in the loss. They will play Waverly-Shell Rock in Saturday afternoon’s consolation game.
MVP: Chris Kroll (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) — 32 points (8-13 FG, 3-4 3P, 13-15 FT), 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals, one block
The 6-1 guard was simply sensational from start-to-finish for the Warriors. He scored 18 in the first half, 14 in the second half, and added 10 rebounds and six assists to boot.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 15 | 23 | 11 | 23 | 72 |
West Delaware | 10 | 18 | 13 | 18 | 59 |
Sergeant Bluff-Luton: Chris Kroll 32, Jackson Wright 17, Conner Groves 8, Keegan Savary 6, Sam DeMoss 5, Cole Salker 2, Collin Croston 2
West Delaware: Derek Krogmann 23, John Nagel 19, Tyler Kelley 6, Ryan Trainer 5, Kyle Wright 3, Marshall McCarty 3
Team stats
Sergeant Bluff-Luton: 23-41 FG (56.1%), 6-12 3P (50.0%), 20-27 FT (74.1%), two offensive rebounds, 18 defensive rebounds (20 total), five turnovers, 10 assists
West Delaware: 22-47 FG (46.8%), 4-13 3P (30.8%), 11-18 FT (61.1%), 11 offensive rebounds, 18 defensive rebounds (29 total), 12 turnovers, 11 assists
Semifinal No. 1: No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier 47, No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock 41 (OT)
Defending champion Cedar Rapids Xavier avenged a regular season loss on Thursday night, knocking off top-seed Waverly-Shell Rock, 47-41, in overtime. The Saints advance to Saturday night’s championship game, where they’ll face the winner of West Delaware vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton.
A game that was painful to watch in the first half turned into a pretty entertaining game in the final 20 minutes. Waverly-Shell Rock led 16-14 at halftime, despite shooting just 18.2% from the floor in the opening half.
The third quarter had both team’s stars going at it, with Xavier’s Matt Mims and Waverly-Shell Rock’s Austin Phyfe trading buckets early on, then Saints wing Jackson Joens taking over down the stretch. He scored nine of his 14 points in the third quarter.
With the game tied at 38, Matt Mims went to the line for a one-and-one with 7.2 seconds left. He missed the front end, and a John Stensland 3 at the horn fell short, sending the game to overtime. Austin Phyfe started the extra period with a bucket and one, but those three points would be all the Go-Hawks mustered in the last four minutes. Nolan Butkowski went 1-2 at the line, then Matt Mims hit a 3 to give Xavier the lead for good.
Xavier (15-11) was led by Matt Mims, who scored 21 points. Jackson Joens added 14, and Nolan Butkowski had eight points and 10 rebounds in the win.
Waverly-Shell Rock falls to 23-2 with the loss. The Go-Hawks will face the loser of the West Delaware vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton game on Saturday afternoon in a consolation game. Austin Phyfe led the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds. No other player scored more than six.
MVP: Matt Mims (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — 21 points (7-16 FG, 1-4 3P, 6-8 FT), three rebounds, one steal
The Xavier guard scored a team-high 21 points, showcasing his ability to get to the rim as well as knock down mid-range jumpers. No shot was bigger, however, than the cold-blooded 3 he hit in overtime to give the Saints a lead they wouldn’t give up the rest of the way.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | OT | F |
Cedar Rapids Xavier | 8 | 6 | 16 | 8 | 9 | 47 |
Waverly-Shell Rock | 6 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 41 |
Cedar Rapids Xavier: Matt Mims 21, Jackson Joens 14, Nolan Butkowski 8, Quinn Schulte 2, Max Techau 1, Bryce Schulte 1
Waverly-Shell Rock: Austin Phyfe 22, Mosai Newsom 6, Luke Velky 4, John Stensland 3, Jackson Little 3, Jackson Seward 2, Jacob Bahe 1
Team stats
Cedar Rapids Xavier: 13-39 FG (33.3%), 2-8 3P (25.0%), 19-28 FT (67.9%), seven offensive rebounds, 28 defensive rebounds (35 total), 10 turnovers, four assists
Waverly-Shell Rock: 15-47 FG (31.9%), 2-14 3P (14.3%), 9-13 FT (69.2%), six offensive rebounds, 24 defensive rebounds (30 total), 12 turnovers, seven assists
Quarterfinal No. 4: No. 6 Sergeant Bluff-Luton , No. 3 Pella
In the biggest “upset” of the tournament so far, sixth seeded Sergeant Bluff-Luton knocked off third seed Pella, , on Tuesday evening to advance to Thursday’s semifinals, where they’ll face West Delaware.
The Warriors looked far from an underdog, however, leading from start-to-finish and by as much as 14 throughout the evening. A switch to a 1-3-1 by Pella helped draw the Dutch closer, closing to within a possession at multiple points in the third and fourth quarters, but SB-L kept coming up with answers to keep them from getting over the hump.
An efficient Warriors attack shot 52% from the floor and dished out 17 assists in their first state tournament appearance since 1940.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton (16-9) was led by sophomore guard Conner Groves, who scored 17 points and made a number of critical plays down the stretch. Sam DeMoss scored 12 off the bench, and Keegan Savary and Jackson Wright each had 10 in the win.
Pella ends their season with a 22-3 record. The Dutch were led by Ryan Van Wyk, who had 19 in his final high school game. Donovan Holterhaus added 15 in the loss.
MVP: Conner Groves (Sergeant Bluff-Luton) — 17 points (6-13 FG, 3-7 3P, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, three assists, two steals
We had the sophomore guard pegged as a potential “breakout” player here, and through one game, put a big fat checkmark next to that one. He made big play after big play down the stretch, scoring a team-high 17 points to go with three assists and no turnovers. A crafty combo guard with the ability to stroke it from deep or get to the rim, he had a great first showing.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Sergeant Bluff-Luton | 15 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 66 |
Pella | 10 | 8 | 23 | 14 | 55 |
Sergeant Bluff-Luton: Conner Groves 17, Sam DeMoss 12, Keegan Savary 10, Jackson Wright 10, Chris Kroll 9, Ty Boekelman 8
Pella: Ryan Van Wyk 19, Donovan Holterhaus 15, Nick Finney 9, Drew Pringle 5, Kobe Diers 3, Nick DeJong 2, Tyson Wassenaar 2
Team stats
Sergeant Bluff-Luton: 26-50 FG (52.0%), 6-14 3P (42.9%), 8-14 FT (57.1%), seven offensive rebounds, 25 defensive rebounds (32 total), 10 turnovers, 17 assists
Pella: 25-53 FG (47.2%), 4-19 3P (21.1%), 1-3 FT (33.3%), four offensive rebounds, 20 defensive rebounds (24 total), 11 turnovers, 13 assists
Quarterfinal No. 3: No. 2 West Delaware 66, No. 7 Dallas Center-Grimes 58
West Delaware remained undefeated with a 66-58 quarterfinal win over Dallas Center-Grimes on Tuesday night, advancing to Thursday’s semifinals where they’ll play the Pella vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton winner.
The Hawks entered the game with the best scoring defense in the 3A field, allowing just 43.9 points a game, and they showed why they’re so good defensively in this game, holding the Mustangs to just 25% shooting in the first half (including just three points in the second quarter). They used an extended 20-3 run to take control of the game, and led by as much as 18 in the third quarter.
A furious comeback from Dallas Center-Grimes consumed the fourth quarter, with the Mustangs scoring 32 points in the quarter (after scoring just 26 in the first 24 minutes) and pulling as close as five (61-56) with 50 seconds left. The Hawks made their free throws (25-30 on the night) and came away with just enough stops to survive the threat and advance.
Co-MVPs: John Nagel and Derek Krogmann (West Delaware) — Nagel: 15 points (6-8 FG, 3-4 FT), five rebounds; Krogmann: 11 points (3-5 FG, 5-5 FT), 13 rebounds
The big man duo for West Delaware was in control throughout the game, with Nagel showcasing a jump shot that I didn’t know he had, and Krogmann controlling the glass all night. They combined for 26 points and 18 rebounds and went 8-9 from the free throw line.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Dallas Center-Grimes | 10 | 3 | 13 | 32 | 58 |
West Delaware | 11 | 16 | 16 | 23 | 66 |
Dallas Center-Grimes: Steve Borneman 19, Trevor Grove 12, Brody Kleen 12, Jordan Humphreys 6, Jack Duey 3, Justin Biegger 3, Trent Pride 3
West Delaware: John Nagel 15, Kyle Wright 14, Ryan Trainer 12, Tyler Kelley 11, Derek Krogmann 11, Marshall McCarty 3
Team stats
Dallas Center-Grimes: 19-46 FG (41.3%), 4-15 3P (26.7%), 16-28 FT (57.1%), 12 offensive rebounds, 14 defensive rebounds (26 total), 12 turnovers, nine assists
West Delaware: 18-36 FG (50.0%), 5-13 3P (38.5%), 25-30 FT (83.3%), seven offensive rebounds, 21 defensive rebounds, 13 turnovers, 13 assists
Quarterfinal No. 2: No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier 59, No. 5 Mount Pleasant 44
A dominant second half from Cedar Rapids Xavier led them into the 3A semifinals, as the Saints cruised to a 59-44 victory over Mount Pleasant, setting up a regular season re-match against top-seed Waverly-Shell Rock.
Trailing 21-13 with 6:00 left in the second quarter, Xavier used a 9-2 run to close out the half and carry momentum into the locker room, down just 23-22. That momentum carried into the second half in a big way, as they shot 14-18 from the floor in the second half, outscoring the Panthers 37-21 in the final 16 minutes.
Xavier (14-11) was led by Max Techau, who had a game-high 20 points for the Saints. Matt Mims added 17 points and six assists, and Jackson Joens had 10 points. The Saints dished out 16 assists as a team and committed just four turnovers.
Mount Pleasant ends their season with a 22-3 record. The Panthers were led by junior guard Brady Sartorius, who had 19 points. Tom O’Connor added 10 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. The Panthers will only lose O’Connor from this year’s team, and will be poised to make plenty of noise next season.
MVP: Matt Mims (Cedar Rapids Xavier) — 17 points (6-10 FG, 5-5 FT), six assists, two steals, zero turnovers
The Xavier floor general really turned it on in the second half, getting to the rim and scoring, as well as dishing out five of his six assists in the final 16 minutes. When he’s attacking the rim, the Saints are at their best, and that’s what he was doing consistently throughout the second half.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Mount Pleasant | 18 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 44 |
Cedar Rapids Xavier | 13 | 9 | 23 | 14 | 59 |
Mount Pleasant: Brady Sartorius 19, Tom O’Connor 10, Jordan Magnani 8, Kieran Kohorst 6, Rhett Zeglen 1
Cedar Rapids Xavier: Max Techau 20, Matt Mims 17, Jackson Joens 10, Quinn Schulte 5, Nolan Butkowski 4, Gabe Lux 3
Team stats
Mount Pleasant: 16-43 FG (37.2%), 1-10 3P (10.0%), 11-13 FT (84.6%), eight offensive rebounds, 17 defensive rebounds (25 total), nine turnovers, three assists
Cedar Rapids Xavier: 23-41 FG (56.1%), 4-11 3P (36.4%), 9-11 FT (81.8%), two offensive rebounds, 20 defensive rebounds (22 total), four turnovers, 16 assists
Quarterfinal No. 1: No. 1 Waverly-Shell Rock 58, No. 8 Atlantic 45
A scorching first quarter in which top seeded Waverly-Shell Rock shot 60% from the floor and jumped out to a 21-9 lead set the tone on Tuesday afternoon, as the Go-Hawks advanced to Thursday evening’s semifinals with a 58-45 win over Atlantic. The Go-Hawks will take on the winner of the following Cedar Rapids Xavier vs. Mount Pleasant game.
Atlantic made a run in the second half, cutting the W-SR lead to as little as six at three different times in the fourth quarter, but they could never quite get over the hump. Anytime they made a run, the Go-Hawks would answer with a bucket of their own.
Waverly-Shell Rock (23-1) was led by Austin Phyfe, who had 17 points and nine rebounds. Nine different players scored for the Go-Hawks, who shot 53.8% from the floor in the win, by far the best shooting percentage for any team thus far this week.
Atlantic ends their season with a 19-6 record. The Trojans had three in double figures, led by future North Dakota wing Garrett Franken, who ended his high school career with 21 points. Chase Mullenix added 11 and Scott Leonard had 10 in the loss.
MVP: Austin Phyfe (Waverly-Shell Rock) — 17 points (6-9 FG, 2-4 3P, 3-3 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, three blocks
After being held in check during the first half, scoring just six points on 2-4 shooting (both 3s), the future Northern Iowa big man exploded in the second half. Using an array of post moves, Phyfe put his fantastic footwork on full display in the second half, scoring at the rim in a variety of ways, both on post ups and on his own dribble penetration. The skilled, 6-10 lefty doesn’t force anything, is a good passer and he does a nice job recognizing double (and sometimes triple) teams and passing out of them. W-SR’s lineup when they go with the “twin towers” of Phyfe and sophomore Mosai Newsom is problematic, with both capable of knocking down jumpers and both showing some good passing ability.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Atlantic | 9 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 45 |
Waverly-Shell Rock | 21 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 58 |
Atlantic: Garrett Franken 21, Chase Mullenix 11, Scott Leonard 10, Austin Alexander 2, Grant Podhajsky 1
Waverly-Shell Rock: Austin Phyfe 17, John Stensland 9, Jacob Bahe 8, Luke Velky 7, Mosai Newsom 6, Braden Holmquist 4, Jackson Seward 3, Jackson Little 2, Joey McNally 2
Team stats
Atlantic: 14-40 FG (35.0%), 2-8 3P (25.0%), 15-22 FT (68.2%), eight offensive rebounds, 11 defensive rebounds (19 total), 11 turnovers, six assists
Waverly-Shell Rock: 21-39 FG (53.8%), 5-13 3P (38.5%), 11-11 FT (100.0%), seven offensive rebounds, 20 defensive rebounds (27 total), 16 turnovers, 15 assists