STATE TOURNAMENT: Elite All-Tourney (2nd Team)
Matt Dentlinger (Kuemper Catholic)
18.3 points, 15.6 rebounds, 2.7 blocks
He was the tournament leader in rebounds and blocks, and was utterly dominant during the Knights’ blow-out win over G-H-V in the quarterfinals. And he never stopped being dominant. A future South Dakota State Jackrabbit, Dentlinger can get it done inside and out.
Charley Crowley (Valley)
17.3 PPG (71 FG%), 6.0 RPG
His dunk with 3.0 seconds left in Valley’s quarterfinal game against Des Moines North proved to be the game-winner. Not many people can say they had a game-winning dunk, even fewer can say it occurred at in state tournament game.
Ben Gesink (Western Christian)
15.3 points, 4.3 assists, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals
After putting up some less-than-stellar numbers in Western Christian’s quarterfinal win, Gesink posted huge numbers in both the semis and the final. He nearly triple-doubled in the Wolfpacks’ second-round win over Camanche, going for 24 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists.
Joe Smoldt (Gladbrook-Reinbeck)
24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists
Smoldt scored more points than anyone in the 2A field and only Western Christian’s Jesse Jansma scored more from all-classes last week. The future Upper Iowa Peacock capped a brilliant high school career with a runner-up finish in 1A, and scored 22 points in his final half of high school basketball.
Quinton Curry (Valley)
13.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG
The best play of the entire tourney came when Curry quite literally skied for a block of Tyreke Locure’s floater which would have cut a late Valley over North lead to just one. Curry jumped higher than anyone thought was possible for a guy coming off ACL surgery, and his block led to a Valley bucket that put them up five late. That four point swing was the difference in the game.