STATE TOURNAMENT: Friday Preview
4A Semifinal: No. 1 Iowa City West (21-3) vs. No. 5 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (19-5), 1:30 p.m.
How they got here: Top seed Iowa City West escaped a very good Newton team in the quarterfinals, winning 57-51. Fifth-seeded Kennedy ended the game on a 44-15 run to come back from a 21-point deficit and beat Dubuque Hempstead in their state opener, 55-47.
Analysis: This is a rematch of an earlier season conference meeting, which West won by 30, 83-53, at Kennedy. Expect it to be much closer this time around.
In the first meeting, the Trojans shot 64.5% from the floor, scoring 30 more points than Kennedy gives up on average. Sophomore forward Patrick McCaffery had a field day at the rim in that game, scoring a game-high 25 points on 10-12 shooting and pulling down nine rebounds. He was virtually non-existent in the Trojans’ opening round win over Newton, they’ll need him to be much more active in the semifinals. Connor McCaffery and Devontae Lane will be tasked with navigating a tricky Cougars defense that played extremely well in the second half on Wednesday and constantly changes their looks throughout the game.
Kennedy fell behind Hempstead 32-11 in the quarterfinals, then went on a crazy 44-15 run to end the game. The defensive pressure was amplified, and the combination of Drake Brewster and Derrick Diggins made huge plays throughout the second half and lived at the rim. The offense, while not great, wasn’t really the issue in the first meeting with West. They scored just nine points below their season average and shot 38% from the floor (they shoot 43.8% on the year). They’ll need to clean up the defense to overcome the Trojans here, and it seems as though they have. In that first meeting, Kennedy was down 22-8 after one quarter, and 44-20 at halftime. Look for a much better effort from the Cougars here, but it’ll still take a top-notch game to knock off West.
Players to watch
Iowa City West: Connor McCaffery (No. 1 in ’17), Devontae Lane (No. 2 in ’17), Nate Disterhoft (No. 149 in ’17), Izaya Ono-Fullard (No. 153 in ’17), Seybian Sims (No. 23 in ’18), Hakeem Odunsi (No. 38 in ’18), Evan Flitz (No. 55 in ’18), Jake Anderson (No. 58 in ’18), Patrick McCaffery (No. 1 in ’19)
Cedar Rapids Kennedy: Drake Brewster (No. 58 in ’17), Derrick Diggins (No. 25 in ’18), Jack Wetzel (watch list in ’20)
Our pick: Iowa City West 61, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 52
4A Semifinal: No. 6 Sioux City East (22-2) vs. No. 2 West Des Moines Valley (20-4), 3:15 p.m.
How they got here: Sixth-seeded Sioux City East took control in the fourth quarter during a back-and-forth tilt with third seed Bettendorf, winning 61-53, behind 25 points and 10 rebounds from Van Rees. Second seed West Des Moines Valley used a Charley Crowley dunk in traffic with 3.0 seconds to play to escape with a win over seventh seed Des Moines North, 57-55.
Analysis: Both teams survived close games in the quarterfinals, with East eventually running away from Bettendorf behind 24-27 from the free throw line. Van Rees had 25 points and 10 rebounds, and sharpshooter Aidan Vanderloo added 18 points, knocking down three 3s.
Valley used huge performances from their big man duo of Quinton Curry and Charley Crowley, who combined for 37 points and 20 rebounds, to escape Des Moines North. Crowley had the game-winning dunk with 3.0 seconds left to advance. The Tigers’ guards aren’t great, but they are fairly efficient, do a great job on the defensive end and set up their big men.
Rees and the rest of the Black Raiders will need to limit the production of Curry and Crowley if they want to win here, something that will be very difficult to do.
Players to watch
Sioux City East: Jailen Billings (No. 44 in ’17), Van Rees (No. 12 in ’18), Aidan Vanderloo (No. 5 in ’19), Jaleque Dunson (watch list in ’20)
West Des Moines Valley: Quinton Curry (No. 10 in ’17), Charley Crowley (No. 19 in ’17), Austin Hinkle (No. 76 in ’17), Nate Dennis (No. 131 in ’17), Reese Skinner (No. 138 in ’17), Blake Brinkmeyer (No. 4 in ’18), Carter Frey (No. 57 in ’18), Noah Samples (No. 74 in ’18), Luke Sueppel (No. 83 in ’18), Mike Brown (No. 160 in ’18)
Our pick: West Des Moines Valley 54, Sioux City East 49
1A Championship: No. 4 Gladbrook Reinbeck (26-2) vs. No. 2 Grand View Christian (26-1), 6:05 p.m.
How they got here: Fourth-seeded Gladbrook-Reinbeck has played a pair of close games, beating No. 5 Lynnville-Sully 53-50 in the quarterfinals, and top-seeded North Linn 58-53 in the semifinals. Second seed Grand View Christian has been dynamite on the defensive end, allowing just 36 points in each of their first two games, beating No. 7 West Hancock 59-36 and No. 3 St. Mary’s, Remsen, 45-36.
Analysis: Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s senior class won their 100th game on Thursday morning, beating top seed North Linn to advance to their second championship game in three years. The Rebels won the title back in 2015, and have a good shot at doing so again.
Behind super senior guard Joe Smoldt, the Rebels have a dynamic offense, with role players playing well alongside their star. Their experience could certainly come into play here.
Grand View Christian has proven their strong defensive numbers during the regular season weren’t a fluke, allowing just 36 points a game in their first two wins. The Thunder have been exceptional on that end of the floor, and will need to be great again to contain Smoldt.
Players to watch
Gladbrook-Reinbeck: Joe Smoldt (No. 13 in ’17)
Grand View Christian: Stephen Glenn (No. 47 in ’17), Augustine Saliu (No. 244 in ’17), Grant DeMeulenaere (No. 48 in ’18), Arturo Montes (No. 54 in ’19), Mach Nyaw (No. 79 in ’19), Sam Glenn (No. 91 in ’19), Bryce Crabb (No. 105 in ’19)
Our pick: Gladbrook-Reinbeck 51, Grand View Christian 47
2A Championship: No. 1 Western Christian (23-2) vs. No. 2 Pella Christian (22-4), 8:05 p.m.
How they get here: Top seed Western Christian survived a quarterfinal scare against eighth seeded South Hamilton, escaping with a 53-47 win. Then they pounded No. 5 Camanche 94-44 in the semifinals. Second seed Pella Christian outlasted No. 7 Van Meter in overtime, 52-49, in the quarterfinals, and outscored No. 3 Kuemper Catholic 64-61 behind 31 points from Levi Jungling in the semifinals.
Analysis: Despite missing two starters and a key reserve, top seed Western Christian looked unbeatable in a 50-point semifinal obliteration of Camanche. The Wolfpack were looking to push the ball in transition, and when they’re moving the ball and running the floor like that, good luck stopping them. They shot 60.7% from the floor, had a 27-point, 24-point and 16-point scorer, and were dynamite on the defensive end as well.
Pella Christian, our top ranked team in the preseason, got an amazing performance from Levi Jungling in the semifinals, as the senior guard dropped 31 points in a close win over Kuemper Catholic. The Eagles will need to get big production out of him as well as David Kacmarynski if they want to slow down the Wolfpack attack (or try to keep pace).
In what should be a fantastic game, it’s the more versatile attack of Western Christian that we prefer.
Players to watch
Western Christian: Ben Gesink (No. 61 in ’17), Tyson Kooima (No. 164 in ’17), Jesse Jansma (No. 171 in ’17)
Pella Christian: Levi Jungling (No.39 in ’17), David Kacmarynski (No.166 in ’17)
Our pick: Western Christian 66, Pella Christian 59