STATE TOURNAMENT: Wednesday Preview
4A Quarterfinal: No. 1 Iowa City West (20-3) vs. No. 8 Newton (19-5), 1:05 p.m.
Analysis: The top seeded team in 4A, Iowa City West, is making their seventh straight state tournament appearance. Newton is making their first appearance since 1992.
The top ranked Trojans have won 15 straight games against in-state competition since an early season loss to Cedar Rapids Prairie. They’ve outscored opponents 75.3-51.4 during that span, and have 4A’s second highest scoring offense at 74.4 points a game overall. Three players average in double figures, led by the top two players in the 2017 class, Connor McCaffery (19.8) and Devontae Lane (14.8). The top player in the 2019 class, Patrick McCaffery, adds 14.3 points a game for this high powered attack. They get lots of shooting from their role players, so unlike previous iterations of the Trojans, they’re difficult to play zone against. A veteran team that has fallen short each of the last two seasons, West is looking to get back on top in 4A.
Newton plays in primarily a 3A league (Little Hawkeye), but they’ve gone 6-0 against 4A teams this year, including three straight wins during substate play to get here. The Cardinals have one of the best duos in the state in Connor Gholson (20.4) and Garrett Sturtz (19.8), a pair of talented scoring guards who can score in a variety of ways. Trey Vanderlaan (10.3, 42.5 3P%) gives them some additional shooting. The Cardinals are one of the state’s best shooting teams at the free throw line at 79.4%, so if this game is close, that could come into play down the stretch. The big question here is how Newton will respond to the length and athleticism the Trojans will throw at them.
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)
Newton: Connor Gholson (No. 41 in ’17), Garrett Sturtz (No. 26 in ’18)
Our pick: Iowa City West 72, Newton 59
4A Quarterfinal: No. 4 Dubuque Hempstead (18-5) vs. No. 5 Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 2:45 p.m.
Analysis: Conference foes meet in the second quarterfinal, a rematch of a game from January 17th in which Hempstead won 51-44. The Mustangs are making their first state tournament appearance in the school’s history, while Kennedy is making their third appearance in four years under coach Jon McKowen.
Hempstead held Kennedy to 17-42 shooting, and 2-16 from behind the arc, during the regular season win. The Mustangs have loads of length and athleticism and are a very good defensive team with the ability to switch nearly everything on that end of the floor. They’ve got a trio of double figure scorers in Connor Duax (13.3), Lucas Duax (13.0) and Keith Johnson (12.9), each bringing a little something different to the table. Tyler Cooksley (44.9 3P%) adds some shooting, and guards Marshon Crowder and Curtis Martin III have given them some great minutes off the bench all year.
Kennedy reached a No. 1 ranking in 4A before the holiday break, but hit a bit of a rough patch in the middle of the season before running off eight straight wins to enter the state tournament. The Cougars are led by a talented tandem in Drake Brewster (14.0) and Derrick Diggins (12.8), a pair of athletic slashers who excel at getting to the rim. They’re a deep team that will defend at a high level (just look at what they did to Cedar Falls’ A.J. Green in the substate final), and McKowen’s ability to switch up their defenses can cause some issues. He’s a veteran defensive coach who is among the best in the state on that end of the floor. Look for the Cougars to throw lots of different looks at Hempstead throughout the afternoon.
Players to watch
Dubuque Hempstead: Connor Duax (No. 95 in ’17), Keith Johnson (No. 15 in ’18), Lucas Duax (No. 28 in ’18)
Cedar Rapids Kennedy: Drake Brewster (No. 58 in ’17), Derrick Diggins (No. 25 in ’18), Jack Wetzel (watch list in ’20)
Our pick: Cedar Rapids Kennedy 51, Dubuque Hempstead 48
4A Quarterfinal: No. 3 Bettendorf (18-5) vs. No. 6 Sioux City East (21-2), 6:35 p.m.
Analysis: Two perennially strong programs from opposite sides of the state meet in the third quarterfinal, with contrasting styles. Bettendorf carries 4A’s No. 3 scoring defense (and the best in the field), allowing just 45.5 points a game, while Sioux City East is the third highest scoring team, putting up 71.3 points a game.
The Bulldogs are a difficult team to game plan for, with seven players averaging at least 6.3 points a game. They’ve got remarkable balance, and while they don’t have anyone with outstanding size, they’re all long, physical and athletic. Sophomore guard DJ Carton (10.4) is their leading scorer and his ability to attack the rim has been critical for their offense. J. Michael Young and Dylan Clearman provide some additional scoring on the perimeter, and if Clearman gets hot, they can put up some points in a hurry. They’ll look to slow the game down, using their physicality, depth and defense to wear down East.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Black Raiders will look to speed the game up. They’ve got a trio of big-time scorers in Van Rees (20.7), Aidan Vanderloo (17.3) and Jailen Billings (13.3). Rees is a big, physical and active post player who is averaging a double-double, pulling down 12.4 rebounds a game. Vanderloo (57.3 3P%) is a phenomenal shooter, and Billings excels at getting to the rim and the free throw line. If East is able to get the game into the 60s, it favors them. If Bettendorf is able to dictate the pace, it definitely will favor them.
Players to watch
Bettendorf: J. Michael Young (No. 64 in ’17), DJ Carton (No. 25 in ’19)
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)
Our pick: Bettendorf 56, Sioux City East 51
4A Quarterfinal: No. 2 West Des Moines Valley (19-4) vs. No. 7 Des Moines North (18-5), 8:15 p.m.
Analysis: The final game of the day should provide some fireworks. These CIML rivals met on January 17th, with North winning 85-78.
The Polar Bears are the highest scoring team in 4A, putting up 75 points a game. With a free flowing, up-tempo offense, North provides plenty of highlights with the combination of point guard Tyreke Locure (25.9, 164 assists) and high-flying Jal Bijiek (15.5, 81 blocks). Locure has developed into a big-time scorer, second in 4A, and Bijiek looks to dunk everything. When they’re out in transition, they’re a joy to watch. Lino Malual, James Deng and Dariq Myles add some additional scoring punch.
Valley is much like Bettendorf in that they don’t have one star, rather a collective of talented players. The Tigers have eight players averaging between 5.1 and 10.7 points a game, led by guard Austin Hinkle. Star Quinton Curry is back in the fold now, playing in the final six games of the season after missing a large chunk of the season with an ACL injury. He’s averaging 9.8 points a game in limited time, and is back in the starting lineup now. With him, Charley Crowley and Blake Brinkmeyer, the Tigers have loads of size to put around some talented guards. If they’re able to slow this game down and pound the Polar Bears in the paint, they can get some revenge.
Players to watch
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)
Des Moines North: Jal Bijiek (No. 6 in ’17), James Deng (No. 75 in ’17), Dariq Myles (No. 100 in ’17), Tyreke Locure (No. 2 in ’19), Lino Malual (No. 17 in ’19), Gatdoar Bijiek (No. 80 in ’19)
Our pick: West Des Moines Valley 62, Des Moines North 54