Games of the Week (Week 3)
MONDAY (Dec. 11)
Game of the night: Alta-Aurelia at Kingsley-Pierson
There aren’t many games on Monday night, but this one stands out as the best one with 4-1 Alta-Aurelia traveling to 4-0 Kingsley-Pierson in an interesting non-conference tilt. Alta-Aurelia won this game by 29 points last season, but we expect to see a closer game this time around. Kingsley-Pierson has used a stout defense to get to their 4-0 mark, allowing just 41.8 points a game, but they’ll have their hands full with a Warriors attack that is still looking to find their footing as they’ve played without star Carson Kruger so far this season. Still, Tayler Gano, Alex Snyder and crew should prove to be too much for Kingsley-Pierson on Monday night.
Our pick: Alta-Aurelia 59, Kingsley-Pierson 44
Others to monitor
Knoxville at Pella Christian
TUESDAY (Dec. 12)
Game of the night: 4A No. 2 Sioux City East at 3A No. 3 Sioux City Heelan
On a night with a number of big games, this one stands out. A huge game in the Missouri River Conference, two top three teams will be clashing, and a pair of double-double machines take each other on in East’s Van Rees and Heelan’s Elijah Hazekamp. These teams split the regular season meetings last year, with each winning on their home courts. The Black Raiders are the highest scoring team in 4A early this season, averaging 84 points a game, while Heelan is scoring 70.5 a night on their own. Look for an up-tempo game, and if the Crusaders are able to get some production out of their guards alongside Hazekamp, they can defend their home floor.
Our pick: Sioux City Heelan 72, Sioux City East 70
Others to monitor
Garner-Hayfield-Ventura at 1A No. 10 Bishop Garrigan, Algona
4A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Prairie at Cedar Falls
Muscatine at Davenport North
2A No. 9 Aplington-Parkersburg at Dike-New Hartford
Cedar Rapids Kennedy at 4A No. 3 Dubuque Senior
1A No. 1 Grand View Christian at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
Atlantic at 3A No. 2 Glenwood
4A No. 6 Des Moines North at 4A No. 4 Johnston
4A No. 5 Pleasant Valley at North Scott
2A No. 2 Cascade at West Branch
Dyersville Beckman at Mount Vernon
Gilbert at South Hamilton
THURSDAY (Dec. 14)
Game of the night: Kingsley-Pierson at 1A No. 4 Remsen, St. Mary’s
A big week continues for Kingsley-Pierson, as they travel to Remsen to take on one of 1A’s best teams on Thursday evening. The Hawks are winning games by an average of 28 points early on this season, and they should dispatch of Kingsley-Pierson rather easily here behind a big game from star forward Nicholas Ruden.
Our pick: Remsen, St. Mary’s 78, Kingsley-Pierson 55
FRIDAY (Dec. 15)
Game of the night: 3A No. 4 Oskaloosa at 3A No. 6 Dallas Center-Grimes
The highly talented Oskaloosa Indians are off to a 5-0 start and have been blowing teams out early on. They’ll get, by far, their biggest test to date on Friday night when they travel to Grimes to take on the Mustangs. The ‘Stangs have been one of the pleasant surprises of the young season, entering the week with a 4-1 record and are coming off a big 20-point win over a good Newton team. Does DC-G have the size to handle Oskaloosa’s star big trio of Jared Kruse, Cole Henry and Xavier Foster? If they don’t find away to limit that trio, they’ll have a tough time keeping this game close. We’re guessing they’ll find a way to do so and keep this one interesting. This is the place to be on Friday night.
Our pick: Oskaloosa 64, Dallas Center-Grimes 58
Others to monitor
Central Decatur at Bedford
Solon at Dyersville Beckman
North Scott at Bettendorf
Bolingbrook (IL) at Cedar Falls
City High at 4A No. 3 Dubuque Senior
Dubuque Wahlert at Dubuque Hempstead
2A No. 3 Sioux Center at 1A No. 8 George-Little Rock
4A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Prairie at 4A No. 10 Linn-Mar
South Hamilton at PCM, Monroe
Keota at 1A No. 7 Lynnville-Sully
Iowa City Regina at West Branch
Rock Valley at 2A No. 10 West Lyon
SATURDAY (Dec. 16)
Game of the night: 4A No. 1 Iowa City West vs. Bolingbrook (IL)
This game will be played at Cedar Falls, as part of the first annual Jerry Slykhuis Memorial Basketball Showcase, which is bringing together three Iowa teams (West, Cedar Falls, Dubuque Hempstead), and three out-of-state powers (DeLaSalle MN, Bolingbrook IL, Lee’s Summit Chrisitan Academy MO), for a two-day event. This will present an interesting contrast in styles, as the Trojans take on one of the better teams in the Chicagoland area. Bolingbrook is small, but loaded with talented guards. They’re led by Joseph Yesufu, who Prep Hoops Illinois ranks as the No. 9 player in the 2019 class. Tyler Cochran (No. 16 in 2019), Isiah Burd (No. 74 in 2019) and Kaleb Thornton (No. 22 in 2018) are the other standouts. Each of them are guards who are 6-2 or smaller, so the size of West with Patrick McCaffery, Hakeem Odunsi and Seybian Sims should be an advantage. If they can slow down the quick Bolingbrook guards, they should be able to control the glass and take home another nice out-of-state win.
Our pick: Iowa City West 65, Bolingbrook 61
Others to monitor
DeLaSalle (MN) at Cedar Falls
Dubuque Hempstead vs. Lee’s Summit Christian Academy (MO)
4A No. 6 Pleasant Valley vs. Moline (IL)
4A No. 8 Cedar Rapids Prairie at Muscatine
2A No. 5 Western Christian at Sioux Falls Roosevelt (SD)