MONDAY (Dec. 10)
Game of the night: 1A No. 2 Bishop Garrigan at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura
This game gives us a pair of likely future Division I big men in Bishop Garrigan sophomore Angelo Winkel and G-H-V senior James Betz, who has signed to play at UNI. Both are long, athletic big men who run the floor and control the paint on both ends of the floor. Bishop Garrigan has cruised through their first four games of the season, winning by an average of 29 points a game. Winkel is averaging 17.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.3 blocks a game, and is joined by TJ Schnurr (18.8 points a game) as the headliners for the Golden Bears. Betz is averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds a night for the Cardinals, with fellow forward Landon Dalbeck kicking in 13 a game as well. Betz did miss G-H-V’s last game, and his status heading into tonight is unknown. If he doesn’t play, Bishop Garrigan could roll. If he does, this should be a tightly contested game throughout. These teams split their meetings last season.
Our pick: Bishop Garrigan 68, Garner-Hayfield-Ventura 60
Others to monitor
Mormon Trail at Martensdale-St. Mary’s
TUESDAY (Dec. 11)
Game of the night: 4A No. 1 North Scott at Pleasant Valley
There are some bigger games (according to our rankings) on Tuesday night, but this one almost always seems to decide the MAC, and this year may not be any different. These teams have been remarkably close to each other over the past five or so years, having split their past four meetings, and North Scott holding a four to three edge in their last seven tilts. The Lancers are the better team, but PV plays a very deliberate style, with long, grinding possessions that can wear teams down. North Scott has been extremely balanced so far, with five players averaging between 8.0 and 12.7 points a game, while PV has been much more of a two-man show with standout guards Carter Duwa (20.0 points a game) and Hunter Snyder (10.0). If this thing ends up being tight, the free throw line could be the difference, where PV holds an edge. The Spartans are shooting just under 78% from the line as a team, while North Scott is at just 60%. That said, this is a game North Scott should win. They have the more balanced, talented team.
Our pick: North Scott 52, Pleasant Valley 45
Others to monitor
2A No. 3 Dike-New Hartford at Aplington-Parkersburg
Northeast, Goose Lake at 2A No. 5 Camanche
Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Cedar Falls
West Des Moines Valley at 4A No. 8 Des Moines North
4A No. 2 Iowa City West at Dubuque Senior
2A No. 4 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont at 1A No. 1 Grand View Christian
1A No. 5 Ankeny Christian Academy at Murray
Burlington, Notre Dame at 1A No. 3 New London
Linn-Mar at Cedar Rapids Prairie
Newell-Fonda at Spirit Lake
THURSDAY (Dec. 13)
Game of the night: Danville at Fort Madison
Thursday is short on big games this week, with this 2A-3A game standing out as the likely best of the bunch. Danville has lost three games already, but those losses have come by a combined eight points. They’ll take their high powered offensive attack, headlined by guards Bryce Carr and Max Wilcox, and forward Tayler Kennsett, on the road to Fort Madison. The Bloodhounds have gotten solid play so far this season out of guard Logan Rashid (13.0 points a game) and forward Jayden Fedler (11.3).
Our pick: Fort Madison 72, Danville 70
Others to monitor
St. Mary’s, Remsen at Kingsley-Pierson
FRIDAY (Dec. 14)
Game of the night: West Des Moines Valley at 4A No. 3 Waukee
Like the Tuesday night selection, there may be some games that mean more with the rankings than this one, but this should be a good litmus test for both of these teams. No team in 4A has been more dominant so far than Waukee, who have won their first three games by an average of 30 points a game. They’re shooting 59% from the floor as a team, with senior forward Dylan Jones pacing that efficient attack with a 20-22 start from the floor (90.9%!). Point guard Noah Hart (19.3 points) has been one of the best players in the state to start the year, and will be looking to keep the Warriors rolling against an always strong, defensive minded Valley group. The Tigers have the size (Aguek Deng, Will Berg) to attempt to slow down Jones, and the athletic wing defender in Trayvon Williams who can attempt to limit Hart. Valley has also gotten great production early out of Sam Stevens (14.8 points, 59.1 3P%) and Evan Obia (12.5) in the backcourt. They’re shooting 46.4% from the arc as a team. Valley has the pieces to slow down Waukee’s potent attack, and the Tigers are far and away the best team the Warriors have faced to date, but it’s tough to jump in front of this train right now.
Our pick: Waukee 66, West Des Moines Valley 60
Others to monitor
Rock Valley at 2A No. 9 Boyden-Hull
Janesville at 1A No. 8 Dunkerton
4A No. 2 Iowa City West at Linn-Mar
Bettendorf at 4A No. 1 North Scott
Iowa City Regina at Northeast, Goose Lake
3A No. 3 Norwalk at Pella
Indianola at Pella Christian
Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Cedar Rapids Prairie
4A No. 7 Sioux City East at 3A No. 2 Sergeant Bluff-Luton
Carroll at Winterset
SATURDAY (Dec. 15)
Game of the night: 3A No. 1 Oskaloosa at 2A No. 4 Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
This game caps off a huge week for Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, who play a pair of top ranked teams, sandwiched around a key conference game against Knoxville. The Rockets travel to 1A No. 1 Grand View Christian on Tuesday night and host 3A’s top team, Oskaloosa, on Saturday night. The Rockets have cruised through their first few weeks of games, averaging 76 points a night behind their big trio of Gabe Larkin (18.3), Trey Moore (14.7) and Wyatt Klyn (11.0). A team that is fairly reliant on scoring inside the arc could struggle against the Indians’ size, however, with nearly 14 feet of height around the rim in Xavier Foster and Cole Henry. Foster is blocking over five shots a game, and Henry is one of the most versatile threats in the state, a playmaking forward at 6-10 who handles and passes as well as anyone. The overwhelming size of Oskaloosa might be too much for E-B-F to overcome here.
Our pick: Oskaloosa 68, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 52
Others to monitor
West Des Moines Valley at Cedar Rapids Jefferson
1A No. 1 Grand View Christian at Des Moines Christian
2A No. 2 South Hamilton at St. Edmond
Bettendorf vs. Rock Island (IL)
4A No. 1 North Scott vs. Moline (IL)
