Five Takeaways: West Delaware (66) vs. Davenport Assumption (59)
CEDAR RAPIDS — In a game featuring a few high-level players, it was a few key role players playing the games of their lives that decided this one on Monday night, as West Delaware punched their ticket to the 3A State Tournament with a 66-59 win over Davenport Assumption.
A back-and-forth game for the entire first half saw these teams take a 28-all tie into the locker rooms. West Delaware came out on a 14-5 run to open up a 9-point lead before a late Assumption spurt drew them back within five, 42-37, heading into the fourth quarter.
That lead grew to as much as 12 in the fourth quarter, and while turnovers and a few front-end misses helped keep Assumption close, they were never able to get closer than five points the rest of the way, as West Delaware controlled the final 16 minutes en route to the trip to Des Moines next week.
West Delaware (17-6) was led by star big man Derek Krogmann, who had 27 points and 13 rebounds (eight offensive), but the major story was the duo of Gavin Soppe and Logan Woellert. That duo combined to average 11.1 points a game coming into this one, and they combined for 32 points (Soppe 20, Woellert 12) on 12-16 shooting (6-7 from the arc) in the win.
Assumption’s season ends with a 15-9 record. The Knights were led by Dylan Peeters, who scored 20 (14 coming in the fourth quarter, as he attempted to keep the Knights alive), in his final high school game. Grayson Heiser added 19, and Sean Peeters had 10, all coming in the first quarter, as he battled foul trouble throughout the evening.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Assumption | 17 | 11 | 9 | 22 | 59 |
West Delaware | 14 | 14 | 14 | 24 | 66 |
Individual scoring
Assumption: Dylan Peeters 20, Grayson Heiser 19, Sean Peeters 10, Ray Kotula 4, Anthony Valainis 4, Logan Ehrecke 2
West Delaware: Derek Krogmann 27, Gavin Soppe 20, Logan Woellert 12, Kyle Kelley 7
Role players step up
Gavin Soppe and Logan Woellert had the games of their lives on Monday night, and it came at the perfect time. Second leading scorer Kyle Kelley struggled to get much going for the Hawks, but Soppe and Woellert stepped up to the plate and delivered in a big way. Soppe scored 20 points on 7-9 shooting (4-5 from 3), while Woellert chipped in 12 points (all in the second half) on 5-7 shooting (2-2 from 3). If the Hawks are able to get production anywhere near this level next week at State, with Krogmann, (hopefully) better games from Kelley and the way they defend, West Delaware could make some noise.
Derek Krogmann, walking double-double
It should come as no surprise that Krogmann put together another double-double for West Delaware. He’s averaging that in his career for the Hawks, which has spanned four varsity seasons. His 1,120 career rebounds rank 10th all-time in the state, and despite being *just* 6-7, he’s been remarkably productive in his career. He may never develop into a big-time player for UNI, where he’s joining the team as a preferred walk-on, but I can guarantee that he’s going to make everyone around him better with the way he’ll compete on a daily basis in practice, and don’t be surprised to see him work his way into the rotation for the Panthers as a junior and senior. Rebounding translates to the next level, and few have done it better than Krogmann.
Grayson Heiser’s coming out party
Assumption’s 5-8 junior point guard averaged just 3.4 points a game this season, and that includes the 19 points he scored in this one (was averaging 2.7 before that). Seven of his 24 made field goals, and five of his 14 made 3-pointers came in this game. A tiny lefty with a solid handle and passing abilities, Heiser was dared to shoot both against Xavier in the substate semifinal (he made two huge 3s) and in this one, and he delivered. He wasn’t much of an offensive threat at all this season, but with three of the top four scorers from this year’s group gone next season, he’ll be asked to pick up some of the scoring slack, and hopefully the momentum he has from these last few games will carry over. He showcased a capable stroke from the arc, and a willingness to attack the basket that wasn’t seen all year.
Foul trouble kills Assumption
Anthony Valainis, Sean Peeters and Dylan Peeters are far and away Assumption’s three most important players, and each battled some major foul trouble in this one. Valainis, a physical interior player who was controlling the glass early on, missed a huge chunk of the second quarter, and as a result, Krogmann scored 11 of his 27 points in that frame. Sean Peeters scored 10 points in the first quarter, but didn’t score the rest of the way as he battled foul trouble. And Dylan Peeters, the team’s leading scorer, picked up a questionable charge call (his second foul at the time) in the middle of the second quarter that may have impacted the way he played the rest of the game. Staying out of foul trouble is part of the game, but foul issues definitely turned the tides in this one, allowing West Delaware’s best player to establish himself.
Dylan Peeters at the next level
A 6-7 senior wing, Peeters is one of the best unsigned players left in the 2019 class in the state. The question is what level does he fit best at? He’s not a great shooter (22.1 3P% this season), but is a talented playmaker and defender who is a switchable asset on that end of the floor. He has great length, solid athleticism and can handle and pass the basketball. A Division II program should probably be looking to swoop in and grab him, let him add strength and maybe develop a more consistent jumper, then reap the rewards.