Postseason Preview: Class 3A, Substate 7
The favorite: Top seeded Norwalk is the top ranked team in BC Moore’s power rating system, and might be the best 3A team in the state. The Warriors have an explosive offense, averaging 70.5 points a game, and have…
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The favorite: Top seeded Norwalk is the top ranked team in BC Moore’s power rating system, and might be the best 3A team in the state. The Warriors have an explosive offense, averaging 70.5 points a game, and have the best 3A player in the state in Bowen Born (27.0), a high scoring junior guard. Tyler Johnson (14.4) gives them another strong perimeter scoring threat, and Iowa football commit Tyler Endres (13.4) is a force in the paint, shooting over 70% from the floor. Norwalk has not only played the most difficult schedule in this substate, but they went 3-0 against teams they’d play in the semifinal, beating Boone 65-35 and sweeping Dallas Center-Grimes 71-47 and 74-56, so they look like a really safe bet to make it to the substate final, where they’ll have the best player on the floor.
The biggest threat: The highest scoring team in 3A comes from Gilbert. The Tigers are averaging 74 points a game and that type of explosiveness will make them tough to beat. This group has three players averaging in double figures, and five others who average at least 3.5 points a game, so they go deep and can score in a variety of ways. Matt Ockey (14.9) is the leading scorer. Will Turner (12.6, 74 assists, 37 turnovers) is an efficient lead guard who pairs with Tony Terrones (5.6, 69 assists, 30 turnovers) to give the Tigers a backcourt that doesn’t turn the ball over, and Tanner Henningsen (10.4, 53.8 3P%) is another quality shooter. Matt Barragy (9.4, 58.4 FG%) and Jeff Rudman (7.5, 71.6 FG%) give them some size on the interior. Gilbert lost to ADM early in the year, 67-63, but playing them again, at home in the postseason, gives Gilbert a slight edge in the semifinal.
Two other contenders: The other major contender here is ADM, as the Tigers have already beaten Gilbert and have a lot of 3-point shooting options. Nate Mueller (14.8, 43 3PM, 41.3%), Koby Hardcastle (12.7, 48, 36.9%) and Jaxson Millsap (10.4, 40, 38.8%) are the headliners, and this is the best defensive team in the substate, allowing just 52.7 points a game, which ranks 16th in 3A. Boone has played quality basketball down the stretch, winning seven of their last nine games, including wins over ADM and Carroll. The Toreadors are led by Justin Aspengren (16.4) and Alex Sturtz (11.4), a pair of efficient scoring options. This group doesn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but that tandem gets to the rim and gets the job done, and if they’re able to slow the game down, they can grind out a few wins.
The dark horse: Dallas Center-Grimes has played a tough schedule in the Little Hawkeye Conference, and have a duo of solid guards in Luke Rankin (12.3, 36 3PM) and Cole Glasgow (11.7, 35 3PM) who could potentially get hot and get the Mustangs a few wins.
Players to watch
2020 Bowen Born, Norwalk
2020 Tyler Johnson, Norwalk
2019 Tyler Endres, Norwalk
2021 Nate Mueller, ADM
2019 Koby Hardcastle, ADM
2020 Matt Ockey, Gilbert
2019 Will Turner, Gilbert
2019 Justin Aspengren, Boone
2022 Cole Glasgow, Dallas Center-Grimes
2019 Lenny Peavy, Clarke
2019 Braden Hoksbergen, North Polk
2019 Colton Myers, Saydel
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Norwalk vs. Gilbert
Get your popcorn ready, because this one could end up with a 90-85 final. These two high-powered offenses would make for a really entertaining game, and at the end of the day, it’s Norwalk and Bowen Born who punch their ticket to State behind a 35+ point effort from the superb junior guard.