STATE TOURNAMENT: Class 4A Recaps
FINAL
#3 Cedar Falls 44 vs #5 Dubuque, Senior 41
It was the staunch Cedar Falls defense that came through once again, this time for all the marbles.
Senior was the team that came out hot, scoring 17 first quarter points (an offensive eruption by this tournament’s standards), but after that, the Tigers got back to business on the defensive end.
The Rams would manage just 11 points in the second and third quarters combined, and spent much of the fourth quarter trying to come-from-behind — which remarkably they did.
In a span of three minutes, Landon Hermsen, Nick Timmerman and Sam Link all hit 3s for Senior, and when the dust had settled the game was tied at 44 with 1:20 to go. Cedar Falls held the ball and senior guard Logan Wolf made his move to the hoop where he was fouled with 16 seconds to go. He made one of the free-throws to put his Tigers up 42-41.
Senior went to Noah Carter to try and win the game, but the trip came up empty (see below). Wolf would hit two more free-throws — one of which he tried to miss but made accidentally — with 0.9 seconds left to put the Tigers up three.
Cedar Falls’ Jack Campbell and Senior’s Noah Carter were named to the all-tournament team, Logan Wolf was named the captain.
It’s the second straight state title for Cedar Falls, and its second in school history. They project to be very good for years to come.
Here’s what happened #iahsbkb pic.twitter.com/1c72poFGku
— TJ Rushing (@TjRushing) March 9, 2019
Team Scoring
Senior — 17 6 5 13 — 41
C. Falls — 10 14 10 8 — 44
Individual Scoring
Senior: Noah Carter 12, Sam Link 11, Cooper Medinger 7, Nick Timmerman 4, Daquon Lewis 4, Landon Hermsen 3.
C. Falls: Logan Wolf 15, Mason Abbas 12, Jack Campbell 10, Josh Ollendieck 5, Chase Courbat 2
MVP: Logan Wolf
He was named captain of the 4A all-tournament team, and there was no question about it. Wolf was exceptional all week and this game was no different. The athletic 6’5 Northern Iowa commit scored a game-high 15 points, dished-out a game-high five assists and snared a co-team-high six rebounds. It was a truly splendid week for Wolf.
SEMIFINALS
#3 Cedar Falls 35 vs #2 North Scott 27
In a game where only 62 total points were scored, a 10-0 run by Cedar Falls proved to be devastating for the Lancers of North Scott.
Cedar Falls trailed most of the game, then took absolute control in the fourth quarter, holding the Lancers to just two points in the final frame. The Tigers , led by Logan Wolf, bridged the third and fourth quarters with a 10-0 run; they finished the game on a 15-2 run. The only points North Scott was able to muster in the final 10 minutes of game time were two Ty Anderson free-throws.
The 27 points by North Scott were the fewest scored in a state semifinal since 1950. The 62 combined points were the fewest in a state semifinal since 1947.
Anderson was the best player for North Scott tonight, he scored a game-high 15 points. It’s plain to see why Northern Iowa offered him last summer. The Lancers finish the season 23-2 and will play in a consolation game tomorrow morning.
Cedar Falls will vie for a second straight 4A title tomorrow night at 8:35 p.m. against the winner of Waukee and Dubuque Senior.
Team Scoring
Cedar Falls — 7 6 9 13 — 35
North Scott — 4 10 11 2 — 27
Individual Scoring
Cedar Falls: Logan Wolf 14, Jack Campbell 7, Josh Ollendieck 5, Mason Abbas 4, Jaxon Heth 3, Chase Courbat 2
North Scott: Ty Anderson 15, Carson Rollinger 5, Reece Sommers 3, Cortaviaus Seales 2, Sam Kilburg 2
MVP: Logan Wolf
It had been a rough game for Wolf, that is, until his team needed him most. Down the stretch, the 6’5 wing came alive, scoring eight of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including two key and-ones. He’s a front-runner right now for 4A all-tourney captain.
#1 Waukee 57 vs #5 Dubuque, Senior 55 (OT)
There were plenty of ups and downs in this dramatic overtime game, but ultimately, it’s Dubuque, Senior that will play Cedar Falls in a 4A final tomorrow night.
The top-seeded Waukee Warriors made a heck of a run late in regulation to send this one to overtime, but after a three-point play started the extra frame for Senior, Waukee could never fully recover.
Landon Hermsen was critical for the Rams at the beginning of overtime, he started it off with an and-one at the rim, converting the free-throw to give them a three point lead. After Waukee missed the front end of a one-and-one, Hermsen hit two more free-throws on the ensuing possession, giving the Rams a five-point lead early in OT.
A bunch of additional scoring ensued, mostly the teams swapping free-throws, but Waukee was never able to catch up with the Rams.
Waukee will play North Scott tomorrow in a consolation game.
Dubuque Senior will play what’s sure to be a tight match with defending 4A champs Cedar Falls. That game tips at 8:35 p.m.
Team Scoring
Senior — 15 8 7 14 OT 13 — 57
Waukee — 7 12 9 16 OT 11 — 55
Individual Scoring
Senior: Landon Hermsen 14, Noah Carter 13, Sam Link 12, Nick Timmerman 11, Cooper Medinger 7,
Waukee: Dylan Jones 14, Payton Sandfort 10, Dante Jenkins 10, Andrew Curran 9, Michael Vicente 7, Jackson Payne 3, Tucker DeVries 2.
MVP: Noah Carter
This was truly a team effort for the Rams, just look at the balanced scoring. But it was Carter who was the heart and soul of the win tonight. His leadership on both sides of the ball was vital in the dramatic win. And though it wasn’t his most prolific game, his stat-line was the best on the team, 13 points, seven rebounds and a steal.
QUARTERFINALS
#3 Cedar Falls 63 vs #6 Sioux City East 41
Last year, with AJ Green leading the charge, Cedar Falls started its state title run by shellacking Sioux City East by 28 points. This season, sans AJ Green, the Tigers dominated East once again.
It was competitive for the first eight minutes, and then things started to turn in the second quarter. By the third quarter, the rout was on.
Black Raiders’ leading scorer this season, Aidan Vanderloo, struggled to find his groove, scoring just four points on 2-12 shooting. East as a team shot a mere 29.8 percent from the floor. The Black Raiders finish their 2019 campaign 21-2.
Cedar Falls was led by Logan Wolf, who in addition to flushing home a nasty alley-oop in the third quarter, was well-rounded in this one, going for 21 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
The Tigers’ quest for a second straight state title continues on Thursday, when they play the winner of Ames and North Scott in a 4A semifinal.
Team Scoring
SC East — 10 9 7 15 — 41
C. Falls — 13 20 14 16 — 63
Individual Scoring
SC East: Sayvion Armstrong 17, Javante Keck 8, Jaleque Dunson 5, Aidan Vanderloo 4 Jack Peterson 2, Nate Zyzda 2, Danny Callahan 1, Aden Gomez 1, Caden Budde 1.
C. Falls: Logan Wolf 21, Jack Campbell 16, Jackson Frericks 9, Jaxon Heth 8, Josh Ollendieck 4, Chase Courbat 2, Mason Abbas 1.
MVP: Logan Wolf
We think his alley-oop dunk in the third quarter — easily the best dunk of the tourney so far — was enough to earn him the honor here. But, seriously, his all-around game was on full display tonight; Wolf, a 6’5 wing, was doing it all for the Tigers. Northern Iowa is getting a good one next season (football and basketball)
#2 North Scott 56 vs #7 Ames 38
This game had all the makings of a nip-and-tuck affair — at halftime it was 20-19, Ames — but then a third quarter outburst by the 2-seed Lancers more or less put it away.
Senior point guard Cortaviaus Seales was brilliant while probing the Ames defense and leading the charge for the Lancers. It was Reece Sommers who, with a 3-ball, capped the 10-0 run in the third quarter that put North Scott up for good.
Ames’ highly touted freshman point guard Tamin Lipsey certainly showed glimpses as to why he’s regarded as one of the best players in the country, he finished with 11 points. Another Ames freshman Corey Phillips is a star in the making, he led the Little Cyclones with 11 points and five rebounds.
North Scott was led by Seales’ 15 points, he was 8-8 from the free-throw line. Northern Iowa commit Ty Anderson was great, going for 13 points on 6-8 shooting, nine rebounds and two blocks. Sommers scored 13 points, and was 3-5 from deep.
The Lancers will play defending state champ Cedar Falls in a 4A semifinal on Thursday.
Team Scoring
Ames — 8 12 6 12 — 38
N. Scott — 13 6 17 20 — 56
Individual Scoring
Ames: Tamin Lipsey 11, Corey Phillips 11, Japannah Kellogg 8, Cooper Downs 3, Casey Mumm 2, Kiaeem Mosley 2, Jonah Strawhacker 1
N. Scott: Cortaviaus Seales 15, Reece Sommers 13, Sam Kilburg 13, Sam Kilburg 7, Carson Rollinger 5, Trent Allard 2, Logan Vis 1.
MVP: Cortaviaus Seales
He was the engine for North Scott tonight, and even played with a little chip on his shoulder throughout. From the tip, he was an aggressor (he attacked the hoop and scored within three seconds after the tip), and he was the leading scorer in the game with 15. We also liked that he was 8-8 from the line.
#1 Waukee 48 vs #8 Dowling Catholic 35
It was not pretty, especially in the first half, ultimately though, top-seeded Waukee was able to pull-away from the fiery Dowling squad.
The Maroons were were up two at the halftime, 16-14. Waukee was shooting just 20% from the floor at that point. Waukee would take control in the third quarter after a five point flurry from senior big-man Dylan Jones. A 3-ball from Andrew Curran with 2:44 left in the fourth quarter put the Warriors up eight, 39-31, that proved to be the dagger.
Dowling was led by athletic junior guard Matt Stilwill, he finished with 17 points, Sophomore standout Ryan Riggs had six points and six rebounds. Those two will make Dowling formidable again next season.
Waukee got a game-high 18 points from Jones, he was 10-11 from the line. Most impressively, the Warriors were 24-27 from the line in the game (Dowling was just 4-7).
The Warriors will play the winner of Iowa City West and Dubuque Senior in a 4A semifinal game on Thursday.
Team Scoring
Dowling — 8 8 6 13 — 35
Waukee — 8 6 13 21 — 48
Individual Scoring
Dowling: Matt Stilwill 17, Ryan Riggs 6, Drew Daniel 5, Jack Lyman 3, Luke Kavan 2, Jack Keough 2.
Waukee: Dylan Jones 18, Andrew Curran 16, Michael Vicente 9, Trey Schaller 2, Dante Jenkins 2, Tucker DeVries 1
MVP: Dylan Jones
His flurry in the third quarter, when he got a tough and-one bucket and the next time down made two-free-throws, turned a 22-22 game into a 27-22 game. And for the first time, Waukee had taken control; the Warriors never relinquished that lead. Jones was sterling at the line, going 10-11, and scored a game-high 18 in the win.
#4 Dubuque, Senior 39 vs #5 Iowa City West 36
It was a dramatic final minute, and Senior guards Daquon Lewis and Cooper Medinger came out of it heroes.
West was up one with just under a minute to play, that’s when a Nick Pepin pass was picked off around mid-court by Rams junior Daquon Lewis, who took it straight to the hoop for an uncontested lay-in. That put the Rams up one.
Am empty West possession ensued, and Senior was back on offense. With 16 seconds left, and clinging to the one point lead, Medinger, a senior guard was fouled. He’s the Rams’ best free throw shooter (87%), and that proved true; Medinger canned them both and put Senior up 3 with.
On the final possession Patrick McCaffery heaved up a contested corner three, it wasn’t close. The ball ended up with Pepin, West’s best 3-point shooter, who had a clean look straightaway, but his 3-attempt bounced off front rim.
Senior survives and advances to a 4A semifinal against top-seed Waukee. They were led by Noah Carter’s 12 points.
West ends its season 17-5. Iowa-bound McCaffery led the Trojans with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Team Scoring
West — 18 5 7 6 — 36
Senior — 12 12 7 8 — 39
Individual Scoring
West: Patrick McCaffery, Even Brauns, Nick Pepin 5, Marcus Morgan 5, Brayden Adcock 2, Tate Crane 2.
Senior: Noah Carter 12, Sam Link 9, Cooper Medinger 8, Dequon Lewis 6, Landon Hermsen 4.
MVP: Daquon Lewis
The junior guard went from role player to superstar when he came from seemingly nowhere to grab a steal at mid-court and take it the other way for what proved to be a game-winning lay-in. Lewis, a quick and athletic guard, had been averaging 2.4 points per game this season, and scored six in this one – none bigger than the last two.