Class 1A District Final Picks
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Game Location The Pick Reasoning St. Mary’s vs. Newell-Fonda Sioux City East St. Mary’s Interesting contrast in styles with St. Mary’s leaning on a slower game and their strong defense, while Newell-Fonda likes to fly around. Postseason games generally slow…
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Continue ReadingGame | Location | The Pick | Reasoning |
St. Mary’s vs. Newell-Fonda | Sioux City East | St. Mary’s | Interesting contrast in styles with St. Mary’s leaning on a slower game and their strong defense, while Newell-Fonda likes to fly around. Postseason games generally slow down a bit, advantage Hawks. |
Gehlen Catholic vs. Woodbury Central | Bishop Heelan | Gehlen Catholic | Like many of these games, this is a rematch from a regular-season game, handily won by Gehlen, 84-57. Jays advance behind dynamic one-two punch of Carter DeRocher Carter DeRocher 6'2" | SF Gehlen Catholic | 2022 State IA and Keaten Bonderson Keaten Bonderson 6'0" | PG Gehlen Catholic | 2023 State IA . |
Lake Mills vs. Bishop Garrigan | Clear Lake | Lake Mills | Bishop Garrigan is hot and has the best individual player on the floor in Angelo Winkel Angelo Winkel 6'9" | C Bishop Garrigan | 2021 State IA (28.8), but Lake Mills dominated the regular-season meeting, 61-38, at the beginning of the month. Bulldogs have a much better 1-5 than the Golden Bears. |
West Fork vs. Janesville | Charles City | West Fork | Janesville has a player in Wiley Sherburne Wiley Sherburne 6'4" | PF Janesville | 2022 State IA (23.0) that West Fork may struggle to defend, but the Warhawks have more options, more experience in big games, and have played a significantly tougher schedule. Big games from Kayden Ames Kayden Ames 6'1" | SG West Fork | 2021 State IA and Jakob Washington Jakob Washington 6'2" | SF West Fork | 2021 State IA carry West Fork to the substate final. |
Gladbrook-Reinbeck vs. Maquoketa Valley | Independence | Gladbrook-Reinbeck | Maq Valley comes in off an upset over Dunkerton, Gladbrook-Reinbeck has won 12 of 13. Rebels get a big night from sophomore William Kiburis and escape a scare from the Wildcats. |
South Winneshiek vs. Edgewood-Colesburg | Central Elkader | South Winneshiek | South Winn coming in off of upset of defending champion Wapsie Valley, looking to keep momentum going. Warriors have a tough matchup for Ed-Co in junior forward Trey Kriener (13.1, 10.0 rebounds). His size proves to be the difference-maker on both ends of the floor. |
Easton Valley vs. Wapello | Clinton | Easton Valley | Should be one of the better games tonight. Wapello junior guard Maddox Griffin Maddox Griffin 6'1" | PG Wapello | 2022 State IA is a handful, but do the Indians have an answer for the interior play of Kaleb Cornilsen Kaleb Cornilsen 6'5" | PF Easton Valley | 2021 State IA ? It doesn’t seem like it. Big Cornilsen game sends EV to the substate final in a great game. |
Springville vs. New London | West Liberty | Springville | Arguably the game of the night. Springville’s experience will be key here. New London has the best player on the floor in sophomore guard Blaise Porter Blaise Porter 6'1" | PG New London | 2023 State #298 Nation IA (22.5), but Springville’s depth, balance, experience, and versatility are key here. Orioles survive and advance in a fantastic game. |
North Linn vs. Alburnett | Vinton-Shellsburg | North Linn | The Lynx won the regular-season meeting handily, 59-37, on February 9, with their constant pressure forcing 22 Pirates turnovers. Expect more of the same as North Linn cruises into the substate final. |
Grundy Center vs. Meskwaki Settlement | West Marshall | Grundy Center | Major edge in strength of schedule gives Spartans an edge here. Strong defensive team has the horses to slow down standout guard Taurice Grant Taurice Grant 5'11" | PG Meskwaki Settlement School | 2021 State IA . Big shooting night from Brayden Sawyer Brayden Sawyer 5'10" | SG Grundy Center | 2022 State IA (14.2, 48.2 3P%) sends Grundy Center to Saturday night. |
Montezuma vs. Keota | Williamsburg | Montezuma | Montezuma has been rolling since big man Eddie Burgess Eddie Burgess 6'4" | PF Montezuma | 2022 State IA (13.7) re-joined the lineup following a football injury, including an 80-46 win over Keota. They’ve won all 13 games with him playing, by an average of 30.6 points a game. Senior guard Trey Shearer Trey Shearer 5'10" | PG Montezuma | 2021 State IA (26.8, 58-48-76 shooting splits) is the most dynamic player in 1A basketball. |
Mount Ayr vs. Moravia | Central Decatur | Mount Ayr | Great backcourt matchup here between Mount Ayr’s Jaixen Frost (22.4) and Moravia’s Carson Brown Carson Brown 6'0" | SF Moravia | 2021 State IA (23.5). The supporting cast of Mount Ayr is better, giving them the edge here. |
Martensdale-St. Marys vs. Earlham | Interstate 35 | Martensdale-St. Marys | Major strength of schedule edge for Earlham here, but Martensdale-St. Marys has a major experience advantage. All five Blue Devils starters played at State last year, giving them an edge here. Earlham needs a big game from senior guard TJ Harkins TJ Harkins 6'0" | SG Earlham | 2021 State IA if they want to pull the upset. |
Tri-Center vs. Riverside | Red Oak | Tri-Center | Tri-Center rolled in the regular-season meeting, 56-29, holding Riverside to 23.4% shooting. Trojans win comfortably here, advancing to Saturday night. |
Grand View Christian vs. Coon Rapids-Bayard | Woodward-Granger | Grand View Christian | Coon Rapids-Bayard enters off of back-to-back upsets, but they’re running into a buzzsaw here. No answer for Manny Hammonds Manny Hammonds 6'2" | SG Grand View Christian | 2022 State IA , Josh Baucum on the perimeter, or Daniel Tobiloba Daniel Tobiloba 7'0" | C Grand View Christian | 2023 State IA in the paint. This one could get ugly. |
St. Albert vs. West Harrison | Lewis Central | St. Albert | West Harrison has no answer for St. Albert forward Sam Rallis Sam Rallis 6'1" | PF St. Albert | 2021 State IA , an efficient scoring forward. Hawkeyes will need to make it rain from 3 if they want to pull off this upset. |