Playoff Preview: 4A-8

  [player_tooltip player_id="727863" first="Payton" last="Sandfort"] The favorite: Outside of maybe Cedar Falls in 4A-4, there isn’t a bigger favorite in a substate than Waukee is here. The Warriors have beaten Ankeny, the substate’s #2 seed, twice this year by a combined 65 points. The Warriors have a +23 point per game differential, and they’re winning games by an average of 28.5 points a game. Drake signee Tucker DeVriesTuckerDeVries6'7" | SFWaukee | 2021State#123NationIA (18.9, 6.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 3.5 steals) leads the team in scoring, while Iowa signee Payton SandfortPaytonSandfort6'7" | SFWaukee | 2021State#138NationIA (17.7, 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 47.5 3P%) leads the team in rebounding. His younger brother Pryce SandfortPryceSandfort6'4" | SFWaukee | 2023State#140NationIA (8.1, 57.5 3P%) is a sniper, and Dowling transfer Omaha BiliewOmahaBiliew6'9" | SFWaukee | 2023State#6NationIA (11.3, 8.0 rebounds, 3.2 blocks) is one of the top 2023 prospects in the country. This Waukee team is loaded with talent and is an overwhelming favorite here.  The biggest threat: Ankeny has a young, talented group that will benefit from playing in a substate final. Among their top six scorers are three juniors, two sophomores and a freshman, so expect to see the Hawks among the top teams in 4A next year. Junior forward Ryan CrandallRyanCrandall6'1" | SFAnkeny | 2022StateIA (11.3, 7.2 rebounds) leads the team in scoring and rebounding, and freshman guard Carson Johnson (7.9, 38.7 3P%) has a very bright future. They’ve been demolished by Waukee twice this year, but they should make it to the substate final, which makes them the biggest threat to Waukee in this substate.  The dark horse: The best individual non-Waukee player in this substate is Marshalltown guard Armonniey ThomasArmonnieyThomas6'0" | CGMarshalltown | 2022StateIA (16.8, 8.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists). The junior is quick, long and athletic and can impact the game on both ends of the floor. Sophomore wing Prince Jallah (12.6, 8.5 rebounds) is another impactful player for the Bobcats. Players to watch 2021 Tucker DeVriesTuckerDeVries6'7" | SFWaukee | 2021State#123NationIA, Waukee 2021 Payton SandfortPaytonSandfort6'7" | SFWaukee | 2021State#138NationIA, Waukee 2023 Pryce SandfortPryceSandfort6'4" | SFWaukee | 2023State#140NationIA, Waukee 2023 Omaha BiliewOmahaBiliew6'9" | SFWaukee | 2023State#6NationIA, Waukee 2021 Malik AllenMalikAllen5'11" | PGWaukee | 2021StateIA, Waukee 2021 Wyatt HestonWyattHeston6'7" | SFWaukee | 2021StateIA, Waukee 2022 Ryan CrandallRyanCrandall6'1" | SFAnkeny | 2022StateIA, Ankeny 2024 Carson Johnson, Ankeny 2022 Armonniey ThomasArmonnieyThomas6'0" | CGMarshalltown | 2022StateIA, Marshalltown 2023 Prince Jallah, Marshalltown 2022 Corey MinerCoreyMiner6'0" | PGMason City | 2022StateIA, Mason City 2021 Cole Tunender, Norwalk 2021 Jakari BradleyJakariBradley6'1" | SFRoosevelt | 2021StateIA, Roosevelt   SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION Waukee vs. Ankeny There won’t be much intrigue in this one. Waukee has already swept the Hawks by an average of 32.5 points a game. The Warriors make their way to Wells Fargo, where they’ll be eyeing Championship Friday.