Substate Preview: 2A-2
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District 3 [player_tooltip player_id="682290" first="Tanner" last="Te Slaa"] The favorite: Boyden-Hull has won 18 straight games following an early-season loss to Central Lyon, with only two of those wins coming by single digits. Senior wing Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa…
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Continue ReadingDistrict 3
The favorite: Boyden-Hull has won 18 straight games following an early-season loss to Central Lyon, with only two of those wins coming by single digits. Senior wing Tanner Te Slaa Tanner Te Slaa 6'5" | SF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (22.0, 9.7 rebounds), a South Dakota State signee, leads the charge, pacing an offense that is averaging 77.1 points a game and posting remarkable 50-40-76 shooting splits. Te Slaa is also dishing out a team-high 5.1 assists, using his high IQ and excellent size to dominate the game on both ends of the floor. Spirit Lake transfer Vance Katzfey Vance Katzfey 6'3" | SG Spirit Lake | 2022 State IA (19.5) has provided some more perimeter scoring punch, taking some of the scoring pressure off of Te Slaa and allowing him to flourish as a playmaker. Stretch-forward Bryan Zylstra Bryan Zylstra 6'2" | PF Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (14.9, 45.8 3P%) and guard Dylan Francis Dylan Francis 5'10" | SG Boyden-Hull | 2022 State IA (9.8, 47.4 3P%) give the Comets some floor spacing with their ability to shoot it at a high clip. This is an experienced team with a number of pieces who have played in big games, and they have to be considered one of the favorites to take home the 2A title. They have beaten likely district final opponent Rock Valley twice this season, by 12 and 22 points, and possible opponent Unity Christian by 22.
The biggest threat: Boyden-Hull shares their football program with Rock Valley, so there is a lot of familiarity between the athletes that play on the hardwood. The Rockets are led by a quartet of double-figure scorers in seniors Bryson Van Grootheest Bryson Van Grootheest 6'0" | CG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (18.0), Sam Remmerde Sam Remmerde 6'3" | PF Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (11.9), Landyn Van Kekerix Landyn Van Kekerix 5'11" | SG Rock Valley | 2022 State IA (11.7), and Dawson Van Beek (11.2), giving them a balanced attack with a number of different options. Van Beek is the team’s best shooting threat, Remmerde and Van Kekerix are excellent on the glass, and Van Grootheest is the team’s top all-around scoring threat. The Rockets are athletic, quick, and physical, and they’d love to get a third shot at the Comets in the district final.
The dark horse: Conference rival West Lyon was swept by Boyden-Hull this year, by 14 and 12 points, but the Wildcats had a halftime lead in the meeting on January 21 and have to feel like they can play with the Comets. Four seniors lead the team in scoring in Jaxon Meyer Jaxon Meyer 6'4" | PF West Lyon | 2022 State IA (15.0), Caleb Folkens (11.6), Javen Meyer (9.4), and Marcus Van Beek (7.3). They don’t shoot the ball well from the arc (28.4%), but they’re an athletic team that competes hard on the offensive glass and does a pretty good job of limiting turnovers.
Players to watch
2022
Tanner Te Slaa
Tanner
Te Slaa
6'5" | SF
Boyden-Hull | 2022
State
IA
, Boyden-Hull
2022
Vance Katzfey
Vance
Katzfey
6'3" | SG
Spirit Lake | 2022
State
IA
, Boyden-Hull
2022
Bryan Zylstra
Bryan
Zylstra
6'2" | PF
Boyden-Hull | 2022
State
IA
, Boyden-Hull
2022
Bryson Van Grootheest
Bryson
Van Grootheest
6'0" | CG
Rock Valley | 2022
State
IA
, Rock Valley
2022
Sam Remmerde
Sam
Remmerde
6'3" | PF
Rock Valley | 2022
State
IA
, Rock Valley
2022
Jaxon Meyer
Jaxon
Meyer
6'4" | PF
West Lyon | 2022
State
IA
, West Lyon
2023
Jacob Van Donge
Jacob
Van Donge
6'1" | PG
Unity Christian | 2023
State
IA
, Unity Christian
2022
Logan Bruxvoort
Logan
Bruxvoort
6'4" | C
Sibley-Ocheyedan | 2022
State
IA
, Sibley-Ocheyedan
2023
Tyler Voss
Tyler
Voss
6'4" | PF
Spirit Lake | 2023
State
IA
, Spirit Lake
District 4
The favorite: Estherville Lincoln Central got off to a really strong start this year, going 7-1 before the holiday break, with the lone loss coming to Cherokee by a point. That start included a 33-point win over Sioux Central and an 8-point win over Western Christian. They’ve stumbled a bit down the stretch, going 4-5 in their last nine games, but those losses have come to 3A Spencer twice (a 16-3 team), Newell-Fonda (18-2), Western Christian (19-1), and 3A Storm Lake (11-7). You still need to win games, but the losses are certainly understandable. Sophomore point guard Owen Larson Owen Larson 6'1" | PG Estherville Lincoln Central | 2024 State IA (22.8, 5.4 assists) has been outstanding this season, posting 52-44-81 shooting splits while emerging as a dominant scorer. The next six scorers are all seniors, led by Ryan Schiltz Ryan Schiltz 5'10" | PG Estherville Lincoln Central | 2022 State IA (12.9) and Blake Ingvall Blake Ingvall 6'3" | SF Estherville Lincoln Central | 2022 State IA (11.3, 8.5 rebounds). They have a star player in Larson, and a lot of experience alongside him, which makes this team dangerous. They’ve proven that they can beat good teams, and they’re hoping to build some momentum back up heading into the postseason.
The biggest threat: Sioux Central got off to an 0-3 start this season, but has won 16 of 17 games since then. The Rebels play a weaker schedule than ELC or Okoboji, but they’ve taken care of business against the teams on their schedule, earning a home game in the semifinals. They’re led by a trio of juniors – Jacob Hargens Jacob Hargens 6'2" | PG Sioux Central | 2023 State IA (25.5, 10.1 rebounds), Carter Boettcher Carter Boettcher 6'1" | PG Sioux Central | 2023 State IA (18.1), and Ethan Mills (12.8). That trio can put up points in bunches, but they do account for 84% of the team’s scoring, and as good as they are, they’ll need to have a role player or two step up in the postseason. They have the type of firepower to make some noise.
The dark horse: Lucas Lorenzen Lucas Lorenzen 6'4" | SF Okoboji | 2022 State IA (30.8, 11.8 rebounds) is putting together an absolutely ridiculous season for Okoboji, and he makes the Pioneers dangerous. He’s a 6-5/6-6 combo forward who can score inside and out, dominate the glass, and get to the rim. Teams have thrown all sorts of junk defenses at him, and he has still delivered time after time. Kaleb Peschong (10.9, 38.1 3P%) gives them some perimeter shooting, but it will be all about Lorenzen. He’s one of the few players in the class who could piece together the necessary efforts to lead the Pioneers to three straight wins and a substate final appearance.
Players to watch
2024
Owen Larson
Owen
Larson
6'1" | PG
Estherville Lincoln Central | 2024
State
IA
, Estherville Lincoln Central
2022
Ryan Schiltz
Ryan
Schiltz
5'10" | PG
Estherville Lincoln Central | 2022
State
IA
, Estherville Lincoln Central
2022
Blake Ingvall
Blake
Ingvall
6'3" | SF
Estherville Lincoln Central | 2022
State
IA
, Estherville Lincoln Central
2023
Jacob Hargens
Jacob
Hargens
6'2" | PG
Sioux Central | 2023
State
IA
, Sioux Central
2023
Carter Boettcher
Carter
Boettcher
6'1" | PG
Sioux Central | 2023
State
IA
, Sioux Central
2022
Lucas Lorenzen
Lucas
Lorenzen
6'4" | SF
Okoboji | 2022
State
IA
, Okoboji
2022
Gavin Ehn
Gavin
Ehn
6'0" | SF
Pocahontas Area | 2022
State
IA
, Pocahontas Area
SUBSTATE FINAL PREDICTION
Boyden-Hull vs. Estherville Lincoln Central
Other than Western Christian and Mid-Prairie, nobody is playing better basketball in 2A right now than Boyden-Hull. The Comets have been an absolute juggernaut since their early-season loss, and while ELC has put together a really strong season and have a star in Larson, Boyden-Hull has two stars in Te Slaa and Katzfey, and a number of experienced pieces around them that have played in all sorts of big games. Boyden-Hull heads back to Des Moines for the fourth consecutive year, where they’ll be looking to get revenge on Western Christian and take home the 2A title.