Class 4A Substate Final Preview
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[player_tooltip player_id="1171660" first="Carson" last="Johnson"] Substate 1: Ankeny (18-4) vs. Waukee (14-10) at Dallas Center-Grimes Ankeny won the regular-season meeting between these teams 65-58, winning by just seven points despite outrebounding the Warriors 40-21 and shooting 51.0% from the floor. The…
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Continue ReadingSubstate 1: Ankeny (18-4) vs. Waukee (14-10)
at Dallas Center-Grimes
Ankeny won the regular-season meeting between these teams 65-58, winning by just seven points despite outrebounding the Warriors 40-21 and shooting 51.0% from the floor. The reason that Waukee kept it close? The 3-point line, outscoring the Warriors 36-12 from behind the arc. Waukee kept that hot shooting up in the Warriors win over Sioux City East in the semifinal, going 12-24 from behind the arc en route to a blowout road win. If they want to keep this run going, they’ll need to knock down a bunch of 3-pointers again, something they’re certainly capable of. They’re led by juniors
Vance Peiffer
Vance
Peiffer
6'7" | C
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
(11.5, 6.7 rebounds) and
Cade Littlefield
Cade
Littlefield
6'1"
Waukee | 2023
IA
(10.6, 48.8 3P%). Peiffer is a really good interior presence who can score efficiently, occasionally stretch out and knock down 3s, and protect the rim, while Littlefield is a high IQ guard who can really shoot it.
Mason Costello
Mason
Costello
6'3" | SG
Waukee | 2024
State
IA
(9.2),
Cooper Randall
Cooper
Randall
6'4" | SG
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
(8.6), and
Keysean Moore
Keysean
Moore
6'0" | PG
Waukee | 2024
State
IA
(6.7) round out a strong group that can comfortably go nine deep. Ankeny can also go deep into their bench with quality options, and they have a quartet of double-figure scorers in
Ryan Crandall
Ryan
Crandall
6'1" | SF
Ankeny | 2022
State
IA
(11.7),
Lio Aguirre
Lio
Aguirre
6'3" | SF
Ankeny | 2024
State
IA
(10.6),
JJ Kohl
JJ
Kohl
6'8" | PF
Ankeny | 2023
IA
(10.3), and
Carson Johnson
Carson
Johnson
5'11" | PG
Ankeny | 2024
State
IA
(10.1), while three others average between 6.5 and 8.5 points a game. The Hawks are deep, athletic, and physical, and they’ll look to use that athleticism and physicality to dominate on the glass again. Look for them to try and run Waukee off the 3-point line a bit and make the Warriors beat them from inside the arc instead of letting them get hot from deep.
Our pick: Ankeny
Substate 2: Ames (19-3) vs. Hoover (16-8)
at Centennial
Ames received a major shot in the arm with the return of star guard
Tamin Lipsey
Tamin
Lipsey
6'2" | PG
Ames | 2022
State
#163
Nation
IA
(16.7, 6.1 assists) to the lineup for their semifinal win over Mason City. Lipsey, committed to play at Iowa State, had missed the previous six games nursing a hamstring injury but returned to score 19 points with 7 assists. His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor even when he isn’t scoring is part of what sets him apart from everyone else in the state. Senior forward
Trevion Labeaux
Trevion
Labeaux
6'3" | SF
Ames | 2022
State
IA
(15.0, 6.5 rebounds) really stepped his game up in Lipsey’s absence, and fellow forward
Corey Phillips
Corey
Phillips
6'5" | PF
Ames | 2022
State
IA
(11.5, 5.7 rebounds) provides some versatility on both ends of the floor.
Lucas Lueth
Lucas
Lueth
6'6" | SF
Ames | 2023
State
IA
(6.7) is one of the best perimeter defenders in the state, a long and athletic wing who uses his 6-7 frame effectively. Hoover is led by a pair of talented juniors in guard
Chase Henderson
Chase
Henderson
6'0" | PG
Hoover | 2023
State
IA
(23.1) and
Elijah Vos
Elijah
Vos
6'4" | SF
Hoover | 2023
State
IA
(15.0). Henderson has picked up an offer from South Dakota and is a cat-quick guard who can get to the rim at will and get others involved, while Vos is a 6-5/6-6 wing who can score from all three levels. This teams met in the postseason last year, a 65-34 Ames win, and while we expect this one to be closer, Ames should still comfortably win and advance to the state tournament, where they’ll be considered the favorite with Lipsey back in the lineup.
Our pick: Ames
Substate 3: Valley (20-3) vs. Cedar Falls (19-2)
at Marshalltown
Two of the hottest teams in 4A meet in this game that looks like it could’ve been a semifinal at the state tournament. Cedar Falls has won 15 straight games and Valley has won 14 straight heading into this one. Cedar Falls is led by senior point guard
Trey Campbell
Trey
Campbell
6'4" | PG
Cedar Falls | 2022
State
IA
(24.1, 4.2 assists), who has been absolutely dominant this season, showing his ability to score from all three levels, control the pace, and take over games on the defensive end. A 6-5 guard with quickness rivaled by few in the state, he’s the type of player who can not only carry a team to the state tournament, but to a state championship if he gets it rolling. Junior wing
Dallas Bear
Dallas
Bear
6'8" | SF
Cedar Falls | 2023
State
#276
Nation
IA
(14.9) is a long 6-8 wing who is capable of getting red hot from the arc and dropping 15 in a quarter, and
Cade Courbat
Cade
Courbat
6'8" | PF
Cedar Falls | 2024
State
IA
(6.7, 2.3 blocks), a sophomore forward, will be asked to play a significant role in this one against Valley’s star big man
Ruot Bijiek
Ruot
Bijiek
6'8" | PF
Valley | 2022
State
IA
(17.3, 6.9 rebounds). He has taken his game to another level since the injury to
Eli Raridon
Eli
Raridon
6'7" | PF
Valley | 2022
State
IA
, dominating games in the paint with his ability to finish through contact with excellent footwork and touch, and his ability to stretch the floor. The Tigers have gotten strong production from a pair of freshmen guards
Curtis Stinson Jr
Curtis
Stinson Jr
6'5" | PG
Valley | 2025
State
#157
Nation
IA
(9.7) and
Kiki Deng
Kiki
Deng
6'4" | SG
Valley | 2025
State
IA
(6.9), as well as veteran role players
Cade Grevengoed
Cade
Grevengoed
6'1" | SG
Valley | 2022
State
IA
(6.8), Trevian Carson (5.8), and
Mason Morrow
Mason
Morrow
5'11" | CG
Valley | 2022
State
IA
(5.7). Valley has the type of big, physical, athletic guards who can contain Campbell to an extent, while Cedar Falls may struggle to slow down Bijiek, giving the Tigers in orange and black the edge here over the ones in red and white.
Our pick: Valley
Substate 4: Kennedy (19-3) vs. Cedar Rapids Washington (13-9)
at Solon
Kennedy swept the season series between these teams, 71-51 on December 10, and 66-58 on February 4. The Cougars have shot a combined 52.1% from the floor in the two wins and forced an average of 16 turnovers a game, a number that the Warriors will need to drastically cut down on if they want to pull off the upset here, as giving a potent Kennedy offense extra possessions is not going to end well. The Cougars are led by a great quartet of guards in
Colby Dolphin
Colby
Dolphin
5'10" | PG
Kennedy | 2023
State
IA
(14.1),
Kenzie Reed
Kenzie
Reed
5'11" | PG
Kennedy | 2023
State
IA
(12.6, 7.1 assists),
Carson Blietz
Carson
Blietz
5'11" | SG
Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(9.0, 41.7 3P%), and
Cyrus Courtney
Cyrus
Courtney
6'1" | SG
Kennedy | 2024
State
IA
(8.1, 2.6 steals). Each of them give Kennedy a little something different, and both are capable of taking over games for a stretch of time. The Cougars also have a talented pair of big men in
Jackson Bowman
Jackson
Bowman
6'7" | PF
Cedar Rapids Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(10.5, 59.0 FG%) and
Craig Mills
Craig
Mills
6'5" | PF
Kennedy | 2022
State
IA
(7.7, 7.2 rebounds), giving them a balanced attack on the offensive end, and lots of versatility defensively. Washington is young but talented, and a majority of these players will be playing in their second consecutive substate final. The Warriors are led by 6-5 junior wing
Traijan Sain
Traijan
Sain
6'5" | SF
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2023
State
IA
(17.1, 6.5 rebounds), a long and athletic wing who can take over games as he did in their regular-season win over Iowa City West, dropping 32 points on 13-20 shooting. He’s a streaky but capable 3-point shooting threat who will need to knock down some jumpers to keep Washington around in this one. The backcourt of
Jesse Sellers
Jesse
Sellers
5'10" | PG
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2023
State
IA
(11.4),
Jaden Harris
Jaden
Harris
6'0" | PG
Cedar Rapids Washington | 2023
State
IA
(7.2, 3.7 assists), and
Willie Hodges
Willie
Hodges
6'2" | PG
Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024
IA
(4.4, 3.0 assists) will need to navigate Kennedy’s constantly changing array of pressure looks and limit turnovers if they want to pull off this upset.
Our pick: Kennedy
Substate 5: Pleasant Valley (22-0) vs. Burlington (16-7)
at Muscatine
Burlington has put together their best season in a long time, and are on the precipice of their first state tournament appearance since 1987. Standing in their way, however, is the only undefeated team left in 4A and the class’s top-ranked defense. Pleasant Valley allows just 41.0 points a game, and while some of that can be attributed to their methodical style offensively that shortens games, if you watch this team play defense, you see why they’re so tough to score against. Their guards are quick and active, their bigs aren’t traditionally big but are long and physical, and their rotations are top-notch. Steve Hillman is one of the best defensive coaches in the state, and he will certainly have a game plan drawn up to combat some of the athleticism that Burlington can throw at teams on the perimeter. PV is led by senior guard
Ryan Dolphin
Ryan
Dolphin
5'8" | PG
Pleasant Valley | 2022
State
IA
(16.7, 45.4 3P%), who has emerged as one of the best perimeter shooting threats in the state this season.
Connor Borbeck
Connor
Borbeck
6'2" | SG
Pleasant Valley | 2023
State
IA
(13.7, 38.6 3P%) and
Joel Lawlor
Joel
Lawlor
6'3" | PG
Pleasant Valley | 2022
State
IA
(10.0, 39.4 3P%) give them some additional punch on the perimeter, and
David Gorsline
David
Gorsline
6'2" | SG
Pleasant Valley | 2024
State
IA
(6.2, 7.0 rebounds) is the aforementioned undersized but athletic and physical big man. Burlington is headlined by a pair of athletic, slashing wings in
Amarion Davis
Amarion
Davis
6'3" | SF
Burlington | 2022
State
IA
(14.5, 54.4 FG%) and Merquiche Lewis Jr (13.0, 54.0 FG%). Both of them can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, and they also move really well off the ball. The Grayhounds shot the ball from 3 much better than usual against Iowa City West in the semifinals, and they protected the ball. They’ll need to do both again in this one against a staunch PV defense.
Our pick: Pleasant Valley
Substate 6: Prairie (16-6) vs. Hempstead (13-10)
at Clinton
These teams met back on December 21, a double-overtime 66-61 win by Prairie. The Hawks got a combined 49 points from their starting backcourt of
Jake Walter
Jake
Walter
5'10" | CG
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
and
Elijah Ward
Elijah
Ward
6'2" | CG
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
in that game, which helped carry them to the win. Ward is out for the rest of the season with a wrist injury, and that could prove to be a fatal blow for Prairie in this game. Walter (13.4, 3.7 assists) has continued his strong play in Ward’s absence, showing his ability to score from all three levels at an efficient clip, and guards
Jack Wagemester
Jack
Wagemester
6'1" | SG
Prairie | 2023
State
IA
(7.4), Dionte Fliss (5.3), and
Makelle Taylor
Makelle
Taylor
5'11" | PG
Prairie | 2023
State
IA
(4.5) have stepped up in expanded roles, while the Burkle brothers,
Gabe Burkle
Gabe
Burkle
6'7" | PF
Prairie | 2022
State
IA
(14.7, 5.8 rebounds) and
Reid Burkle
Reid
Burkle
6'5" | PF
Prairie | 2024
State
IA
(4.0, 4.0 rebounds) provide some size, athleticism, and strength in the paint. Hempstead is led by senior big man
Cameron Fens
Cameron
Fens
7'0" | C
Hempstead | 2022
State
IA
(19.1, 11.4 rebounds, 2.5 blocks), who has played well enough this season to pick up a pair of Division I offers. He’s a 6-10 big who is mobile, protects the rim, and finishes effectively around the bucket.
Kellen Strohmeyer
Kellen
Strohmeyer
6'3" | SG
Hempstead | 2022
State
IA
(15.0) provides the scoring punch on the perimeter, and Hempstead has been a strong defensive team for much of the season. Will the Burkle boys be able to slow down Fens?
Our pick: Hempstead
Substate 7: Northwest (19-4) vs. Urbandale (13-10)
at Des Moines Lincoln
In their first year as a school, Northwest has been absolutely fantastic behind the stellar play of junior wing
Pryce Sandfort
Pryce
Sandfort
6'7" | SF
Waukee Northwest | 2023
State
#123
Nation
IA
(27.7, 10.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks), who has been the best player in the state this season. A long 6-7 wing who impacts the game on both ends and is highly efficient, Sandfort can dominate games as a three-level scorer, rebounder, facilitator, and rim-protector. Fellow junior guards
Cade Kelderman
Cade
Kelderman
6'0" | PG
Waukee Northwest | 2023
State
IA
(16.3, 5.6 assists, 43.6 3P%) and
Henry Manning
Henry
Manning
6'1" | SG
Waukee | 2023
State
IA
(11.3, 38.2 3P%) give them some additional scoring punch on the perimeter, and
Grant Tigges
Grant
Tigges
6'4" | SG
Waukee Northwest | 2024
State
IA
(8.5, 43.6 3P%) has been good inside the arc with the ability to stretch the floor as well. Urbandale is led by sophomore guard
Grant Uecker
Grant
Uecker
6'3" | PG
Urbandale | 2024
State
IA
(11.0, 3.5 assists, 44.8 3P%), who has played at a really high level for the J-Hawks as a shooter and playmaker.
Brice Lange
Brice
Lange
5'10" | SG
Urbandale | 2023
State
IA
(10.5) and Gresyn Schmitz (10.2) give them some additional scoring, but look for the J-Hawks to try and slow this one down to a crawl. They don’t want to get into a shootout with the high-powered Wolves.
Our pick: Northwest
Substate 8: Johnston (18-3) vs. Dowling Catholic (9-14)
at Blake Fieldhouse
These teams met on February 11, a 58-49 Johnston win in which the Dragons outrebounded the Maroons 39-20 and held them to just 6-25 from behind the arc. Johnston has won seven straight games heading into this one behind the strength of their fantastic senior duo of
Trey Lewis
Trey
Lewis
5'10" | PG
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(22.3, 5.0 assists) and
Steven Kramer
Steven
Kramer
6'5" | SG
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(15.3). Lewis has played as well as anyone in the the class not named Sandfort this season, showing his ability to score from all three levels and he has really improved as a playmaker this season, getting others involved at a high clip. Kramer is an athletic 6-5/6-6 wing who is headed to play at South Dakota, and he’s another good three-level scorer who can facilitate and defend multiple positions. The Dragons are able to surround that tandem with a trio of outstanding shooters in
Masen Ryan
Masen
Ryan
6'3" | SF
Johnston | 2022
State
IA
(9.0, 46.5 3P%),
Nathan Ruisch
Nathan
Ruisch
6'4" | SF
Johnston | 2023
State
IA
(7.7, 45.0 3P%), and Samuel Tornabane (5.6, 43.6 3P%), making them an extremely difficult team to defend. The Maroons have a lot of athleticism on the perimeter and in the paint, but they’ll really need a big-time performance out of junior guard
Andrew Mauro
Andrew
Mauro
6'1" | SG
Dowling Catholic | 2023
State
IA
(13.3), their top perimeter scoring threat, if they want to give Johnston a scare here. The Dragons are just on a different level in terms of talent here.
Our pick: Johnston