STATE TOURNAMENT: Class 3A Recaps
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Championship: No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier 62, No. 5 Dubuque Wahlert 57
The Xavier Saints made history on Saturday night, winning the first state title in their school’s history, while preventing Dubuque Wahlert from winning their third straight. Behind a fantastic effort from guards Mitchell Burger and Matthew Mims, wing Jackson Joens, and the toughness of posts Ryan Stulken and Max Techau, the Saints re-wrote the history books with a 62-57 win over their Mississippi Valley Conference rival.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team racing out to a lead of more than six, and Xavier took a 23-20 lead into the break. Wahlert came out firing on all cylinders in the third quarter, starting on a 15-6 run to take a 35-29 lead with 3:00 to play in the quarter. It was pretty much Xavier’s ball game the rest of the way, closing that gap to 39-38 heading into the fourth quarter, where they then outscored Wahlert 24-18.
The turning point came when Xavier guard Mitchell Burger began attacking the rim to either score or facilitate for his teammates. He scored 11 second half points and dished out three assists in the final 16 minutes to help carry the Saints to the win. He got plenty of help, no doubt, from the dynamic sophomore duo of guard Matthew Mims and wing Jackson Joens, who combined to score 22 second half points, including making all six of their free throw attempts. The constant attacking led to a 66.7% shooting performance after the break for the Saints.
Also key was the Saints play against Wahlert’s star big man Cordell Pemsl. He had seven points and six rebounds in a dominant first quarter, but was held to eight points and seven rebounds over the final 24 minutes.
Xavier was led by Jackson Joens, who finished with 18 points and his play earned him a spot on the all-tournament team. Mitchell Burger had 16 points and Matthew Mims chipped in 11. Ryan Stulken had nine points and six rebounds.
Wahlert’s quest for a three-peat was denied, but Cordell Pemsl finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds in the final game of a fantastic high school career. Josh Schmitt added 15 points on 5-8 from the arc (all in the second half), and Austin Kluck had 10 points. Riley Till added nine points and David Wedewer had eight. Wedewer and Pemsl each earned spots on the all-tournament team, with Pemsl being named the captain.
Scoring
Xavier | 12 | 11 | 15 | 24 = 62
Wahlert | 12 | 8 | 19 | 18 = 57
Individual scoring
Cedar Rapids Xavier: Jackson Joens 18, Mitchell Burger 16, Matthew Mims 11, Ryan Stulken 9, Max Techau 6, Bryce Schulte 2
Dubuque Wahlert: Cordell Pemsl 15, Josh Schmitt 15, Austin Kluck 10, Riley TIll 9, David Wedewer 8
Game MVP: Mitchell Burger, Cedar Rapids Xavier (2016) — 16 points (6-12 FG, 2-5 3P, 2-4 FT), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
The biggest difference maker on the offensive end of the floor for the Saints in the second half was Burger. His constant penetration caused all sorts of problems for Wahlert’s defense, scoring 11 points in the second half and dishing out three second half assists. The dynamic guard was fantastic all week, and although he scored more in the quarterfinal win over Spirit Lake, he may have saved his biggest performance for the second half of the biggest game of his life. A truly dynamic difference making guard who took the game over for a stretch in the third quarter that helped the Saints respond to a rally from the two-time champions.
Class 3A Media All-Tournament Team
David Wedewer, Dubuque Wahlert
Daric Laing, Chariton
Levi Jansen, MOC-Floyd Valley
Ryan Van Wyk, Pella
Jackson Joens, Cedar Rapids Xavier
Cordell Pemsl, Dubuque Wahlert (Captain)
Semifinal No. 2: No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier 70, No. 2 Pella 65
In a game eerily reminiscent of last year’s quarterfinal meeting, Xavier held off a furious late Pella comeback to prevail 70-65 on Thursday night, advancing to the Class 3A championship.
Xavier led throughout a large majority of the contest, but it was tight until midway through the third quarter, when the Saints started to gain some separation. The lead got as big as 16 points with 7:04 left to play, and it looked like Xavier was going to cruise into the championship. Pella had other ideas, going on a 17-4 run to cut the Xavier lead to just 3, 64-61, with 2:51 left to play. A Max Techau tip-in made it a 66-61 lead and a pair of Mitchell Burger free throws made the spread seven. A few exchanged buckets late gave us the final margin.
Jackson Joens led four Xavier players in double figures with 22 points, with 16 of those coming in a sizzling third quarter. Max Techau gave the Saints a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Ryan Stulken and Mitchell Burger added 11 points each. Matt Mims produced a very “Matt Mims” like performance, scoring nine points to go with six rebounds, six assists and two steals. The Saints advance to Saturday night’s championship game, where they will face MVC rival Dubuque Wahlert. The Golden Eagles beat Xavier in the regular season meeting by 12 in Dubuque.
Pella was led by Will Warner, who scored 20 points and dished out 10 assists. Ryan Van Wyk added his own double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds. The Dutch were done in by a very poor shooting night, going 25-65 from the floor (38.5%). They pulled down 21 offensive rebounds but were only able to convert those into 11 second chance points. They’ll face Chariton in the third place game on Saturday morning.
Scoring
Xavier | 14 | 14 | 26 | 16 = 70
Pella | 12 | 9 | 23 | 21 = 65
Individual scoring
Xavier: Jackson Joens 22, Max Techau 14, Ryan Stulken 11, Mitchell Burger 11, Matthew Mims 9, Bryce Schulte 3
Pella: Will Warner 20, Ryan Van Wyk 19, Payson Vande Lune 9, Nick Finney 6, Donovan Holterhaus 4, Grant Judkins 3, Noah Clayberg 3, Jackson Scholten 1
Game MVP: Jackson Joens, Cedar Rapids Xavier (2018) — 22 points (8-11 FG, 6-7 3P), 2 rebounds, 3 steals
Joens was sizzling hot in the third quarter, knocking down four of his 3-pointers in the quarter, and scoring 16 of his game-high 22 to help build a lead that was just big enough for Pella to not overcome. The 6’5″ small forward has a big summer ahead of him with the Barnstormers, and if tonight was any indication, it will be a great one. His stroke is silky smooth, and he also showed the ability to pull up off the dribble, an added dimension.
Semifinal No. 1: No. 5 Dubuque Wahlert 68, No. 1 Chariton 46
It took a little while longer than most people expected it to, but Wahlert eventually exerted their dominance on Chariton on Thursday evening, pulling away from the Chargers in the second half en route to a 68-46 semifinal win, sending the Golden Eagles to the championship game, where they’ll attempt to win their third straight title.
Chariton put up a very valiant effort, especially in the first half, as they played the Golden Eagles to pretty much a draw behind great play from guard Daric Laing and forward T.J. Hockenson. The Chargers trailed by just four heading into the half.
Midway through the third quarter, Wahlert opened up their first double digit lead of the game, and Chariton never got closer than seven after that. The Golden Eagles survived a scare midway through the quarter as star big man, and Iowa commit, Cordell Pemsl went down and grabbed at his right knee after being called for a charge. He limped off the floor, was looked at by the trainer and returned a few minutes later, but no doubt Hawkeye fans across the state were holding their breath.
Wahlert was led by Cordell Pemsl, who had 20 points and 15 rebounds. David Wedewer added 16 points and Josh Schmitt had 12. The Golden Eagles advance to the 3A championship game, tip-off scheduled for 6:05 p.m. on Saturday. They’ll face the winner of the Pella vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier game to follow.
Chariton was led by Daric Laing and T.J. Hockenson, who each scored 16. Laing scored 11 of his points in the first half, and Hockenson had 10 of his. The Chargers will play in the third place game on Saturday morning against the loser of the Pella vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier game.
Scoring
Wahlert | 18 | 12 | 16 | 22 = 68
Chariton | 15 | 11 | 13 | 7 = 46
Individual scoring
Wahlert: Cordell Pemsl 20, David Wedewer 16, Josh Schmitt 12, Riley Till 6, Austin Kluck 5, David Iwowari 4, John Timmerman 3, Alex Timp 1, Noah Sigwarth 1
Chariton: Daric Laing 16, T.J. Hockenson 16, Lim Chuol 7, Dylan Stites 3, Bradley Krutsinger 2, Adam Kaska 1, Riley Walters 1
Game MVP: Cordell Pemsl, Dubuque Wahlert (2016) — 20 points (8-15 FG, 4-5 FT), 15 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Pemsl gave Iowa Hawkeye fans a brief scare in the third quarter, as he went down and grabbed at his right knee following a charge call that went against him. He limped off the floor, had the trainer check it out and came back in a few minutes later and returning to his dominant self. His basketball IQ is off the charts, he’s a phenomenal passer from the post, he’s got great footwork and he’s a dominant rebounder. We know all about Pemsl, but he keeps delivering big performance after big performance.
Quarterfinal No. 4: No. 2 Pella 94, No. 7 Perry 54
Class 3A’s second-seeded team was in control from start-to-finish in Tuesday’s nightcap, as Pella cruised to a 94-54 win over Perry.
In what we expected to be an up-tempo affair, the Dutch and Bluejays did not disappoint, getting up-and-down the floor at a breakneck pace. Pella’s deep group was too much for Perry to handle, with a bench that goes ten deep comfortably. The Dutch share the ball extremely well and weren’t going to get beat at their own game. This team is loaded with unselfish talent, and they run quite possibly the best fast break in Iowa high school basketball.
The Dutch advance to the semifinals, where they’ll take on Cedar Rapids Xavier, the team that knocked them out of the tournament last season. That game is scheduled for an 8:15 p.m. tip-off on Thursday. They were led by Donovan Holterhaus, who had 21 points off the bench. He led four in double figures, with Ryan Van Wyk (17), Payson Vande Lune (16) and Will Warner (10) joining him. The Dutch forced 27 Perry turnovers in the contest.
Perry ends their season with a 15-10 record. The Bluejays were led by Shammond Ivory, who ends a stellar high school career with 18 points. Kyle Nevitt added 16 points, and Javier Puente had 10.
Scoring
Perry | 14 | 20 | 5 | 15 = 54
Pella | 27 | 24 | 25 | 18 = 94
Individual scoring
Perry: Shammond Ivory 18, Kyle Nevitt 16, Janier Puente 10, Connor Nielsen 5, Ryan Rathje 3, Solomon Pierce 2
Pella: Donovan Holterhaus 21, Ryan Van Wyk 17, Payson Vande Lune 16, Will Warner 10, Grant Judkins 7, Nick Finney 5, Kobe Diers 3, Noah Clayberg 3, Drew Pringle 3, Tyson Wassenaar 3, Jackson Scholten 2, Austin Schulte 2, Julian Viersen 2
Game MVP: Will Warner, Pella (2016) — 10 points (5-11 FG), 8 assists (1 turnover), 6 rebounds
Take your pick on which member of the Dutch to give the award to, we’ll go with the point guard who paces their fantastic attack. He’s capable of dominating a game without scoring with his ability to rebound from his guard spot, facilitate the offense and spark the defense.
Quarterfinal No. 3: No. 6 Cedar Rapids Xavier 58, No. 3 Spirit Lake 47
The 6th-seeded Xavier Saints got quite the boost from the return of their leading scorer, Mitchell Burger, on Tuesday evening, helping carry them to a win over 3rd-seed Spirit Lake, 58-47.
Burger had missed the previous two games due to a “coach’s decision”, and while he didn’t start, he proved to be the most important player on the floor for the Saints, scoring 25 points off the bench in the win. His defense at the top of Xavier’s 2-3 zone provided a big spark in the first half, swiping three steals that helped lead to a number of transition opportunities.
Spirit Lake struggled to ever really get their dynamic duo of Division I players going, with Billy Brown (North Dakota) and Ryan Kriener (Iowa) combining to score 29 points on 10-28 shooting. They came averaging 22.1 and 22.5 points, while shooting 57.0% and 69.1% from the floor, respectively. Xavier’s gameplan to swarm Kriener whenever he touched the ball, along with a number of different defensive looks, proved to be too much for the Indians’ stars to ever get into a rhythm.
Xavier advances to the semifinals for the second straight season, where they’ll face the winner of the Pella vs. Perry game to follow. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 8:15 p.m. on Thursday night. The Saints were led by Mitchell Burger, with 25 points. Ryan Stulken added 12 points for the Saints, and Matthew Mims had his usual solid all-around floor game, scoring seven points, to with with seven assists, six rebounds and four steals. Max Techau should also be commended for the way he battled with the Iowa-bound Kriener before fouling out.
Spirit Lake ends their season with a 21-4 record. The Indians were led by Ryan Kriener, who had 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Billy Brown added 11 points.
Scoring
C.R. Xavier | 13 | 16 | 9 | 20 = 58
Spirit Lake | 14 | 5 | 11 | 17 = 47
Individual scoring
CR Xavier: Mitchell Burger 25, Ryan Stulken 12, Matthew Mims 7, Max Techau 7, Nolan Butkowski 4, Jackson Joens 3
Spiriti Lake: Ryan Kriener 18, Billy Brown 11, Jake Heitritter 8, Frankie Ramos 6, Logan Backhaus 4
Game MVP: Mitchell Burger, Cedar Rapids Xavier (2016) — 25 points (8-14 FG, 3-6 3P, 6-9 FT), 2 rebounds, 3 steals
Returning from a two-game absence, Burger came off the bench to provide a huge spark for the Saints. The team’s leading scorer throughout the regular season, he poured in 25, with his defense atop the Saints’ 2-3 zone helping spark a fantastic defensive effort throughout the evening. A dynamic scoring guard with speed to burn, he plays the passing lanes extremely well, shoots really well off the dribble and has extended range. His presence on the floor helped ignite the Saints and send them into the semifinals for a second straight season.
Quarterfinal No. 2: No. 1 Chariton 64, No. 8 Solon 50
It took a while, but top-seeded Chariton finally took control of their quarterfinal contest against No. 8 seed Solon in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spartans 25-12 in the final frame, to advance to Thursday’s semifinal.
Chariton’s “Big Three” has dominated all season for the Chargers, and this one was no exception, with the trio of Daric Laing, T.J. Hockenson and Lim Chuol combining to score 56 of their 64 points.
A one-point game entering the fourth quarter, the Chargers put more pressure on the Solon ball handlers, forcing turnovers and getting easy opportunities on the other end. The biggest change in the second half was in the aggressiveness with which Lim Chuol played. After scoring just five points in the first half, he became more aggressive, attacking the rim and either scoring or facilitating.
Chariton was led by Daric Laing, who scored 22 points and had eight rebounds. T.J. Hockenson had 18 points, and Lim Chuol chipped in a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. They advance to the semifinals on Thursday night, where they’ll take on two-time defending champion Dubuque Wahlert, with tip-off scheduled for 6:35.
Solon ends their season at 10-15. They were led by Brevin Hill, who scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jacob Coons added nine points for the Spartans.
Scoring
Solon | 14 | 8 | 16 | 12 = 50
Chariton | 10 | 13 | 16 | 25 = 65
Individual scoring
Solon: Brevin Hill 16, Jacob Coons 9, Streeter McIlravy 6, Sterling McIlravy 6, Luke Ira 6, Ben Krutzfeldt 5, Adam Runyan 2
Chariton: Daric Laing 22, T.J. Hockenson 18, Lim Chuol 16, Dylan Stites 6, Aaron Cain 2
Game MVP: Lim Chuol, Chariton (2017) — 16 points (7-11 FG, 2-5 FT), 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
While both Laing and Hockenson scored more than Chuol, it was his increased aggressiveness that really allowed the Chargers to take off in the fourth quarter and put the Spartans away. He’s tough to stop when he’s headed downhill towards the rim, with a big, physical frame that he seemingly just bounces off of defenders en route to the rim.
Quarterfinal No. 1: No. 5 Dubuque Wahlert 79, No. 4 MOC-Floyd Valley 74
Two-time defending 3A champion Dubuque Wahlert got all they asked for and more on Tuesday afternoon from Levi Jansen and MOC-Floyd Valley, but ultimately held on for a 79-74 win in what may already go down as the game of the tournament.
Wahlert’s veterans made just enough plays down the stretch, and knocked down 20 of 24 free throws to overcome a superb 42-point outburst from MOC-FV senior guard Levi Jansen.
Wahlert took an 18-point lead with 4:30 left in the third quarter, but the Dutchmen just kept chipping away. First, it was Christian Korver banging in a trio of threes, each coming from deeper than the last, allowing MOC-FV to have some hope. Then, it was Jansen who took over. He scored 28 of his tournament high 42 points in the second half, including 18 coming in the fourth quarter, helping MOC-FV claw back to within as close as 3.
The Golden Eagles advance to the semifinals, where they’ll face the winner of the Chariton vs. Solon matchup, with tip-off scheduled for 6:35 p.m. on Thursday. They were led by Sioux Falls-bound David Wedewer, who had 20 points, with 14 coming in the second half. Iowa-bound Cordell Pemsl added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Josh Schmitt added 10 off the bench. Four other Eagles scored at least six points in the win.
MOC-Floyd Valley ends their season with a 21-4 record, led by Levi Jansen’s incredible 42 points. He was 14-24 from the floor (3-9 3P) and 11-16 at the line in the loss. Christian Korver added 21 points for the Dutchmen.
Scoring
Dubuque Wahlert | 19 | 17 | 22 | 21 = 79
MOC-Floyd Valley | 12 | 13 | 23 | 26 = 74
Individual scoring
Dubuque Wahlert: David Wedewer 20, Cordell Pemsl 19, Josh Schmitt 10, Sage Maiers 9, Austin Kluck 8, RIley Till 7, David Iwowari 6
MOC-Floyd Valley: Levi Jansen 42, Christian Korver 21, Karsten Marker 4, Bryce Bomgaars 4, Brady Schutt 3
Game MVP: Levi Jansen, MOC-Floyd Valley (2016) — 42 points (14-24 FG, 3-9 3P, 11-16 FT), 3 rebounds
Jansen put together the performance of the tournament, nearly willing his team back from an 18-point deficit to pull the upset. He was sensational all afternoon, but was especially great in the fourth quarter. The Augustana-bound shooting guard ended his career on a tough note, but he put on one hell of a show in his final game.