Boys' state basketball tournament 2013: Monday's games

Monday's games at the boys' state basketball tournament:

CLASS 1A QUARTERFINAL

No. 5 Lone Tree (25-1) vs. No. 4 Boyden-Hull (22-3)

Time: 2 p.m.

Tournament history: This is Lone Tree's sixth state tourney trip, its first since 2007, when it finished third. The Lions won the Class 1A state championship in 1985. Boyden-Hull is the defending 1A champ and is at state for the 16th time, the third year in a row. The Comets also won it all in 2003 and have placed fourth or better 12 times.

Coaches: Tom Squiers of Lone Tree is 350-193 in his career, with this his third state tourney appearance. Bill Francis of Boyden-Hull is 339-142 in his career, with this his eighth state tourney trip.

Synopsis: Nothing like being a No. 2 seed and having to play the defending state champion in your first game. That's what Lone Tree faces. Senior guard Bryan Forbes has been Mr. Everything for the Lions in an esteemed career. He averages 23.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists, putting up a 39-point, 14-rebound game in Lone Tree's substate final win over Dunkerton. The Lions' lone loss was to top-ranked Danville, 64-41, at the end of the regular season. Boyden-Hull has not lost to a 1A team all season, with two of its three losses to 3A tournament entrant MOC/Floyd Valley. It has beaten 2A qualifier Sheldon twice, tying with those two clubs for the powerful Siouxland Conference championship. Like LT, the Comets' tallest starter is 6-foot-3, though four players average between 11.9 and 13.7 points per game, led by head coach Bill Francis' son, Riley.

Prediction: Boyden-Hull by 8.

CLASS 1A QUARTERFINAL

No. 6 North Tama (25-1) vs. Ankeny Christian (24-1)

Time: 3:45 p.m.

Tournament history: It's the first state tournament appearance for North Tama. Ankeny Christian, which has had a varsity program for just nine years, is at state for the second time (also 2010).

Coaches: North Tama's Brandon Clubb is 137-73 in his career. Ankeny Christian head coach Paul Selindh is 40-8 in his two seasons as a varsity coach.

Synopsis:? Will North Tama have rookie jitters? You kind of doubt it since most of these guys have been a part of the school's tremendous football program, one that produced a Class A state title two years ago. The Redhawks' lone loss was to Colo-NESCO midway through the season, 48-46. Six-foot-5 senior forward Mitchell Boerm leads the way with a 15-point scoring average, also leading the team in rebounding at 6.3 per game. Guard Jacob Wrage also averages double figures points (11.0), with 6-foot-6 Nolan Hefty (9.6) and Dalton Hulme (9.3) not far behind. How NT handles 6-foot-7 ACA senior center Ben Taylor will be key. He averages a double-double of 16.5 points and 12.0 rebounds. Four of the Eagles' starters are underclassmen, including two sophomores. Will they have rookie jitters

Prediction: North Tama by 5.

CLASS 2A QUARTERFINAL

No. 10 North Cedar (21-3) vs. MFL/Mar-Mac (21-3)

Time: 6:35 p.m.

Tournament history: It's the fourth trip to state for North Cedar, its third in a row. The Knights placed fourth in 2011 and were eliminated in the quarterfinals last season. MFL/Mar-Mac is in the big dance for the second year in a row and fifth time overall. The Bulldogs were fourth in 2A last season, placed third in 1993 and fourth in 1994.

Coaches: A pair of successful veterans. Scott Jackson is 181-97 in 13 years at North Cedar and Lincoln Community (which merged with Clarence-Lowden to create North Cedar). Eric Dettbarn is in his 26th season at MFL/Mar-Mac, with a career record of 343-228.

Synopsis: We've got good program histories, equal records and similar seeds here, with North Cedar the 4 and MFL/Mar-Mac the 5. North Cedar's run is impressive considering the starting lineup was pretty much rebuilt because of graduation. Forward Marshall Shedeck has had a huge senior season, averaging 17.6 points and 7.7 rebounds, both team bests. A year ago, he averaged 5.7 points. North Cedar has won 14 in a row, with two of its losses to 4A teams Cedar Rapids Jefferson and Davenport North. MFL is led by 6-foot-4 senior forward C.J. Mason, a 1,000-point scorer in his career. He averages team bests of 17.9 points and 6.8 rebounds. His younger brother, Cody, averages 14.1 points. The Bulldogs have lost just one game this season to a 2A opponent (New Hampton). MFL surprised unbeaten second-ranked Cascade in the substate finals, 52-40.

Prediction: MFL/Mar-Mac by 2.

MONDAY'S OTHER GAMES

Class 1A Quarterfinal:Danville (25-0) vs. Wapsie Valley (17-8), 10:30 a.m.

Class 1A Quarterfinal: Storm Lake St. Mary's (24-1) vs. Oakland Riverside (24-1), 12:15 p.m.

Class 2A Quarterfinal: West Fork (24-0) vs. Dike-New Hartford (17-9), 8:15 p.m.