Iowa high school boys’ state basketball tournament berths on the line in Class 1A and 2A

There are eight Iowa high school boys’ basketball substate final games Saturday night in Class 1A and 2A, including games involving Gazette-area schools North Linn, MFL MarMac and Monticello.

Class 1A substate finals

(All games 7 p.m.)

No. 2 NORTH LINN (23-0) vs. WAPSIE VALLEY (20-4) at Manchester

This is a matchup between the 2020 Class 1A state champion (Wapsie Valley) and last year’s 1A state champion (North Linn). The Lynx have blasted opponents by an average of 48.4 points per game, averaging a state-best 84.7 per game. Four starters average double-figures scoring, led by junior forward Ty Pflughaupt (17.5 ppg). Senior post Tate Haughenbury averages 16.2 points, sophomore guard Mason Bechen 15.0 and senior guard Ben Wheatley 14.7. North Linn’s closest game was a two-point win over Class 2A No. 9 Alburnett in December. It has beaten every other opponent by double digits. Wapsie Valley lost its season opener to third-ranked Gladbrook-Reinbeck, 56-29, then reeled off 13 straight wins. The Warriors’ other losses have been to 2A schools Grundy Center, Jesup and third-ranked Aplington-Parkersburg. Wapsie’s scoring comes primarily from two sources: senior guard Andrew Westpfahl (21.4 ppg) and 6-foot-7 senior forward Andrew Harter (20.7 ppg). Harter averages a state-leading 17.7 rebounds per game.

STATE

No. 1 Grand View Christian (23-0) vs. Guthrie Center ACGC (16-8) at Grimes

No. 3 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (22-2) vs. Lynnville-Sully (22-2) at Marshalltown

No. 4 West Harrison (22-1) vs. Bedford (21-3) at Glenwood

No. 6 Dunkerton (23-1) vs. Mason City Newman (20-4) at Hampton

No. 7 Remsen St. Mary’s (21-2) vs. Le Mars Gehlen (20-5) at Le Mars

No. 8 Baxter (21-1) vs. No. 9 Madrid (21-2) at Huxley

New London (18-6) vs. Bellevue Marquette (22-3) at Solon

Class 2A substate finals

(All games 7 p.m.)

MFL MARMAC (23-1) vs. No. 8 LAKE MILLS (23-0) at Charles City

MFL MarMac seeks its first state tournament berth since 2013. The Bulldogs knocked off Dyersville Beckman in a thriller of a district final, 54-51. Sophomore guard Zach Driscoll leads MFL MarMac in scoring at 20.6 points per game. He also leads the team in assists and is second in rebounding. MFL MarMac’s lone loss was to 3A Decorah, 64-50. Lake Mills was a 1A state tournament qualifier last season and plays a primarily 1A schedule. Its closest win was a three-pointer over North Union. Seniors Lance Helming (18.0 ppg) and Denton Kingland (17.4) lead the team in scoring, though four players average in double figures.

MONTICELLO (16-6) vs. No. 3 APLINGTON-PARKERSBURG (21-2) at Dike

Monti seeks its fourth consecutive trip to the state tournament. The Panthers edged ninth-ranked Alburnett in a district final, 57-51. Senior point guard Tate Petersen had 28 points in that game to become the school’s all-time scoring leader. He is seeking to become a rare four-year state tourney starter. Junior forward Preston Ries, the University of Iowa football recruit, actually leads Monticello in scoring at 24.1 points per game and rebounding (10.4). Sophomore Carson Lambert scores at an 11.5 point-per-game clip. All six Monticello losses were by seven points or less. A-P’s losses were to Class 1A No. 1 Grand View Christian and No. 3 Gladbrook-Reinbeck. Senior guards Garrett Hempen (21.2 ppg) and Gavin Thomas (16.0 ppg) are the Falcons’ leading scorers. Forward Martez Wiggley averages 12.7 points. Cedar Rapids Washington transfer Will Hodges also is a main player for A-P.

STATE

No. 1 Central Lyon (20-1) vs. Treynor (17-6) at Sioux City East

No. 2 Roland-Story (23-1) vs. Hudson (18-6) at Marshalltown

No. 4 Sioux Central (23-0) vs. Carroll Kuemper (17-6) at Ida Grove

No. 5 Western Christian (19-3) vs. West Lyon (18-4) at Orange City (MOC-Floyd Valley)

No. 6 West Burlington (22-1) vs. Pella Christian (14-9) at Oskaloosa

No. 7 Avoca AHSTW (21-2) vs. Des Moines Christian (17-6) at Adel