Monday’s Class 4A boys’ basketball substate finals

Metro teams Prairie, Kennedy and Linn-Mar play to advance to the state tournament

Mar. 3, 2025 2:20 pm

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Here is Monday’s schedule for Class 3A substate final boys’ basketball games.

That includes an in-depth look at games involving Gazette-area schools Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Cedar Rapids Prairie and Linn-Mar.

Class 4A Substate Finals

West Des Moines Dowling (15-7) vs. No. 2 Linn-Mar (20-2)

Where: Linn-Mar
When: 7 p.m.
Synopsis: Hard to believe, but Linn-Mar has not been a state tournament qualifier since 2012, the last year of a nine-year state tourney run. Dowling has qualified 17 times, the last time in 2021. There are three common opponents here. Linn-Mar beat Waukee early in the regular season at home, 68-60, while Dowling lost twice to the Warriors. Linn-Mar beat Cedar Rapids Xavier, 82-64, while Dowling beat the Saints, 68-34. Dowling split two games with Ankeny, while that was Linn-Mar last loss (61-55 in early January, playing without starting guard Trey Wright, who was out sick) ... Everything offensively for L-M runs through senior post Davis Kern, the South Dakota State signee who surpassed Marcus Paige for most career points in Metro history in his team’s substate semifinal win over Marshalltown. He averages 22.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Tyler Hilton (11.7 ppg) and senior wing Payson Nietert (11.2 ppg) are next in line scoring wise ... Dowling’s leading scorer is 6-foot-9 junior Charlie Crane (11.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg), who should provide a solid test for Kern. Junior guard Noah Martens averages 11.8 points per game.

Davenport North (16-7) vs. No. 5 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (19-4)

Where: Cedar Rapids Kennedy
When: 7 p.m.
Synopsis: Kennedy lost to West Des Moines Valley in last year’s Class 4A state championship game and seeks a fourth straight state tournament appearance against an unheralded foe in North, which upset 10th-ranked Muscatine in the substate semifinals, 80-77. Kennedy, meanwhile, beat Pleasant Valley, 72-55. North split a pair of regular-season games with PV ... Guard Trey McKowen has had a great senior season for Kennedy, averaging 22.8 points and 5.0 assists per game. Senior wing Reuben Schlaak (12.3 ppg) is CRK’s second-leading scorer. The Cougars had unbeaten regular seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24 but lost games this regular season to Cedar Falls, Linn-Mar, Cedar Rapids Prairie and Waukee Northwest, all fellow substate finalists and top-10 ranked ... North has three players who average double-figures scoring, led by senior guard Tenerick Brady (14.4 ppg). The Wildcats had a five-game losing streak in the latter part of the season but have won their last four.

No. 8 Cedar Rapids Prairie (16-6) vs. No. 9 Dubuque Senior (19-4)

Where: Dubuque Senior
When: 7 p.m.
Synopsis: Beating a similar team twice is not easy. Beating a similar team twice in on the road is not easy. Beating a similar team twice in less than two weeks? That’s what Prairie faces here. The Hawks wrapped up a share of the Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division championship by squeaking past Senior in Dubuque, 55-53. And that win came without starting center Devin Ikeda (8.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), who was out sick ... Prairie is a very balanced team offensively, with multiple players capable of leading it in scoring in any particular game. Sophomore guard Austin Joens has the highest average at 12 points per game, followed by junior Will Wehr (11.8 ppg off the bench) and senior wing Jace McDermott (10.0 ppg) ... Senior has a wonderful post player in junior Tevin Schultz (18.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg). Junior wing Drake Medinger is next in scoring at 13.2 ppg. ... Senior was a state qualifier last year, losing in the 4A quarterfinals. Prairie was last at state in 2022.

Other Games Around The State

Council Bluffs Lincoln (19-2) at. No. 7 Waukee (17-6), 7 p.m.
Dallas Center-Grimes (19-5) at No. 3 West Des Moines Valley (19-3), 7 p.m.
Davenport Central (16-7) at No. 1 Cedar Falls (20-2), 7 p.m.
Johnston (14-8) at No. 6 Ames (20-2), 7 p.m.
Sioux City East (19-3) at No. 4 Waukee Northwest (20-3), 6 p.m.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com

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