Iowa boys’ state basketball 2025: A closer look at Wednesday’s games

DES MOINES — Capsules for Wednesday’s games involving area teams at the Iowa high school girls' state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.

Class 1A Quarterfinals

No. 5 NORTH LINN (23-2) vs. No. 4 GLADBROOK-REINBECK (22-3)

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Top players: Senior guard Mason Bechen has had a great senior season for North Linn, averaging 31.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per season. He broke NL’s record for most points in a season and will finish his four-year varsity career second all-time in scoring, behind Jake Hilmer. Senior guard Cole Griffith (12.6 ppg) is North Linn’s other double-figures scorer ... Drew Eilers (15.6 ppg) and Michael Boyd (15.3 ppg) have been a nasty one-two offensive punch this season for G-R.

Synopsis: How an undersized North Linn team deals with the 6-foot-3 Eilers and 6-5 Boyd is a major question in this game. North Linn’s full-court press hasn’t been as effective this season, but the Lynx certainly will bring it out here to try and create turnovers and fast points. North Linn’s losses were to 2A Alburnett in overtime and 1A Dunkerton. Gladbrook-Reinbeck lost twice to 2A state tournament entrant Grundy Center and to a very good 2A team from Aplington-Parkersburg.

Tournament history: You know the North Linn numbers by now. The Lynx have qualified for the state tournament for a ninth consecutive year. They have been in a championship game seven years in a row, including winning the 1A title last year. It won 2A in 2019 and 1A in 2022. This is the consecutive state tournament qualification for G-R and sixth overall. It won the 2015 1A title.

No. 2 LINN-MAR (22-2) vs. No. 3 WEST DES MOINES VALLEY (21-3)

Time: 7:15 p.m.

In the quarterfinals: Linn-Mar had a good second half to beat seventh-ranked/seeded Waukee, 69-60. The Lions got 24 points from standout Davis Kern, 21 in the second half. Forward Tyler Hilton had a huge game of 16 points and 17 rebounds ... Two-time defending champion Valley survived No. 6 Ames, 53-50. Jayden McGregory had 21 points for the Tigers, and center Trevin Jirak had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Synopsis: Linn-Mar can match Valley’s size. The battle in the middle between South Dakota State signee Kern and Northern Iowa signee Jirak is incredibly intriguing. Hilton has improved seemingly every game and gives the Lions another interior weapon ... Though he didn’t have a good quarterfinal game, point guard Zay Robinson scoring eight points on 2-of-10 shooting, is a winner and great athlete. Linn-Mar needs to be able to combat him and McGregory.

Wednesday’s other games

Class 1A quarterfinals

No. 1 Bellevue Marquette (25-1) vs. Remsen St. Mary’s (21-4), 12:15 p.m.

No. 2 Madrid (25-0) vs. Boyden-Hull (18-8), 2 p.m.

No. 4 Fort Dodge St. Edmond (22-3) vs. No. 9 Woodbine (23-2), 3:45 p.m.

Class 4A Semifinals

No. 1 Cedar Falls (22-2) vs. No. 4 Waukee Northwest (22-3), 5:30 p.m.

Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com