Iowa boys' state basketball tournament: A closer look at Tuesday's games

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

Class 2A quarterfinals

No. 4 Monticello (21-2) vs. No. 6 Camanche (21-3)

Time: 9:30 a.m.

Top players: Junior center Justin Recker emerged into a legit top-notch scoring threat this season for Monticello. He averages 17 points per game and shoots 62 percent from the field. He even has made 12 of his 21 3-point attempts. Recker, cousins Luke and Connor Lambert and Ty Kehoe were starters on last season's Panthers team. Freshman Tate Petersen is the newbie in the lineup at point guard. Camanche's five starters average between 8.9 and 14.9 points per game, led by 6-foot-8 center Caleb Delzell. He also averages 8.6 rebounds per game. Cameron Soenksen (14.0 ppg) is a multi-year starter at guard and second-leader scorer for Camanche.

Notes: This is the third matchup this season between the River Valley Conference rivals, which essentially shared the North Division championship. Monticello played one fewer RVC game than Camanche because of a late cancellation, though the teams finished with the same loss total. Camanche won the first game between the teams at home, 77-55, with Monticello returning the favor at home, 49-45. This is the first state tournament appearance for Monti since 1960. Camanche placed fourth in the 2017 tournament. This is the Indians' fourth overall trip.

» Read more: Monticello returns to boys' state basketball after a long, long wait

Class 3A quarterfinals

Center Point-Urbana (18-6) vs. Ballard (18-6)

Time: 1 p.m.

Top players: Senior wing Kole Tupa was the Wamac Conference West Division Player of the Year for CPU. He averages 14.2 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. He is the Stormin' Pointers' lone double-figure scorer. Ballard's top four scorers are underclassmen, including leading scorer Connor Drew (a 6-foot-6 junior), who averages 18.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore Ashton Hermann averages 14.8 points per game.

Notes: Ballard's losses were to six different teams: Norwalk, Adel ADM, Winterset, Gilbert, Pella and Dallas Center-Grimes. CPU lost to Marion, Iowa City Liberty, Clear Creek-Amana, Mount Vernon, Williamsburg and Solon. This is CPU's second state trip, its first since 1996. Ballard has been to state 10 times, including the last two years.

No. 2 Mount Vernon (22-2) vs. Clear Creek-Amana (19-5)

Time: 2:45 p.m.

Top players: Keaton Kutcher is a potential Division I college player for Mount Vernon. The junior wing averages 20.0 points per game and has made 75 3-pointers. Forward Christian Withrow averages 15.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for Clear Creek-Amana.

Notes: The last time Mount Vernon qualified for the state tournament, it won the 2A title (2012). It also won it all in 1973. Clear Creek-Amana has been to state twice prior, in 1992 and 1993. David Kutcher was one of the Clippers' top players then. His son, Keaton, is Mount Vernon's leading scorer this season. These Wamac Conference foes played in early December at Tiffin, with Mount Vernon winning, 69-52. Mount Vernon won its substate semifinal and final on last-second shots. CCA beat fourth-ranked Davenport Assumption in its substate final.

» Read more: Mount Vernon's Keaton Kutcher faces CCA in Clippers' first state tournament since his dad started

Tuesday's other games

Class 3A quarterfinals

No. 1 Norwalk (21-3) vs. Harlan (18-6), 11:15 a.m.

No. 6 Pella (19-5) vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (14-10), 4:30 p.m.

Class 4A quarterfinals

No. 6 Waukee (21-2) vs. No. 2 North Scott (22-1), 6:35 p.m.

No. 1 Ankeny Centennial (23-1) vs. Davenport North (16-8), 8:15 p.m.

Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com