Iowa boys’ state basketball tournament: A closer look at Thursday’s games

DES MOINES — A look at Thursday's games at the boys' state basketball tournament involving Gazette-area teams.

Class 3A semifinals

Clear Creek Amana (20-5) vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (15-10)

Time: 3:45 p.m.

Top players: Christian Withrow leads CCA in scoring at 15.8 points per game (coming into this tournament). Tyler Schrepfer (11.5 ppg) and Nick O'Connor (11.1 ppg) also average double figures. Daniel Wright, a Wisconsin football recruit, leads SBL in scoring at 14.8 points per game. He also averages 10 rebounds a contest.

Notes: This is a matchup of the 3A field's sixth (SBL) and seventh (CCA) seeds. Clear Creek Amana knocked off second-seeded Mount Vernon in the quarterfinals, 59-45. Sergeant Bluff-Luton defeated third-seeded Pella, 58-43. CCA tied for first place in the Wamac Conference's West Division. Sergeant Bluff-Luton tied for third in the majority 4A Missouri River Conference. The Warriors are a very tall team, with a pair of starters who are 6-foot-7 and one (Wright) who is 6-8. Clear Creek Amana, contrarily, has four starters 6-2 or smaller.

Thursday's other games

Class 1A consolation

No. 7 Montezuma (24-3) vs. No. 5 West Fork (24-3), 10:20 a.m.

Class 2A consolation

No. 6 Camanche (22-4) vs. No. 1 Treynor (25-2), 11:55 a.m.

Class 3A semifinals

No. 1 Norwalk (22-3) vs. Ballard (19-6), 2 p.m.

Class 4A semifinals

No. 1 Ankeny Centennial (24-1) vs. No. 6 Waukee (22-2), 6:30 p.m.

No. 5 Cedar Falls (22-2) vs. Ankeny (19-5), 8:15 p.m.

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