Iowa boys’ state basketball 2021: 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

Dyersville Beckman (16-7) vs. No. 6 Des Moines Christian (21-2)

Time: 10 a.m.

Overview: Des Moines Christian is the third seed, Beckman the sixth ... All three of Beckman's postseason games thus far have been decided by six points or less, including an overtime win over West Branch in the substate final. Beckman's last six games and seven of the last eight have been decided by six points or less. The Blazers regrouped after leading scorer and top player Mason White tore his ACL in the 10th game of the season, though White returned in a very limited role against West Branch. He averages 14.7 points per game. Sophomore guard Padraig Gallagher stepped up in White's absence and elevated his game. He averages 14.1 points. Senior forward Jack Gehling averages 10.9 points and a team-best 6.4 rebounds ... Des Moines Christian's losses have been to 3A fourth-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes and Panorama. Junior guard Adam Witty leads the Lions in scoring (14.4 ppg). Six-foot-7 senior Ben Loverude is next at 13.8 ppg, followed by senior forward Grant Veenstra (12.5 ppg, team-best 6.2 rpg).

Class 3A quarterfinals

No. 7 Western Dubuque (18-4) vs. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (16-7)

Time: 6 p.m.

Overview: A matchup of schools who play in primarily 4A conferences. WD had its best season since joining the Mississippi Valley. Its losses were all to 4A teams (Waterloo West, Dubuque Hempstead, and state tournament qualifiers Dubuque Senior and Cedar Falls). The Bobcats are led by senior forward Dylan Johnson, a Morningside signee who averages 16.6 points and 7.6 rebounds. Johnson has a versatile inside-outside game. Senior point guard Garrett Baumhover averages 15.2 points and 5.5 assists per game ... SBL lost twice in the regular season to Le Mars, but beat the Bulldogs in the substate semifinals. SBL was 3A runner-up last season to Norwalk. The Warriors have some major height in 6-8 senior Jake Layman (11.6 ppg) and 6-10 Majouk Majouk (10.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg), which will challenge Western Dubuque.

No. 2 Monticello (22-0) vs. No. 5 Pella (22-2)

Time: 8 p.m.

Overview: A major clash of styles in this one. Pella is an up-tempo team, while Monticello is deliberate offensively, which plays a part in a defensive average of just 34.8 points per game ... Monti qualified for the state tournament last year in 2A and repeated the trick despite a bump up in class, due to enrollment. The Panthers' top player is 6-5 senior forward Justin Recker, who averages 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds. Sophomore point guard Tate Petersen is next at 11.0 ppg. The other three starters are seniors Connor Lambert, Luke Lambert and Ty Kehoe, and those seniors have played together since they were in elementary school, which is why this club plays so cohesively offensively and defensively. Kehoe averages just 6.0 points but had 16 in Monticello's substate final win over Solon ... Pella's two losses were to state tournament qualifiers Des Moines Christian (2A) and Dallas Center-Grimes (3A). Senior guard Grant Nelson (17.6) leads the team in scoring, followed by junior forward Karl Miller (16.2)

Tuesday's other games

Class 2A Quarterfinals

No. 6 Western Christian (19-5) vs. Camanche (18-6), Noon

Class 3A Quarterfinals

No. 1 Huxley Ballard (23-1) vs. No. 9 Clear Lake (22-2), 2 p.m.

No. 4 Dallas Center-Grimes (20-3) vs. No. 10 Davenport Assumption (18-6), 4 p.m.

Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com