Iowa high school boys’ basketball scores: Monday’s Class 3A substate finals roundup

Most of the 2023 Class 3A Iowa high school boys’ state basketball tournament field was set Monday night with seven substate finals across the state.

The IHSAA’s 3A state tournament bracket will be out Tuesday night, with the Solon-Newton substate final being played then.

Here’s a glimpse at Monday’s games.

Monday’s Class 3A substate finals

No. 4 Cedar Rapids Xavier 48, Dubuque Wahlert 44 (OT)

Four quarters weren’t enough to determine a winner in a “slugfest” between Dubuque Wahlert and Cedar Rapids Xavier.

Ultimately, the Saints landed the final punch.

The Saints (18-6), led by junior Joe Bean, defeated Dubuque Wahlert (13-11), 48-44, in overtime Monday night at West Delaware High School in a Class 3A boys’ basketball substate final.

With the win, 3A’s fourth-ranked Saints head to the boys’ state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines for the first time since 2018.

“Obviously, we’re super excited,” Xavier Coach Mike Freeman said. “Wahlert is a class program, a tremendous program. One of us couldn’t go, but I’m super excited for our guys.”

» Read more from Gazette correspondent Ryan Pleggenkuhle

No. 5 Marion 73, Charles City 56

Triggers for migraine headaches include stress, light, noise. In other words, every single thing you had Monday night in a Class 3A substate final at a very packed and loud East High School.

That’s why Brayson Laube was a hurtin’ unit the entire game, had to pop a couple of pills from his mom, Ami, postgame. He simply couldn’t take it anymore and had to head to his Marion team’s locker room for a few minutes of quiet after its 73-56 win over Charles City.

“I felt it,” Laube admitted. “But I knew it was a big moment. I couldn’t let that affect how I played.”

So he didn’t. Marion’s senior guard, the school’s all-time leading career scorer went off for 37 points, including 23 of his team’s 31 in the first half.

Laube got a lot of help in the second, as the fifth-ranked Wolves (19-5) pulled away to secure their second straight berth in the state tournament. But, all in all, this was his game.

» Read more from The Gazette’s Jeff Johnson

No. 1 Bondurant-Farrar 74, Harlan 53

Class 3A’s last remaining unbeaten led 38-26 at halftime and extended its advantage to 54-35 eight minutes later. The Bluejays are state bound for the fifth time and first since 2006. Harlan finished 17-6.

No. 7 North Polk 52, No. 2 Clear Lake 43

Clear Lake (22-2) had lost just one time this season (85-80 to Humboldt), but North Polk (19-5) outscored the Lions 34-20 in the second half to book its first state tournament trip since 2000.

Algona 61, No. 3 MOC-Floyd Valley 58

Despite Clear Lake’s loss, the North Central Conference will have a representative at the boys’ state basketball tournament. Algona (17-7) upset MOC-Floyd Valley (21-3) to get there for the first since 1999. The Bulldogs led 32-30 at the half.

Des Moines Hoover 59, No. 8 Waverly-Shell Rock 44

Waverly-Shell Rock (17-6) scored 15 points in the first half. So did Chase Henderson, whose Hoover (15-9) team scored 32. Henderson finished with 27. The Huskies advance to state for the first time since a Class 4A bid in 2016. [Prep Hoops]

No. 10 Sioux City Heelan 63, Webster City 50

Sioux City Heelan (18-6) is in the boys’ state basketball tournament for the 18th time, but the first since 2012. Heelan led 20-9 after the first quarter. The Lynx (18-4) got within 42-37 entering the fourth before Heelan pulled away. Matt Noll scored 19 points for the Crusaders.