Iowa high school boys’ state basketball 2022: Wednesday’s games

DES MOINES — A look at Wednesday’s games at the 2022 Iowa boys’ state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.

Class 4A Quarterfinals

CEDAR RAPIDS KENNEDY (20-3) vs. WAUKEE NORTHWEST (20-4)

When: 10:30 a.m.

Seeds: Kennedy is the 4, Northwest the 5

State tournament history: Kennedy is a state qualifier for the 16th time, the first since 2017. The school has won two championships: in 1972 and 1984, was runner-up in 1988, third place in 1973, 2000 and 2007 and fourth in 1997, 2008 and 2017. This is the first year of existence for Waukee Northwest High School.

Overview: This pits teams that finished first and third in scoring in 4A. Northwest averages a 4A-best 71.3 points per game, Kennedy 69.2. Their point differentials also are very similar: Northwest beat opponents by an average of 17 points per game to Kennedy’s 16.1. On paper, these squads appear to be very similar. They have two common opponents in Ames and West Des Moines Dowling. Northwest beat Dowling, 66-56, and split a pair of games with Ames, though Iowa State signee Tamin Lipsey did not play for Ames in the game Northwest won.

Kennedy’s guard court of Colby Dolphin (14.1 ppg), Kenzie Reed (12.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Carson Blietz (8.9 ppg) all can shoot the 3-pointer. Jackson Bowman (10.4 ppg) and Craig Mills (7.7 ppg) are the Cougars’ interior threats in a balanced offensive attack.

Six-foot-7 junior Pryce Sandfort is the younger brother of Iowa Hawkeyes freshman Payton Sandfort and averages 27.2 points and 10.5 rebounds. He shoots 41.1 percent from 3-point range and 89 percent from the free-throw line. Junior guard Cade Kelderman is next in scoring at 16.1 ppg.

CEDAR FALLS (20-2) vs. CEDAR RAPIDS PRAIRIE (17-6)

When: 2 p.m.

Seeds: Cedar Falls it the 2, Prairie the 7

State tournament history: Cedar Falls is in for the 13th time, the fifth year in a row and for the sixth time in seven years. The school had back-to-back 4A championships in 2018 and 2019. This is Prairie’s fourth appearance at the state tournament, its first since winning the Class 3A title in 1998.

Overview: These teams played twice in the regular season. Prairie won the first encounter, 64-56. Cedar Falls won the second, 49-48.

Gabe Burkle, the 6-7 senior center, leads Prairie in scoring and rebounding (12.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg). The Iowa State football signee shoots 58.3 percent from the field. Senior guard Jake Walter averages 10.1 points. Starting guard Elijah Ward missed most of the post-holiday portion of the schedule with a broken right, non-shooting hand, but has returned in the postseason after having surgery.

Senior guard Trey Campbell leads Cedar Falls in scoring at 24.0 points per game. The Northern Iowa signee shoots 54 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free-throw line. Junior forward Dallas Bear averages 14.4 points and is a 3-point threat, his 6-8 height allowing him to shoot over opposing defenders.

Class 1A Semifinals

NORTH LINN (26-1) vs. REMSEN ST. MARY’S (25-0)

When: 7:15 p.m.

Seeds: North Linn is the 2, St. Mary’s the 3

State tournament history: This is the sixth straight appearance in the semifinals for North Linn. The school has made it to the championship game the previous four years: three in 1A and one in 2A. Likewise, St. Mary’s is at state for a sixth consecutive season. It finished third in 1A in 2019 and fourth in 2018 and 2017.

Overview: North Linn rolled past North Mahaska in its quarterfinal, 89-43. The Lynx led 29-9 after a quarter and 56-15 at halftime behind their pressing defense, one that created 22 first-half turnovers. Four NL players scored in double figures, led by Dylan Kurt’s 19 and Tate Haughenbury’s 18. Point guard Austin Hilmer had 14 points and 10 assists.

Remsen St. Mary’s beat West Harrison in its quarterfinal, 70-52, behind a similar hot start. The Hawks led after a quarter, 21-3. St. Mary’s also had four players score in double figures, led by Carter Schorg (20) and Cael Ortmann (17). All five Hawks starters came into the state tournament averaging between 9.0 and 12.9 points per game, indicating a well-balanced offensive attack.

Other 4A Quarterfinals

No. 1 Ames (20-3) vs. No. 8 Burlington (17-7), 12:15 p.m.

No. 3 Johnston (19-3) vs. No. 6 Ankeny (19-4), 3:45 p.m.

Other 1A Semifinal

No. 1 Grand View Christian (25-0) vs. No. 4 Lake Mills (25-1), 5:30 p.m.

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com