Iowa high school boys’ state basketball 2023: Brackets, predictions, top players and more

DES MOINES — North Linn beat Grand View Christian in last year’s Class 1A state championship game, and both schools are back in the 2023 boys’ state basketball tournament field.

Grand View is the top seed to North Linn’s No. 2. Both teams are 24-0.

Ames won last year’s Class 4A state championship and returns to defend its crown. The Little Cyclones (17-7) are the field’s seventh seed, drawing second-seeded Waukee (22-2) in the quarterfinals.

There are seven Gazette-area schools in this year’s state tournament, including three from the Metro: Cedar Rapids Xavier and Marion in Class 3A and top-seeded Cedar Rapids Kennedy in 4A. North Linn makes it four schools from Linn County in the field.

MFL MarMac and Monticello are in the 2A field. This is the fourth consecutive year Monti has made it to state. The Panthers lost in last year’s 2A semifinals.

Action begins at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Wells Fargo Arena. The tournament concludes Friday with four championship games.

The following are thumbnails on each of the four classes:

Class 1A

THE SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals

Monday, 10:30 a.m. — No. 1 Grand View Christian (24-0) vs. New London (19-6)

Monday, 12:15 p.m. — No. 4 West Harrison (23-1) vs. No. 6 Dunkerton (24-1)

Monday, 2 p.m. — No. 2 North Linn (24-0) vs. Madrid (22-2)

Monday, 3:45 p.m. — No. 3 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (23-2) vs. No. 7 Remsen St. Mary’s (22-2)

Semifinals

Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. — Top bracket

Wednesday, 7:15 p.m. — Bottom bracket

Championship

Friday, 1 p.m. — Semifinal winners

THE FAVORITE

Grand View Christian and North Linn go in as favorites, though this is a strong field top to bottom. GVC beat four Class 4A opponents this season, playing a very strong overall schedule as an independent. North Linn beat opponents by an average of 47.3 points per game. Its closest games were a two-point win over Tri-Rivers Conference mate Alburnett and a 60-46 win over Dunkerton, which plays West Harrison in the quarterfinals. That was Dunkerton’s lone loss.

THE LOCALS

North Linn is the only Gazette-area representative. The Lynx are at the state tournament for a seventh-straight year. That includes being in a championship game the past five years, including championships last year and in 2019 (Class 2A).

North Linn returned just two starters from last year’s team in Tate Haughenbury and Ben Wheatley. Haughenbury, Wheatley, Mason Bechen and Ty Pflughaupt all average between 14.8 and 16.9 points per game.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tate Haughenbury, 6-5, sr., North Linn — The kid nicknamed Cletus is a threat on the interior, on the bounce and sometimes beyond the 3-point arc. A good ballhander who was a point guard as a freshman averages 16.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He’s headed to play hoops at Kirkwood.

Daniel Tobiloba, 7-0, sr., Grand View Christian — You just don’t see many 7-footers, especially in 1A. Tobiloba is a rim protector extraordinaire, averaging over 4.2 blocked shots and 13.1 rebounds a game. His offense is a bit rudimentary (he averages 13.0 points per game), but his physical presence is a huge (pun intended) factor.

William Kiburis, 6-4, sr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck — The senior guard leads the 1A field in scoring at 26.5 points per game. Throw in 8.1 assists per game, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals, and the kid can just about doing it all.

JOHNSON’S PREDICTIONS

Quarterfinals

Grand View Christian over New London

Dunkerton over West Harrison

North Linn over Madrid

Gladbrook-Reinbeck over Remsen St. Mary’s

Semifinals

Grand View Christian over Dunkerton

North Linn over Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Championship

Grand View Christian over North Linn

Class 2A

THE SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals

Monday, 5:30 p.m. — No. 1 Central Lyon (21-1) vs. Des Moines Christian (18-6)

Monday, 7:15 p.m. — Pella Christian (15-9) vs. MFL/MarMac (24-1)

Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. — No. 2 Roland-Story (24-1) vs. Carroll Kuemper (18-6)

Tuesday, 12:15 p.m. — No. 5 Western Christian (20-3) vs. Monticello (17-6)

Semifinals

Thursday, 10:30 a.m. — Top bracket

Thursday, 12:15 p.m. — Bottom bracket

Championship

Friday, 3 p.m. — Semifinal winners

THE FAVORITE

Only three teams ranked by the Iowa High School Athletic Association ended up making it to state. Central Lyon and Roland-Story are ranked 1-2 and are the favorites here. But how can you ever discount Western Christian? The Wolfpack have 10 titles to their credit, including 2021. Or Pella Christian, for that matter?

THE LOCALS

After a 60-year drought, this is the fourth year in a row at the state tournament for Monticello. The Panthers lost their quarterfinal game in 2020 and 2021, but won last year’s, losing to champion Rock Valley in the semifinals. Monticello had a lot of injuries issues during the regular season, which contributed to an unexpected six losses.

MFL MarMac reurns to the state tournament for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2012 and 2013. They placed fourth both of those years. The Bulldogs’ lone loss was to 3A Decorah. MFL MarMac earned its bid by upsetting top-seeded Dyersville Beckman in a district final and handing Lake Mills its only loss this season in a substate final.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Zach Driscoll, 6-1, so., MFL MarMac — Sophomore guard is “legit,” according to a coach who played MFL MarMac this season. He averages 20.5 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 4.2 steals.

Preston Ries, 6-2, junior, Monticello — Leads the 2A field in scoring at 23.4 points per game and is second in rebounding (10.3). A superb athlete who has committed to play football at the University of Iowa.

Tate Petersen, 6-1, sr., Monticello — A very rare four-year starter at the state tournament. The Kirkwood Community College recruit is Monti’s all-time leading scorer. Averaged 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, playing the majority of the season with an injured right shooting shoulder.

JOHNSON’S PREDICTIONS

Quarterfinals

Central Lyon over Des Moines Christian

Pella Christian over MFL/MarMac

Carroll Kuemper over Roland-Story

Western Christian over Monticello

Semifinals

Central Lyon over Pella Christian

Western Christian over Carroll Kuemper

Championship

Central Lyon over Western Christian

Class 3A

THE SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals

Tuesday, 2 p.m. — No. 1 Bondurant-Farrar (23-0) vs. Algona (17-7)

Tuesday, 3:45 p.m. — No. 6 Newton (17-6) vs. No. 7 North Polk (19-5)

Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. — No. 4 Marion (19-5) vs. No. 10 Sioux City Heelan (18-6)

Tuesday, 7:15 p.m. — No. 5 Cedar Rapids Xavier (18-6) vs. Des Moines Hoover (15-9)

Semifinals

Thursday, 2 p.m. — Top bracket

Thursday, 3:45 p.m. — Bottom bracket

Championship

Friday, 5 p.m. — Semifinal winners

THE FAVORITE

Considering they are the only unbeaten in the class, you’ve got to say Bondurant-Farrar’s Bluejays are the favorite here. B-F’s closest win came against Marion at Wells Fargo Arena in December, 61-59. Wouldn’t it be something if they matched up again on the same court for a title?

At any rate, 3A had a lot of volatility this season, and it’s honestly not outrageous to make a legit case for any of the eight teams here to win it all.

THE LOCALS

You’d certainly have to think Xavier will have something to say about this championship when it’s all said and done. The Saints played primarily a 4A schedule in the Mississippi Valley Conference. They lost twice to 3A teams and avenged one of those by beating Dubuque Wahlert in a substate final in overtime, 48-44.

Xavier is in the field for the first time in five years. It won back-to-back 3A titles in 2016 and 2017.

Marion is back for a second straight year, the Wolves losing an overtime heartbreaker to Winterset in last year’s quarterfinals. Marion hasn’t won a state tournament game since 1952 and faces a stern quarterfinal task in Sioux City Heelan.

Two of Marion’s five losses were to 4A teams, including 4A’s top-ranked and top-seeded team in Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aidan Yamilkoski, 6-3, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier — Averages 17.9 points per game to lead the Saints. Unanimous first-team division pick in the Mississippi Valley Conference has endured through a late-season upper-body injury.

Brayson Laube, 6-2, sr., Marion — Leads the 3A field in scoring at 22.5 points per game. Went off for 37 points in Marion’s substate final victory over Charles City. The school’s all-time scoring lead has signed with Division II Augustana (S.D.).

Chase Henderson, 6-1, sr., Des Moines Hoover — A lot of people believe Hoover is a dark-horse championship contender, and Henderson is a big reason. The son of head coach Courtney Henderson averages 21.7 points and five assists per game. Will play D-I college basketball at Montana.

JOHNSON’S PREDICTIONS

Quarterfinals

Bondurant-Farrar over Algona

Newton over North Polk

Marion over Sioux City Heelan

Cedar Rapids Xavier over Des Moines Hoover

Semifinals

Bondurant-Farrar over Newton

Cedar Rapids Xavier over Marion

Championship

Cedar Rapids Xavier over Bondurant-Farrar

Class 4A

THE SCHEDULE

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. — No. 2 Waukee (22-2) vs. Ames (17-7)

Wednesday, 12:15 p.m. — No. 3 Waukee Northwest (21-2) vs. No. 10 Ankeny Centennial (16-7)

Wednesday, 2 p.m. — No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (22-0) vs. Pleasant Valley (19-5)

Wednesday, 3:45 p.m. — No. 4 West Des Moines Valley (18-5) vs. No. 5 Norwalk (20-3)

Semifinals

Thursday, 5:30 p.m. — Top bracket

Thursday, 7:15 p.m. — Bottom bracket

Championship

Friday, 7:15 p.m. — Semifinal winners

THE FAVORITE

There have been three dominant teams all season in Kennedy, Waukee and Waukee Northwest, and it’d be surprising if the winner isn’t one of them. Kennedy went through the regular season unbeaten for the first time in school history and beat Northwest in last year’s state tournament quarterfinals. Waukee and Northwest split a pair of games this season. Give consideration to Valley as a possible contender, too. Its losses all came to teams in this field: Kennedy, Northwest, Ankeny Centennial and Waukee (twice).

THE LOCALS

Special doesn’t begin to describe this season for Kennedy. First time unbeaten in the Mississippi Valley Conference and regular season. Beating opponents by an average of 31.2 points per game. Leads 4A in scoring at 77 points per game. Leads 4A in 3-pointers made, assists and steals. Colby Dolphin leads the Cougars in scoring at 16 points per game. He shoots 44.9 percent from 3-point range. Point guard Kenzie Reed is an Upper Iowa recruit who set the school’s career assists record this season. Micah Schlaak and Cyrus Courtney average double figures in scoring. The Cougars are deep, turn you over with pressure defense and can shoot it. All good qualifications for a deep run.

THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Omaha Biliew, 6-8, sr., Waukee — The uber-athletic five-star Iowa State recruit returned to Waukee this season after a year at a prep school out of state. Averages 22.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Started for Waukee’s 4A championship team in 2021.

Pryce Sandfort, 6-7, sr., Waukee Northwest — Guard is headed to University of Iowa to join his brother, Peyton. Averages 25.9 points per game and shoots it at a 44-percent clip from 3-point range. Also averages 11.2 rebounds.

Curtis Stinson, 6-4, so., West Des Moines Valley — Son of former Iowa State guard averages 13.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Also leads the Tigers in assists. Injured an ankle in the late-season game against Kennedy but has returned. One of four sophomore starters.

JOHNSON’S PREDICTIONS

Quarterfinals

Waukee over Ames

Waukee Northwest over Ankeny Centennial

Cedar Rapids Kennedy over Pleasant Valley

West Des Moines Valley over Norwalk

Semifinals

Waukee over Waukee Northwest

Cedar Rapids Kennedy over West Des Moines Valley

Championship

Waukee over Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com