Iowa high school boys’ state basketball 2024: Thursday’s games

Here is a look at Thursday’s schedule at the Iowa high school boys’ state basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

And an in-depth look at the games involving Gazette-area schools.

Class 4A semifinals

No. 1 Cedar Rapids Kennedy (24-0) vs. No. 8 Ankeny (18-6)

Time: 5:30 p.m.

In the quarterfinals: Cedar Rapids Kennedy used a second-quarter spurt that consisted of seven 3-pointers to dispose of Dallas Center-Grimes, 66-45. Ankeny led virtually the entire way in a 60-47 quarterfinal win over Dubuque Senior.

Game synopsis: Kennedy leads 4A in scoring at 77.7 points per game. The Cougars are a balanced unit, with four players coming into the tournament averaging double figures, led by junior guard Trey McKowen at “only” 13.5 points per game. The exception is senior forward Cyrus Courtney (8.8 ppg) and he had 15 points in the quarterfinal win over Dallas Center-Grimes.

Kennedy tries to create havoc with a scrambling defense that causes turnovers and subsequent runouts.

Ankeny has a really good lead guard in senior Carson Johnson, though. He came into the tournament averaging 23.4 points per game and had 26 in the quarterfinals. A deadly 3-point shooter who had made 47.3 percent of his shots from beyond the arc coming in, he also can penetrate and score that way.

The senior-sophomore brother duo of Lio and Rio Aguirre are Ankeny’s next-highest scorers at 12.7 ppg and 13.4 ppg, respectively. Ankeny has won seven straight games, including one over second-ranked West Des Moines Valley.

Other semifinal

No. 2 West Des Moines Valley (19-5) vs. Bettendorf (17-6), 7:15 p.m.

Class 3A semifinals

No. 1 Decorah (23-2) vs. No. 9 Davenport Assumption (17-8)

Time: 2 p.m.

In the quarterfinals: Decorah used a 32-1 run over the second and third quarters to squash Williamsburg, 66-42. Senior forward Ben Bockman went wild with 29 points.

Assumption used a significant rebounding advantage (37-16) to take care of Ballard, 84-73. The Knights got matching 21-point games from sophomore forward Navon Shabazz and point guard Damyen Jackson.

Game synopsis: How will Decorah deal with the height, quickness and athleticism of Assumption? That’ll be telltale.

The Knights go 6-foot-6, 6-5, 6-4 and 6-3 in their starting lineup, with Jackson orchestrating the offense. Junior wing Kavyion Hodges had a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds in the quarterfinal win over Ballard.

Assumption is 7-0 against 3A competition, its losses all coming to 4A schools.

Decorah likes to push the pace. The Vikings came into this tournament leading 3A in scoring at 77.5 points per game.

Bockman (19.8 points per game) was an all-stater last season and leads the offensive attack. Trey McCain (7.1 assists per game) also was a starter for the 2022 Decorah team that made it to the state tournament. Six-foot-10 sophomore Cael LaFrentz (15.8 points, 10.7 rebounds per game) is a defensive presence whose offensive game has shown lots of growth.

Other semifinal

No. 2 Waverly-Shell Rock (21-3) vs. No. 7 MOC-Floyd Valley (22-3), 3:45 p.m.

Class 2A semifinals

No. 1 Western Christian (21-3) vs. No. 8 Treynor (22-3), 10:30 a.m.

No. 2 Hudson (24-2) vs. Unity Christian (21-4), 12:15 p.m.

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