Monday's Iowa boys' basketball substate preview: Marion, West Delaware seek 3A state berths

A closer look at Monday's area Class 3A boys' basketball substate finals.

Class 3A substate finals

West Delaware (16-6) vs. Davenport Assumption (15-8)

6:30 p.m., U.S. Cellular Center

West Delaware seeks its fifth state tournament appearance and its second in three years. The Hawks were fourth in 2017. Assumption has been to state 17 times, the last time in 2013 (a fourth-place finish). West Delaware center Derek Krogmann is fourth in 3A in scoring average (21.6 points per game) and first in rebounding (14.1). He will walk-on at the University of Northern Iowa. Sophomore Kyle Kelley averages 14 points per game, though the Hawks have had a difficult time finding much consistent scoring outside of those two. Assumption is led by the Peeters brothers: Dylan averages 17.0 and Sean 16.5. Assumption has won seven of its last eight games, the only loss coming to Class 4A top-ranked Bettendorf. West Delaware's six losses include two to 3A second-ranked Maquoketa. These teams had very close encounters in the substate semifinals: West Delaware beating Center Point-Urbana by a point and Assumption topping Cedar Rapids Xavier by two.

Marion (15-5) vs. No. 2 Maquoketa (20-2)

8 p.m., U.S. Cellular Center

Marion is looking to return to the state tournament back-to-back years. The Indians lost to Xavier in last year's quarterfinals. Maquoketa has not been to state since 1987. These teams split a pair of regular-season games, with Maquoketa winning at home in mid-December, 61-44, and Marion returning the favor at home in late January, 53-47. The big difference in those games was the scoring of Maquoketa senior guard Abe Becker. A 1,000-point scorer in his career, Becker went off for 26 points in the Cardinals' win but was held to nine points in Marion's win. Senior Macklin Shanahan is Maquoketa's other star player, as he is second on the team in scoring and leads in rebounds, assists, blocked shots and steals. Marion is led in scoring by junior guard Will Henricksen (17.7 ppg). He had 27 points in his team's substate semifinal win over Dubuque Wahlert. Trevor Paulsen added 23 points in that game. He is Marion's second-leading scorer this season and its rebound, assists and blocked shots leader.

Other 3A games

Sergeant Bluff-Luton (19-3) vs. Spirit Lake (11-12) at Sioux City Tyson Events Center

Oskaloosa (15-5) vs. Fairfield (18-3) at Mount Pleasant

Pella (17-5) vs. Ballard (14-9) at Dallas Center-Grimes

Winterset (15-6) vs. Denison-Schleswig (18-4) at Atlantic

Class 1A Substate Finals

Remsen St. Mary's (18-6) vs. South O'Brien (20-4) at MOC-Floyd Valley

Ankeny Christian (23-0) vs. Council Bluffs St. Albert (11-13) at Adel ADM

Class 2A Substate Finals

Ida Grove OABCIG (18-4) vs. Rock Valley (17-7) at Le Mars

Class 4A Substate Semifinals

Lewis Central (13-9) at Sioux City East (19-1)

Council Bluffs Lincoln (14-8) at Sioux City West (16-4)

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com