Saturday’s Class 1A, 2A boys’ basketball substate finals

North Linn, Jesup, North Fayette Valley and Union Community play for a trip to the state tournament

Feb. 28, 2025 5:17 pm, Updated: Feb. 28, 2025 5:51 pm

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Here is Saturday’s entire schedule for Class 1A and Class 2A substate final boys’ basketball games.

That includes an in-depth look at games involving Gazette-area schools North Linn, Jesup, North Fayette and Union Community.

Class 2A Substate Finals

LaPorte City Union Community (16-9) vs. No. 2 Carroll Kuemper (22-1)

Where: Des Moines (Drake University)
When: 5 p.m.
Synopsis: This will be a very tall task for a Union team that has played exquisitely in the postseason. The Knights knocked off second-seeded Alburnett on the road in the district semifinals and avenged a regular-season loss by beating top-seeded Denver in a district final, 62-50. Union had 22 assists in that game. Kuemper won its district games by 44 and 39 points, respectively ... Union has been balanced offensively all season, with four starters averaging between 12.2 and 10.9 points per game. Forward Eric Neipert, the only senior on the team, averages 11.5 points and 9.0 rebounds ... Kuemper’s lone loss was to Class 4A West Des Moines Dowling in early January, 62-54. Also balanced, the Knights have seven players who average between 7.5 and 14.9 points. Junior forward Ryan Clair (who is 6-5) averages the 14.9 ... Kuemper has been a state qualifier 17 times, the last in 2023. Union Community made it in 2008. LaPorte City was a qualifier in 1970 and 1974.

North Fayette Valley (23-0) vs. Jesup (15-9)

Where: Waverly (Wartburg College)
When: 8 p.m.
Synopsis: Funny how roles can change at the snap of a finger. NFV has been the unheralded underdog most of this season, yet it’s favored in this game. The TigerHawks upended ninth-ranked Aplington-Parkersburg in the district finals, 66-52, behind 20 points from Decklyn Heins and 17 points, 19 rebounds and five assists from Cael Reichter. Jesup, meanwhile, upset No. 8 Cascade, 69-61, behind 22 points from Ryan Treptow and 20 by sophomore Parker Masteller. Jesup upended second-seeded MFL MarMac in the district semifinals ... Senior guard Treptow leads Jesup in scoring this season at 20.0 points per game. Sophomore forward Masteller is next at 10.0 and leads the J-Hawks in rebounding (9.2 per game) ... The 6-foot-8 senior Reichter is headed to Upper Iowa University. He averages a mammoth 29.2 points and 15.6 rebounds. He’s also second on the team in assists ... Jesup has qualified for the state tournament four times, the last in 2022. NFL has never qualified. West Union North High made it in 1963..

Other Games Around The State

No. 1 Western Christian (21-3) vs. Odebolt-Arthur-Battle Creek-Ida Grove (18-4) at Storm Lake (Buena Vista University), 4 p.m.
No. 7 Grundy Center (21-2) vs. Northeast Goose Lake (18-5) at Waverly (Wartburg College), 6 p.m.
No. 3 West Lyon (20-3) vs. Manson-Northwest Webster (19-5) at Storm Lake (Buena Vista University), 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Orange City Unity Christian (19-4) vs. Spirit Lake (19-4) at Sheldon, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Grand View Christian (22-1) vs. No. 10 West Burlington (21-2) at Oskaloosa, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Treynor (21-3) vs. Albia (19-3) at Creston (Southwestern Community College), 7 p.m.

Class 1A Substate Finals

No. 8 North Linn (22-2) vs. No. 10 Burlington Notre Dame (19-4)

Where: Iowa City High
When: 7 p.m.
Synopsis: North Linn played well in a 65-43 district final win over Hillcrest Academy, leading start to finish. Notre Dame won a rubber match over Fort Madison Holy Trinity, 55-46. The teams split a pair of Southeast Iowa Super Conference divisional games in the regular season ... Guard Mason Bechen has had a phenomenal season for North Linn, averaging 30.4 points per game and breaking the school record for total points in a season. He is the second-leading scorer in school history. Sidekick Cole Griffith averages 12.7 points and 7.2 assists per game. Drew Ries averages 10.1 points and a team-best 7.5 rebounds ... Shay Stephens (21.1 ppg) and Jack Drew (16.7 ppg) are Notre Dame’s primarily scorers. Both are 6-3 guards, which could be an issue for an undersized NL team ... North Linn is seeking its ninth consecutive state tournament appearances. That would be tie Linn-Mar for second-best all time in Iowa. Iowa City West made it 10 years in a row between 2011 and 2020. The Lynx have been in a championship game an unprecedented seven straight years, including winning last year’s 1A title. Notre Dame was a qualifier in 1981, 2008 and 2009.

Other Games Around The State

No. 2 Madrid (24-0) vs. Ankeny Christian (17-7) at Des Moines (Drake University), 3 p.m.
No. 1 Bellevue Marquette (24-1) vs. Don Boso (18-6) at Manchester, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn-Remsen-Union (23-2) vs. Boyden-Hull (17-8) at Sioux Center
No. 4 Fort Dodge St. Edmond (21-3) vs. Algona Garrigan (21-3) at Humboldt, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center (22-2) vs. Remsen St. Mary’s (20-4) at Lake City, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Gladbrook-Reinbeck (21-3) vs. North Mahaska (21-3) at Marshalltown, 7 p.m.
No. 7 Coon Rapids-Bayard (22-2) vs. No. 9 Woodbine (22-2) at Council Bluffs Lincoln, 7 p.m.

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