Jeff Johnson

Call It Both Ways: High school basketball podcast with Gazette sportswriters Jeff Linder and Jeff Johnson talking area high school basketball.

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s boys’ basketball team did enough offensively and defensively in the final couple minutes to beat Dubuque Wahlert, 56-51, in a Class 3A substate semifinal Thursday night. Zander Murray had a game-high 20 points, 16 in the second half.

North Fayette Valley’s boys’ basketball team ran the table in the regular season but has never been included in the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s rankings this season and was given a ‘2’ seed in its district. The TigerHawks beat top-seeded Aplington-Parkersburg in a Class 2A district final Tuesday night and are a win away from their first state tournament appearance.

The eighth-ranked North Linn boys’ basketball team got 24 points from Mason Bechen and 14 from Cole Griffith as it beat Hillcrest Academy, 65-43, in a Class 1A district final Tuesday night. The Lynx play Burlington Notre Dame in a Friday night substate final in search of a 9th straight trip to the state tournament.

Senior center Josef Briesemeister and junior forward Kellen Haverback have led Mount Vernon’s boys’ basketball team offensively all season. They were just as effective in their team’s 66-57 win Monday night over Fairfield in a Class 3A substate opener

The Iowa High School Athletic Association released its final rankings Monday afternoon for Class 3A and 4A. Cedar Falls and Clear Lake are the final No. 1s.

The Tri-Rivers Conference has released its all-conference teams for boys’ basketball. Mason Bechen of North Linn is the West Division Player of the Year, Hakeal Powell of Clinton Prince of Peace the East Division Player of the Year.

The Clear Creek Amana boys’ basketball team takes an 11-game win streak into its Class 3A substate opener Monday night. The Clippers have won 17 of 18 and have an 18-4 record, with three of those losses coming to good Class 4A teams. Yet they are a ‘2’ seed in their substate.

University of Kansas signee Libby Fandel surpassed her own school record with 41 points Saturday night as Cedar Rapids Xavier’s girls’ basketball team beat Decorah, 86-35, in a Class 4A regional semifinal.

Cascade’s Jackson Lieurance and Iowa City Regina’s Will Litton are Players of the Year in their respective divisions of the River Valley Conference, it has been announed. Cascade’s Nate McMullen and Regina’s Paul Rundquist are division Coaches of the Year.

No Gazette-area schools are involved in boys’ basketball games this weekend, giving the perfect opportunity do a quick reset. Class 1A and 2A schools are at the district final stage, while 3A and 4A schools wrapped up their regular seasons Thursday night, with the postseason beginning Monday.

The Union Community boys’ basketball team scored the first 10 points of the game and never led by less than six the rest of Thursday night’s 63-48 Class 2A district semifinal win over Alburnett.

Call It Both Ways: High school basketball podcast with Gazette sportswriters Jeff Linder and Jeff Johnson talking area high school basketball.

Class 4A No. 10 Cedar Rapids Prairie’s boys’ basketball team appeared it might have a cakewalk Tuesday when it was discovered Cedar Rapids Xavier would have three starting players out ill. But the short-handed Saints hung around most of the game, a fourth-quarter run giving the Hawks a 57-42 victory.

Mark Carlson, the only coach the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders have had, broke the United States Hockey League record for most regular-season games coached when his team beat Waterloo, 3-0, Saturday night. Carlson is nine away from tying the league record for most USHL regular-season victories.