Iowa high school boys' basketball substate brackets released in 3A, 4A

They're ranked second and the only undefeated team in the class. Their point differential leads the class by a wide margin.

Yet the Monticello Panthers aren't even the top seed in their Class 3A boys' basketball substate.

Solon got that nod in Substate 4, as the Iowa High School Athletic Association announced official postseason pairings Wednesday for Class 3A and Class 4A. It all comes down to strength of schedule.

The fourth-ranked Spartans are 16-2, losing for the second time Tuesday night, a day after coaches in each substate hashed out seeds for each team. All but four of Solon's games have been against 3A competition.

Monticello (17-0) has yet to play a team from 3A, competing in the primarily Class 2A River Valley Conference. The Panthers were a state tournament qualifier last season in that class but moved up this season because of enrollment.

Solon draws South Tama (1-12) in a first-round game Feb. 22 at Solon. Monticello will host Vinton-Shellsburg (8-9).

In other 3A substates, Metro foes Marion (12-7) and Cedar Rapids Xavier (7-9) are matched up in a Substate 5 first-rounder at Marion. The winner likely will play top-seeded Davenport Assumption (11-6) in the substate semifinals.

Mount Vernon (12-5) is the substate's second seed.

Eighth-ranked Western Dubuque (13-3) is the No. 1 seed in a quality Substate 3 that also includes fellow Mississippi Valley Conference foe Dubuque Wahlert (7-7) and good Northeast Iowa Conference teams from Waverly-Shell Rock (10-8), Crestwood (11-4) and Decorah (13-5). Washington (13-5) is the No. 2 seed and Clear Creek Amana (14-5) the No. 3 seed in Substate 6, with sixth-ranked Pella (16-2) the top seed.

In Class 4A, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Cedar Rapids Washington and Iowa City Liberty are No. 2 seeds in their respective substates.

Kennedy (11-6) is in Substate 3 and gets a first-round bye, as does fourth-ranked Johnston (8-2), the top seed. Cedar Rapids Prairie (3-6) and Linn-Mar (5-8) will square off in a first-round game opposite Johnston, as will Ottumwa (11-5) and Iowa City West (3-5), who are opposite Kennedy in the bracket.

Washington (10-7) will host the winner of a first-rounder between Cedar Rapids Jefferson (2-14) and Waterloo West (7-6) in a Substate 4 semifinal Feb. 25. Top-ranked Cedar Falls (13-0) is that substate's top-seeded team.

Liberty (5-1) is second seeded in Substate 6 despite playing only six games thus far. The Lightning had a delayed start to their season and have had two pauses for COVID-19 outbreaks on the team.

Pleasant Valley (14-3) is Substate 6's top seed.

The Class 1A postseason begins Friday night. Postseason pairings in 1A and 2A were released last week.

Class 3A substate pairings

SUBSTATE 1

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Sioux Center at Carroll

MOC-Floyd Valley at Storm Lake

Sioux City Heelan at Le Mars

Denison-Schleswig at Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Carroll

At Le Mars

Final — Monday, March 1

At Denison-Schleswig (tentative)

 

SUBSTATE 2

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Hampton-Dumont-CAL at Clear Lake

Estherville Lincoln Central at Spencer

Boone at Algona

Webster City at Humboldt

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Clear Lake

At Algona

Final — Monday, March 1

At Humboldt (tentative)

 

SUBSTATE 3

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Benton Community at Western Dubuque

Dubuque Wahlert at Waverly-Shell Rock

Charles City at Crestwood

Independence at Decorah

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Western Dubuque

At Crestwood

Final — Monday, March 1

At Waverly-Shell Rock (tentative)

 

SUBSTATE 4

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

South Tama at Solon

Maquoketa at West Delaware

Vinton-Shellsburg at Monticello

Center Point-Urbana at DeWitt Central

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Solon

At Monticello

Final — Monday, March 1

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 5

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Fairfield at Davenport Assumption

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Marion

Fort Madison at Mount Vernon

Mount Pleasant at Keokuk

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Davenport Assumption

At Mount Vernon

Final — Monday, March 1

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 6

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Centerville at Pella

Knoxville at Newton

Oskaloosa at Washington

Grinnell at Clear Creek Amana

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Pella

At Washington

Final — Monday, March 1

At Oskaloosa (tentative)

 

SUBSTATE 7

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Saydel at Ballard

North Polk at Gilbert

Carlisle at Winterset

Nevada at Bondurant-Farrar

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Ballard

At Winterset

Final — Monday, March 1

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 8

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Perry at Dallas Center-Grimes

Harlan at Adel ADM

Clarke at Glenwood

Creston at Atlantic

Semifinals — Thursday, Feb. 25

At Dallas Center-Grimes

At Glenwood

Final — Monday, March 1

At Atlantic (tentative)

 

Class 4A substate pairings

SUBSTATE 1

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Council Bluffs Jefferson at Sioux City West

Sioux City North at Sioux City East

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Council Bluffs Lincoln

Quarterfinal winner at Southeast Polk

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At Council Bluffs Jefferson (tentative)

 

SUBSTATE 2

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Des Moines Lincoln at Indianola

Fort Dodge at Des Moines Hoover

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Ankeny Centennial

Quarterfinal winner at Ames

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 3

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Linn-Mar

Iowa City West at Ottumwa

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Johnston

Quarterfinal winner at Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 4

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Iowa City High at Waterloo East

Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Waterloo West

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Cedar Falls

Quarterfinal winner at Cedar Rapids Washington

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 5

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Davenport West at Dubuque Senior

Clinton at Muscatine

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Dubuque Hempstead

Quarterfinal winner at North Scott

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At Clinton

 

SUBSTATE 6

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Bettendorf at Burlington

Davenport Central at Davenport North

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Pleasant Valley

Quarterfinal winner at Iowa City Liberty

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 7

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Lewis Central at Urbandale

Des Moines East at Des Moines North

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at West Des Moines Valley

Quarterfinal winner at West Des Moines Dowling

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At TBD

 

SUBSTATE 8

Quarterfinals — Monday, Feb. 22

Des Moines Roosevelt at Marshalltown

Mason City at Norwalk

Semifinals — Friday, Feb. 26

Quarterfinal winner at Waukee

Quarterfinal winner at Ankeny

Final — Tuesday, March 2

At TBD

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