2007-2008 Basketball Archives

[LukeFeddersen]

2007[/URL]-2008 State Tournament
Blog
These recaps and thoughts were posted throughout the
2007-2008 State basketball tournament.


Iowa City High 64, Davenport Central[/URL] 54

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Matt Gatens
Interview

Audio:
Malcolm
Moore Interview

Audio:
A.J. Derby
Interview

Audio:
Andy
Woodley Interview

Audio:
John
Lickliter Interview

Audio:
Craig
Wurdinger Interview

Recap: Iowa City High spent the majority of the season ranked #1 in Class 4A
and showed to the State why they deserved it. The Little Hawks were
outstanding as Matt Gatens led the way with 21 points. While he only shot
4 for 12 from the field, he hit all thirteen of his free throws. His
ability to get to the line and convert was huge as Iowa City High took home
their first basketball title in nearly twenty years. John Lickliter scored
11 points and added three steals. For Davenport Central, the trio of Hal
Bateman, EJ Hicks, and LA Pomlee all scored in double digits. This game
capped off one of the best overall State tournaments in recent years.


Update - Saturday @ 9:50 PM

For those at home counting, the love between Iowa City High and Linn-Mar has not
grown tonight. The Linn-Mar players are in attendance and the majority of
them are supporting Central with Marshall Maniac t-shirts. That doesn't
sound like much conference love between the two teams.


Update - Saturday @ 9:50 PM

With three straight three point buckets from E.J. Hicks and some missed free
throws by Iowa City High, Davenport Central has cut the gap to six points
(58-52) with 1:18 left in the game.


Update - Saturday @ 9:47 PM

Regardless of how this finishes, I honestly think that this State tournament as
a whole has been the best I have covered in the last five years. I really
hope that basketball in the State of Iowa can continue to get better in the
future and make for more outstanding years like this. It has been an
amazing run for all of the teams this winter, especially considering the weather
as well.


Update - Saturday @ 9:26 PM

Great Class 4A title game. Iowa City High is up 41-36 at the end of the
third quarter.

As for All Tournament team, here are my thoughts:

Kaylon Williams - Cedar Rapids Kennedy (For sure)

Grant Gibbs - Linn-Mar (For sure)

Matt Gatens - Iowa City High (For sure)

L.A. Pomlee - Davenport Central



Outside of that, my guesses would be E.J. Hicks or one of the Derby brothers.




I believe the Sportsmanship award goes to Marshalltown.

Anyone else have any guesses?


Wahlert 70, Harlan 67[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Billy
Scherr Interview

Audio:
Eric May
Interview

Audio:
Tom English
Interview

Audio:
Mitch
Osborn Interview

Audio:
Drew Davis
Interview

Audio:
Dan
Leibfried Interview

Recap: Harlan and Wahlert tussled tonight for the Class 3A State title and as
planned, the game went down to the wire. And in the five years of covering
the State tournament, there have been some great games. But this one
definitely ranks up there with the best of them. Harlan was behind by
four, scored a lay in, stole the ball, and tied it up. The buzzer sounded
and Wahlert was shocked. But the Golden Eagles had called timeout and two
seconds were put on the clock. Mr. Big Shot, aka Eric May, caught the pass
from about 35 feet out and sunk a three point basket to give Wahlert the State
title. As the phrase goes, big time players step up in big time games.
Wow is all I can really say about it.


Update - Saturday @ 7:33 PM

I know Brett Putz of Forest City and Troy Ticknor of ADM are on all the All
Tournament team. I also believe that Forest City won the Sportsman trophy.
Three will likely be named from the title game from the team and my guess is
Drew Davis, Eric May, and Kyle Haake.


Update - Saturday @ 7:33 PM

Right now, the big three seniors from Harlan have every single one of their
points. Again, Dan Hoch, Doug Bissen, and Kyle Haake have all 55 points on
the night. Harlan currently has 55 points.


Update - Saturday @ 7:10 PM

Really there is a great crowd and atmosphere for the Class 3A & 4A games.
With 4:30 left in the third quarter, Harlan and Wahlert are locked at 41 a
piece.


Update - Saturday @ 5:20 PM

It might be the final night of the State tournament but things really have gone
by fast. It has been a great game. Here are a few notes that I have
been meaning to post for some time.

One of the best additions to the State tournament is that you can send text
messages to the big board. While the messages are monitored and it takes
some time to get it up there, it is a nice feature and there have been some
funny ones. The one that really stood out was when someone did it today,
"Playing for third place is awesome." I don't think the person who sent
that text is the only one who feels that way.

The Class 4A consolation was actually a very good game. Linn-Mar had
the lead the entire game but nearly lost it. The Lions had Grant Gibbs
step up and hit a game winning three pointer. Honestly, with how shaky his
senior year was, I am glad to see Gibbs end the year that way. It may not
be a title but that is the second best thing you can do to end your prep career.
Gibbs has been a lot of fun covering over the past few years.

A funny moment happened during the consolation game when there was a teenage
girl and boy alone together up in the high balcony of the arena. The
camera made a great move by putting them on the big screen. Those that
were watching found it really funny. The kids that were on at the time
definitely did not realize they were on then. That eventually prompted the
Kennedy crowd to chant "kiss her" but again, I don't think they understood.


The Class 3A teams in the consolation game deserve a lot of credit for
bringing a big crowd. Obviously ADM is close to Des Moines but especially
Forest City who brought out a lot of people, even for the consolation. It
should come as no surprise that attendance dropped in the Class 4A consolation
game. It really was a great game. Gibbs had a dunk and a Cimion
George had two or three earlier in the game. That really was the only good
consolation game of the bunch and it easily could have gone both ways.

I respect the fact that despite that they have battled the last few years,
the Linn-Mar and Kennedy players have a great deal of respect for one another
and seem to be friends. Grant Gibbs and Kaylon Williams spent time on the
same AAU team so they know each other well. Both are big time gamers and
most players are friends with the others.

The general consensus that I get from a number of different angles is that
the MVC does not like Iowa City High. They have been great to me so I
cannot complain one bit but I am unsure how much the other conference schools
will be routing for the Little Hawks tonight in the championship game.

There is still over thirty minutes before the start of the Class 3A game and
both middle sections of the arena are rather packed.

As I mentioned before, stayed tuned to the Class 3A halftime. It is
going to be very entertaining. When watching them practice, my bones
cringed at some of the stuff they are able to do.


Linn-Mar 67, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 64[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Chris
Robertson Interview

Audio:
Bob Fontana
Interview

Audio:
Kaylon
Williams Interview

Audio:
Grant Gibbs
Interview

Audio:
Nate
Hutcheson Interview

Audio:
Zach
Bohannon Interview

Recap: In what was the best consolation game of the weekend, Linn-Mar needed
a last second three pointer to defeat their conference rivals from Cedar Rapids
Kennedy. The shot was hit by Grant Gibbs, who suffered an injury midway
through the season and missed a lot of time. But the performance he put on
at the State tournament showed the type of player that he really is. Gibbs
finished the day hitting 10 of 12 shots and ended up scoring 24 points.
Nate Hutcheson added 14 and Zach Bohannon ended with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Kaylon Williams, in his final game for Cedar Rapids Kennedy, ended up with 25
points and five assists. Cimion George added 16 points, 10 rebounds, and
two impressive dunks. Alex Coleman and Jake Hughes combined to score 23
off of the bench and will be vital players for the Cougars next winter.


ADM-Adel 79, Forest City[/URL] 45

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Tyler Putz
Interview

Audio:
Dan
Rosacker Interview

Audio:
Brett Putz
Interview

Audio:
Aaron Mager
Interview

Audio:
Wes
Nordquist Interview

Audio:
Troy
Ticknor Interview

Audio:
Tyler Putz
Interview

Audio:
Wes
Nordquist Interview

Recap: As I have talked about many times before, the consolation game winner
is normally the team that actually wants to be there. And from the very
get go, ADM showed that they wanted to win their final basketball game of the
2008 season. Troy Ticknor had a fantastic showing in his final prep
basketball game as he nailed three treys in the first seventy seconds of the
game. Forest City still looked disappointed following their loss to
Dubuque Wahlert in the semifinals and struggled in this contest. They have
played much better basketball all year but again, it is not easy to get up for
this type of ball game. The cupboard is not bare for either team as both
have multiple starters back. There will be some important pieces to
replace but these squads will be battling in 2009 for a berth to that State
tournament as well.


Update - Saturday @ 1:10 PM

Again, in a game where it is obvious who wants to be in the consolation game and
who doesn't, ADM is dominating Forest City 72-43 with about four minutes left in
the game.

ADM started the game hot from the field and poured it on from there. I
believe they were up 20 at the end of the first quarter and 27 at halftime.
I don't know if they could have played much better.

The halftime show that I mentioned is for the Class 3A game. If you are
there or watching on TV, I would recommend watching it.

Troy Ticknor is having a fantastic final game with 24 points at this point.


Tyler Putz has really impressed me during the course of the tournament.
I am sure I will rave about him more but he just makes plays and makes his
teammates better around him. While the scoring of Brett will definitely be
missed next year, I don't think Forest City will drop off all that much.



Update - Saturday @ 10:00 AM

Watch the halftime shows of the title games tonight. Wow is all I can say!



Update - Saturday @ 9:49 AM

After not checking the schedule to see what time the consolation games were, I
decided to make the trip over to the arena over two hours early. I guess
it is better to be early than late, right? These consolation games are
that important to the readers of IowaPreps.com!

As mentioned in another post, there was someone shooting when I came in so I
did get a chance to get my first shots up at the arena. First off, since I
have not played forever, I was terrible. But as said in that previous
post, I was able to dunk one in jeans. Take that Kotz is all I have to
say!

Because games are hours and hours away, I am getting to see the halftime show
early on as they practice. These people only have a certain amount of time
to set up so I get the fun of trying to see all these little gymnasts running
around as I try to do work. Boy these are going to be a fun two hours plus
until the consolation games get underway!


Hull Western Christian 70, Fort Dodge St. Edmond[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Jim Eekhoff
Interview

Audio:
Curtis Van
Grouw Interview

Audio:
Shawn
Keizer Interview

Audio:
Kevin Fopma
Interview

Audio:
Trevor
Wolterstorff Interview

Audio:
Jeremy
Zeutenhorst Interview

Recap: Despite a quick start to the game, Hull Western Christian was never
able to really put away Fort Dodge St. Edmond in the Class 2A title game.
But the Wolfpack made enough plays throughout the course of the evening to win
their second straight State title. Jeremy Zeutenhorst was once again a
load to stop inside for Hull Western as he made 10 of 14 shots and scored 20
points on the night. Both teams had four players scoring in double digits
but the experience of being at State last winter for most of these athletes was
the difference. If Trevor Wolterstorff can pull off his third straight
State title next winter, he deserves some serious consideration for Mr.
Basketball. But I can make my case for him later.


Update - Friday @ 9:17 PM

Here is my guess on the Class 2A All Tournament team:

Matt Morrison - Solon

Cliff Warner - Pella Christian

John Engler - St. Edmond

Trevor Wolterstorff - Hull Western Christian

Shawn Keizer - Hull Western Christian

Jeremy Zeutenhorst - Hull Western Christian


Update - Friday @ 8:53 PM

Halftime stats of note:

Bryan Huss of St. Edmond has 10 points on 4-5 shooting from the field.
On the year, Huss has been averaging 8.9 points per game.

St. Edmond has won the rebounding war 16-9.

Shawn Keizer is leading Hull in scoring with seven points.

St. Edmond is shooting 52% from the floor while Hull Western Christian is making
56% of their shots.

St. Edmond has eight turnovers on the night, which is not a surprise considering
how much the Wolfpack pressure them.

Really, the stats are pretty even.


Update - Friday @ 8:46 PM

The quick start that pushed Hull Western ahead of the pack early on has been
negated by a strong showing from St. Edmond. The Gaels actually hold the
lead at halftime, 32-31, and have done a nice job battling back and fourth.
I will have more updates at halftime.


Update - Friday @ 8:28 PM

After falling behind early, St. Edmond has battled back and made things
interesting. At the end of the first quarter, both teams are knotted at
11.


Update - Friday @ 8:17 PM

As opposed to the back and fourth battle in the first State title game tonight,
Hull Western Christian has rushed out to a 7-0 lead and has the ball.


NU High 49, George-Little Rock 44[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Nick
Ellerbroek Interview

Audio:
Paul Elser
Interview

Audio:
Ben
Gerleman Interview

Audio:
Eddie
Diemer Interview

Audio:
Travis
Ellerbroek Interview

Audio:
Travis
Ellerbroek Interview

Recap: The first champion was crowned from the 2008 basketball season and
that honor goes to NU High. The Panthers got a huge lift off of the bench
as they outscored George-Little Rock 16-0 in bench points. NU High also
was able to get past the 21 points that Mack Vande Kamp scored. Travis and
Nick Ellerbroek combined for 23 points and helped force 14 turnovers. In
telling how close the game was, there were thirteen lead changes and nine ties
throughout the course of the game. And despite eight losses on the year,
NU High finished the year 20-8 and will go down as the Class 1A champions for
the 2007-2008 campaign.


Update - Friday @ 7:26 PM

Apparently the Iowa High School Sports Network has a mascot. Honestly, it
is a creepy looking "kid." I really need a picture just to post it.


NU High is up 44-42 with the ball and 1:38 remaining in the game.


Update - Friday @ 7:23 PM

For those watching on TV, the Class 1A State finals is one great basketball
game. NU High is currently up by one. The refs are letting them play
as only five fouls have been called this half.

Wait, GLR is not up by one with 2:30 left in the game.


Update [/URL]- Friday @ 6:40 PM

Players who have helped their stock with their play at the State basketball
tournament

Class 4A

Malcolm Moore - Iowa City High

Hal Bateman - Davenport Central

E.J. Hicks - Davenport Central

Nate Hutcheson - Linn-Mar

Chanse Creekmur - Marshalltown

Kody Ingle - Southeast Polk

Class 3A

Eric May - Dubuque Wahlert

Gabe Knutson - Waukee

Tyler Putz - Forest City

Tim DeSplintor - ADM-Adel

Wes Nordquist - ADM-Adel

Class 2A

John Engler - St. Edmond

Shawn Keizer - Hull Western Christian

Tucker Wentzien - Solon

Eli Groenendyk - Pella Christian

Class 1A

Nick Ellerbroek - NU High

Travis Ellerbroek - NU High

Trev Fiedler - George-Little Rock

Josh Vander Maten - Boyden-Hull

Tyler Starr - George-Little Rock


Update [/URL]- Friday @ 3:40 PM

A few thoughts from the games today. Starting with Class 4A, I think it
will take a heck of an effort to beat Iowa City High. The leaders of the
squad obviously is Matt Gatens and you can basically hand him the Mr. Basketball
trophy right now. But with the Little Hawks, there are so many weapons
that it makes it tough to match up. If the big three for Davenport Central
can stay on the floor and avoid any type of foul trouble, they do have a chance.
Malcolm Moore is a quality bigman but L.A. Pomlee has some size on him.
Pomlee has very long arms and can just make plays. He is so athletic and
talented but it is not like Gatens has not played with/against him on Martin
Bros. either.

If Davenport Central plays like they did during the first half, they
definitely have a chance. But they struggled down the stretch and that
allowed Kennedy to get back into it. Everytime down the court Hicks,
Bateman, or Pomlee should get at least a touch. I just don't get it when
they don't.

In that one, I see the difference being that Iowa City High is deeper in
terms of their top players. Not to take anything away from either team,
but the Little Hawks have more marquee players. And that is why I think
that Iowa City High will be the favorite in this one. But with Pomlee
inside, you never know what can happen.

As Waukee head coach Ross Douma stated after the first round of the game,
Central has flashes where they are State champions. It would be when
Pomlee gets a huge dunk and then Bateman gets a steal or Hick hits a three.
The more flashes they can get, the better their chances in that one.

However, my predictions is Iowa City High 63, Davenport Central 56.

As far as the Class 1A game about to be played, I think that NU High is
definitely the favorite in this one. The Ellerbroek twins have been
playing excellent basketball and that has helped get them here. But they
must continue playing well if the Panthers can win. Some feel that George
Little Rock should not be here after their overtime win against Boyden Hull.
But when it all comes down it, they won the game with some clutch plays down the
stretch. They have some big time athletes so I expect this to be closer
than the recent showings in games.

I am interested to see if George Little Rock throws a box and two at the
Panthers. I know they used a junk defense to shut down Jordan Egleseder
two years back in the title game and I have a suspicion that they will do that
once again. However, they may just play them straight up and have Tyler
Starr be the help man because of his athleticism.

While the Siouxland has looked very good at times here, if NU High continues
to play their kind of basketball, I see them winning it all. My prediction
is NU High 56, George-Little Rock 51.

As for the Class 2A title game, there is little doubt that the favorite is
Hull Western Christian. The Wolfpack have been impressive everytime I have
seen them and came back from a huge deficit in the semifinals. They have
the heart of a championship and it has shown each and every game they play at
the State tournament. Look for them to step up big.

Regarding St. Edmond, I am not the only one on media row who has not been
overly impressed by them. But the thing about the Gaels is that they know
how to play and just get the job done. If you are going off of the last
few games, many would expect Hull Western to end up with a double digit victory.
That however will not be the case, there is no doubt about that.

Andy Nagel inside is a force and John Engler had a monster game in the
semifinals. Hull has more athleticism but St. Edmond has the size
advantage. If Nagel can avoid foul trouble, I really think that his size
will create problems inside. The Wolfpack have gone against few players
with his size and strength.

But as mentioned before, Hull Western Christian has the heart of a champion
and they need that here. So my prediction is Hull Western 59, St. Edmond
52.

In the Class 3A battle, on one hand you have a great Wahlert team that played
impressive in the opener but not as on fire in the second game. As
mentioned by another media member, Wahlert played well enough that night to beat
anyone in the State. Eric May is going to be a handful on the perimeter
and Drew Davis is a load inside.

But Harlan is Harlan. The Cyclones are loaded with State tournament
experience and that could give them an advantage. They have had another
stellar year and the trio of Dan Hoch, Kyle Haake, and Doug Bissen have been all
winter. They have been the reason why they have chalked up so many wins.


The experience is big but that didn't help Linn-Mar out much in the
semifinals. That is why I have decided to scrap my original predictions
and pick Wahlert. I have faith in Davis and May to pull it out. My
prediction is Wahlert 55, Harlan 54.


Davenport Central 62, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 55[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Hal Bateman
Interview

Audio:
Craig
Wurdinger Interview

Audio:
E.J. Hicks
Interview

Audio:
Kaylon
Williams Interview

Audio:
L.A. Pomlee
Interview

Audio:
Bob Fontana
Interview

Recap: A first half run by Davenport Central put them in the lead but Cedar
Rapids Kennedy battled back in a big way during the second half. But when
push came to shove, the Blue Devils were able to distance themselves and pull
away. The Citadel signee E.J. Hicks had a big game as he poured in 25
points and also saw teammates Hal Bateman and L.A. Pomlee combined to score 22
points. Kennedy was led by Kaylon Williams who scored 27 points and three
assists. But in the end, he did not have enough and that cost the Cougars.
After a slow start, he helped make things interesting during the second half and
allowed for both crowds to get back into it.


Update - Friday @ 3:40 PM

E.J. Hicks missed a runner and L.A. Pomlee came out of nowhere to dunk the
follow. And you wonder why Wisconsin would take him in a heart beat?
This kid is flat out talented.


Update - Friday @ 3:35 PM

Central has built a seven point lead with seven minutes left in the second
quarter against Kennedy.


Iowa City High 66, Linn-Mar 46[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Nate
Hutcheson Interview

Audio:
Andy
Woodley Interview

Audio:
Zach Derby
Interview

Audio:
Matt Gatens
Interview

Audio:
Chris
Robertson Interview

Audio:
Malcolm
Moore Interview

Recap: An amazing performance shooting the ball in the first half put Iowa
City High up by twenty early on and they hung on throughout the second half.
The Little Hawks were paced by 16 from Matt Gatens, 14 from AJ Derby, and 11
from Zach Derby. If this team plays like this in the title game,
regardless of who they play, it will be a load to beat them. Nate
Hutcheson scored 14 and Zach Bohannon added 12 for the Lions.


Update - Friday @ 2:35 PM

At the end of the third quarter, Linn-Mar is still down by 20 points at 51-31.



Update - Friday @ 2:33 PM

If I had not posted this yet, Malcolm Moore is very, very good.

Moore just picked up his third foul defensively.

1:01 left in the third quarter and Linn-Mar has only cut the lead by two
points.


Update - Friday @ 2:27 PM

It is getting a little chippy between Gibbs and Gatens.

John Lickliter picked up his fourth foul on a charge (4:23 left in 3Q) and he
looks hurt. It looks like a knee/ankle.


Update - Friday @ 2:17 PM

Some of the first half stats that stick out:

Iowa City High from three point range: 6 for 8 (75%)

Iowa City High also shot 68% from the field

A.J. Derby (The best sixth man in Iowa) had 12 points on 5-6 shooting

Iowa City High outrebounded Linn-Mar 15 to 5

Linn-Mar shot 33% from the floor and 37.5% from behind the arc

Zach Bohannon led the Lions with three of their five rebounds. That is
amazing that the Little Hawks shot so well and did such a good job that they
only allowed Linn-Mar to five rebounds.

My thoughts on the stats are that it can't last. Iowa City High really
is an amazing team but if they can keep shooting like this, I think that they
should get mention as one of the best teams ever. I just don't expect it
to last as they have shot 35% from behind the arc during the year.

Linn-Mar has the heart of a champion and I would be surprised if they don't
make things interesting in the second half. I would just expect them to.



Update - Friday @ 2:10 PM

You really can never complain when the top rated player (Matt Gatens) is being
guarded by the second rated player (Grant Gibbs) in the senior class.
Gatens however is not guarding Gibbs on the other end of the court.

At the half, Iowa City High is leading 42-22. Honestly, I am unsure if
the Little Hawks can play much better basketball. They did all this with
Moore on the bench with two fouls during the majority of the half. I
believe the lead grew with Moore on the bench and a big reason for that was
their outside shooting.


Update - Friday @ 2:05 PM

I really like the fact that the stars on the court like Nate Hutcheson, Zach
Bohannon, Grant Gibbs, Malcolm Moore, and many others are not afraid to give up
their body for charges or to dive on the floor. That says a lot about what
type of player they are.

I will post the exact stats at half but City High is shooting lights out from
behind the arc. They have been on fire all half and that has been huge in
their lead.

Iowa City High has built up a 20 point lead with the Lions at the free throw
line.


Update - Friday @ 1:57 PM

Alex Weldon was just called for a ball off of a rebound and to make it worse he
appears to be down with an injury. It looks like he will be alright
though. I can guess where he got hurt but will probably just not say
anything.

What is impressive about Matt Gatens is the fact that he will likely win Mr.
Basketball but he still isn't afraid to dive on the floor. He dove for a
loss ball and then called a quick time out to keep the ball for the Little
Hawks. The refs did miss a kick on the same play by Gatens but he really
did a nice job with his hustle.

Malcolm Moore just picked up his second foul on a loose ball and headed to
the bench. I want to talk about that more later but he really is the
difference in this City High team being really and great.

City High just pulled ahead 27-13 with 5:46 in the second quarter and the
Lions called a timeout.


Update - Friday @ 1:50 PM

At the end of the first quarter, Iowa City High is leading 17-13. Linn-Mar
hit two three pointers to make things interesting and that was followed by an
easy bucket for Iowa City High that was created by Matt Gatens.


Update - Friday @ 1:47 PM

I love watching Malcolm Moore play because it is obvious how much he loves doing
well on the basketball court. Whenever he scores, he runs down the court
with a huge smile on his face. And tryst me when I say that Moore has
really helped himself in the eyes of college coaches as well as the rankings for
this site. And while typing this, Moore followed up his lay up with a nice
block.

The Little Hawks have put A.J. Derby in the lineup so we will see if they
change their defensive strategy.

John Lickliter may not look like the most physically impressive player in the
world but he is the son of a coach and he can flat out play. He definitely
was a nice addition (As were a number of his teammates) to City High this
off-season.

If Iowa City High is going to win, they will have to knock down three
pointers. The Little Hawks are hitting 35% from behind the arc and will
need all of that to move to the title game.

With 2:15 left in the first quarter, Linn-Mar calls a timeout after going
down 15-7. It really has been a very balanced attack for both teams are no
single players have more than three points.


Update - Friday @ 1:38 PM

Defensively, Zach Bohannon is matched up on Phil Hunt but has not left the paint
to guard him. That is going to make things tough to score inside with that
extra body.

Hunt just hit a three pointer so the strategy may chance a little bit.



Update - Friday @ 1:36 PM

Regarding the Linn-Mar vs. Iowa City High game, there is going to be a lot on
the line here. Both teams are used to playing each other and the Little
Hawks have won both contests. One interesting note is that Grant Gibbs has
been re-inserted into the starting lineup.


Solon 72, Pella Christian 59[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Brad
Randall Interview

Audio:
Tucker
Wentzien Interview

Audio:
Cory Nikkel
Interview

Audio:
Larry
Hessing Interview

Audio:
Ben Weeks
Interview

Recap: This was another one of those games where Solon wanted to be here and
it didn't appear as if Pella Christian felt the same way. After their
narrow loss to Hull Western in the semifinals, the Eagles packed it in early and
were outscored in the second and third quarters. While they did a nice job
in the fourth quarter, the Spartans ahead by too much to make things
interesting. Tucker Wentzien and Ben Weeks combined for 33 points in
helping Solon finish as the third best team in Class 2A. As Coach Brad
Randall said in his audio interview, this was a team that he considers the most
successful in the history of Solon.


Update - Friday @ 12:04 PM

I just took a look at the blog and I really have done a bad job with it lately.
Anyways, I will try to get more updates more often over the last two days.


For the consolation games, it is always interesting to see what teams bring a
crowd. Solon has zero students standing and I can say they aren't thrilled
to be here.

As for playing in these games, it is pretty obvious as to which team wants to
be there and which team doesn't. Boyden Hull mailed it in and they still
nearly won the game. However, HLV does deserves some credit for playing
hard and winning the contest. That is a big win for the Warrior program.


I hope to put together a list of the players who have really improved their
stock over the State tournament. A lot will be making moves when I put out
the updated player rankings over the next few weeks.


HLV 63, Boyden-Hull 52[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Scott
Blomme Interview

Audio:
Dylan
Miller Interview

Audio:
Zach
Tremmel Interview

Audio:
Bill
Francis Interview

Audio:
Josh Vander
Maten Interview

Audio:
Derrick
Moss Interview

Audio:
Jordan Mouw
Interview

Recap: I hate to say this but consolation games are really about who wants to
be there. HLV was blown out but NU High in the semifinal yesterday and
they wanted to end the year the right way. With a number of seniors on
their roster, there was little that could stop them from performing their best
in the consolation game. Boyden Hull on the other hand really stepped up
their play late in the year and were seconds away from playing in the title
game. In their mind, they should be playing tonight and I don't know if I
can disagree with them. And even though they had their chances throughout
the morning, it was obvious that they didn't want to be there and that cost
them. With a lot of pieces back for next winter, this Boyden Hull team
will be a load to beat.


Harlan 56, ADM 47[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Mitch
Osborn Interview

Audio:
Kyle Haake
Interview

Audio:
Doug Bissen
Interview

Audio:
Michael
Kaufmann Interview

Audio:
Aaron Mager
Interview

Audio:
Wes
Nordquist Interview

Recap: As usual, Harlan was Harlan when they needed to be. Against a
very talented and athletic ADM ball club, the Cyclones used a strong second half
to pull away from the opposition. After falling short in this same game
last year, Harlan had enough firepower and will be making another appearance in
the Class 3A State title game against Dubuque Wahlert. Kyle Haake led the
Cyclones with 19 points and Jeff Hastert added ten big points off of the bench.
ADM was paced by 24 points from Tim DeSplintor but it was not enough for ADM to
move on.


Dubuque Wahlert 67, Forest City 60[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Tom English
Interview

Audio:
Dan
Rosacker Interview

Audio:
Eric May
Interview

Audio:
Tyler Putz
Interview

Audio:
Drew Davis
Interview

Audio:
Billy
Scherr Interview

Recap: After the way that Forest City and Dubuque Wahlert played in their
first round games, many expected the Golden Eagles to roll to the State title
game. But that was not the case as the Indians continued to fight
throughout the entire night and the Putz brothers put up 37 points in the game.
Wahlert eventually was able to pull away after huge efforts from Drew Davis,
Eric May, and Billy Scherr but the game really could have gone either way.
If Wahlert is going to be able to take home the State title, they must play much
better in the championship game. The talent is there but they must be able
to pull away from the opposition as they did against the Crusaders in the
opening round.


St. Edmond 66, Solon 60[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Adolph
Kochendorfer Interview

Audio:
Brad
Randall Interview

Audio:
Matt
Morrison Interview

Audio:
John Engler
Interview

Audio:
Tucker
Wentzien Interview

Audio:
Andy Nagel
Interview

Audio:
Ben Weeks
Interview

Recap: As with the first Class 2A semifinal, St. Edmond and Solon battled
throughout the afternoon in a game that saw both teams leading. And
despite Solon finishing the third quarter on a 21-13 run, the experience of the
Gaels came back and outscored the Spartans 20-12 in the fourth quarter.
John Engler of St. Edmond had the biggest scoring outburst of the State
tournament as he dropped 34 points. With the defense focused on stopping
Andy Nagel, Engler stepped up and knocked down 11 of his 13 field goal attempts.
Matt Morrison led Solon with 23 points but only hit three of his nine attempts
from behind the arc.


Update - Thursday @ 3:46 PM

Regarding the game that I just watched, this really was a fantastic high school
basketball games. It is really tough to see any of these teams lose just
because they both have great coaches and great players. When that type of
game is played, it is difficult that there eventually will be a lose when
everything is said and done. What I think was the difference in this one
was that Hull Western Christian has had the experience of winning the title last
year. That was huge for them and helped them eventually move back to the
State title game. After that contest, I know it is going to be hard to
defeat the Wolfpack. But then again, you really never know.


Hull Western Christian 67, Pella Christian 61[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Jim Eekhoff
Interview

Audio:
Jeremy
Zeutenhorst Interview

Audio:
Shawn
Keizer Interview

Audio:
Trevor
Wolterstorff Interview

Audio:
Cliff
Warner Interview

Audio:
Larry
Hessing Interview

Recap: In what was a classic high school basketball game, Hull Western
Christian used a 22-8 run during the fourth quarter to knock off previously
undefeated Pella Christian in the Class 2A State semifinal. The Wolfpack
were able to dig themselves out of a double digit lead early and eventually had
enough to pull away. Their top trio, Jeremy Zeutenhorst, Shawn Keizer, and
Trevor Wolterstorff scored 49 of their 67 points. Jay Boot had a nice game
for Pella Christian with 11 points and 10 rebounds but it was not enough.


NU High 70, HLV 51[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Scott
Blomme Interview

Audio:
Dylan
Miller Interview

Audio:
Zach
Tremmel Interview

Audio:
Travis
Ellerboek Interview

Audio:
Paul Elser
Interview

Audio:
Nick
Ellerboek Interview

Recap: After seeing one of the best games of the State tournament, the second
Class 1A semifinal struggled to continue the momentum. The athletes of NU
High dominated the second and third quarters on their ways to a 19 point
victory. The Panthers were able to rest some of their starters as well, as
compared to the athletes from George Little Rock having to go into overtime.
With the title game being early tomorrow night, will that help NU High? We
obviously will not be able to find out about that until later on. Nick and
Travis Ellerbroek combined for 34 points and was the difference in this.
These twins are going to be a handful to slow down.


Update - Thursday @ 12:30 PM

A few words regarding that last game. Trev Fiedler deserves a lot of
credit for how clutch he was. At the end of regulation, he hit his second
three pointer of his career to send the game to overtime. Boyden Hull was
even trying to foul but was unable to do so because they got the ball up the
court so quickly.

As with most games like that, it is extremely tough to see the team that
loses. Players take losses hard enough already but a dramatic game like
this made it very tough to interview the players. However, I cannot blame
them for being disappointed. Boyden Hull led throughout the majority of
the game and made some mistakes down the stretch. These sophomores are
going to be good over the next few years so keep an eye on them.

In regards to a post about t-shirt prices, yes, they are going to rip you off
with the prices. They are probably making somewhere around $15 per
t-shirt, if not more.

The high school association made a change to the All Tournament team voting.
Media has to have their ballots in BEFORE the tournament game. There was a
note that said something about a special group that will handle outstanding
championship game performances. While the voting has issues, having media
turn the ballots in before the championship game is A BAD DECISION. But
then again, they have made some decisions that people questioned over the years
and it has not bothered them. However, if this helps the deserving players
get the MVP, than I am all for it. The problem is I don't trust it by
anymeans.


George-Little Rock 56, Boyden Hull 54 OT[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Ben
Gerleman Interview

Audio:
Trev
Fiedler Interview

Audio:
Mack Vande
Kamp Interview

Audio:
Bill
Francis Interview

Audio:
Tyler Starr
Interview

Audio:
Josh Vander
Maten Interview

Recap: In what was one of the most dramatic games of the State tournament,
George Little Rock may have been behind throughout the entire game but that
didn't stop them from moving on to their second Class 1A State title game in
three years. Boyden Hull made a few mistakes down the stretch while
missing free throws and that cost them. But after starting the year so
slow, it shows a lot about this team to be that close to playing for a State
championship. George-Little Rock must play better if they can take home
the big trophy but they did just enough to move on. And at this time of
the season, that is all that really matters.


Update - Thursday @ 11:53 AM

Great game going on in the first Class 1A semifinal game. In overtime,
George Little Rock just hit a bucket to go up by two points. There are 6.4
seconds left and Boyden Hull has the ball so there is still a lot of game left
for them to do something.


Update - Thursday @ 9:30 AM

A few notes before things get going in the morning session on Thursday.
Things, like usual, have gone extremely fast here. I can't believe I am
already half way done this week.

I may not be talking all that much but I am starting to lose my voice.
Things may get very interesting if I am forced to ask questions without a voice.
If you listen to Monday interviews and today, there should be a noticeable
difference.

I was talking to a coach about bringing his kids up to the tournament for a
day and it is extremely expensive. If you bring two kids and yourself, it
would be $24 for tickets and $6 for parking. That is just for one session.
So if you came up for the entire day, it would cost $54 and that does not
include food. As I have said before, I would definitely eat before if
given the option. You will get more bang for your buck than inside the
arena. Going back to the prices, it should not be a surprise that the 2007
State tournament was the least attended over the last 15 years. People
just can't afford that much money.

If you are a basketball player, despite the expensive costs, I think it is at
least worth making the trip down to State. Get some friends to come with
and you can watch some great basketball because the final fours of the
tournament at stacked.

I had a chance to see two of my favorite former athletes that I have covered
(Mike O'Connell and Austen Arnaud) and also another one (Ben Lamaak). The
trio is all playing football at Iowa State and it was great seeing them.
Since they were complaining about my lack of updates on the blog, which I do
agree with, I thought putting their name in here will quit them from
complaining. If during the Kennedy game you see an offensive lineman type
standing frequently when the Cougars do well, that would be Lamaak. But as
the replay board said, if Lamaak is there, Kennedy will win.

All three were telling me how much time they spend working out and it is
crazy compared to high school lifting. But at the college level, you
basically have to put that time in to be successful. I will see the trio
probably back on Friday but I really do hope they succeed with the Cyclones.


There really is no better time to focus on actually working than when none of
the fans are in the arena. They should be rushing in within the minute but
I do enjoy the time when few people are in attendance so that I can get a little
work done.

If there are any questions or suggestions regarding the State tournament,
please ask them because I would be happy to answer.


Update [/URL]- Wednesday @ 10:45 PM

One LAST update before I head off and to bed. Here are the known college
coaches that have made an appearance at the State tournament. I will keep
adding to this list!

Buena Vista

Central

Clarke

Coe

Cornell

Creighton

DMACC

Drake

Dubuque

Grandview

Iowa (Not confirmed)

Iowa Central

Iowa State

Iowa Wesleyan

Loras

Luther

Marshalltown CC

Mid-American Nazarene

Missouri State

Nebraska Wesleyan

NIACC

North Dakota State

Northern Iowa

Purdue

Simpson

South Dakota STtae

Southeastern CC

Southwest Minnesota State

St. Cloud Sttae

The Citadel

Upper Iowa

Wartburg

Wayne State


Update [/URL]- Wednesday @ 10:40 PM

Here are who I feel are among the top thirteen first round performances:

Nick Ellerbroek - NU High

19 points and 12 rebounds



Trevor Wolterstorff - Hull Western Christian

24 points and five rebounds



Tucker Wentzien - Solon

8 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks



Eli Groenendyk - Pella Christian

17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers



John Engler - St. Edmond

17 points and 12 rebounds



Eric May - Dubuque Wahlert

17 points, four assists, and three steals



Wes Nordquist - ADM

13 points and 17 rebounds



Dan Hoch - Harlan

22 points and 13 rebounds



Malcolm Moore - Iowa City High

24 points and seven rebounds



Matt Gatens - Iowa City High

14 points, seven assists, and one turnover



Grant Gibbs - Linn-Mar

17 points and 7-7 shooting from the field



Cimion George - Cedar Rapids Kennedy

12 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks



L.A. Pomlee - Davenport Central

12 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocks


Update [/URL]- Wednesday @ 10:20 PM

Class 4A Rankings after round one:

1.) Iowa City High

2.) Davenport Central

3.) Linn-Mar

4.) Cedar Rapids Kennedy

5.) Marshalltown

6.) Southeast Polk

7.) Waukee

8.) Sioux City North


Davenport Central 60, Waukee 45[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Craig
Wurdinger Interview

Audio:
EJ Hicks
Interview

Audio:
LA Pomlee
Interview

Audio:
Hal Bateman
Interview

Audio:
Ross Douma
Interview

Audio:
Gabe
Knutson Interview

Recap: The athleticism that Central has showcased on the defensive side of
the ball was on full display in the final first round of the 2008 State
tournament. The Blue Devils stepped up and held Waukee to 20% shooting and
16% shooting from behind the arc. They were able to slow down Waukee
bigman Gabe Knutson to 7 for 23 shooting and limited the others as well.
LA Pomlee ended the game with seven blocks and altered many more. Central
had a number of athletes step up outside of their trio and that helped them
offensively.


Update - Wednesday @ 8:35 PM

A few notes regarding the interviews. On Kaylon Williams, if you listen
about who he wants to play next, he said he thought I was talking about City
High or Linn-Mar. Obviously that is not going to be the team that they
play next and he knew it afterwards.

Williams mentioned that Kentucky recently called about him and will try to
come down on Friday. He said Purdue was here to watch him today (And they
were). I plan to post a list of all the college coaches that I have seen
at State so far.

Regarding Waukee, they honestly have the best crowd of the State tournament.
The Warriors deserve a lot of credit for how many fans that they brought to the
game. They have a big base but a lot paid the $8 and made the trip.
The crowd is also very loud with chants and I have yet to hear a cuss word yet.

Waukee bigman Gabe Knutson had a very impressive early in the game against
Central. It was a two handed dunk and the foul.

L.A. Pomlee does not have any dunks at this point but he has an outstanding
range on his rebounding. He definitely is a force inside and college
coaches want the range he has on rebounding at the next level. The
question is if he can qualify.

At the end of the first quarter, the game is tied 11-11 between Central and
Waukee.


Cedar Rapids Kennedy 47, Southeast Polk 42[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Kody Ingle
Interview

Audio:
BJ
Windhorst Interview

Audio:
Bob Fontana
Interview

Audio:
Cimion
George Interview

Audio:
Kaylon
Williams Interview

Recap: Cedar Rapids Kennedy rushed out to a big lead against Southeast Polk
and the Rams spent the rest of the game trying to make things interesting.
In the end, they were able to do it. But Southeast Polk was called for a
questionable offensive foul down the stretch that put the game in the hands of
the Cougars. While that was not a guaranteed victory after the call, it
was in the favor of Kennedy. Kaylan Williams, Cimion George, and Demetrius
Johnson all scored in double digits. As Williams said after the game, they
must play much better if they hope to play for the Class 4A State title.


Update [/URL]- Wednesday @ 6:50 PM

Class 3A Rankings after round one:

1.) Dubuque Wahlert

2.) ADM-Adel

3.) Harlan

4.) Forest City

5.) Union-LaPorte City

6.) West Delaware

7.) Sioux City Heelan

8.) Fairfield


Linn-Mar 54, Marshalltown 48 OT[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Zach
Bohannon Interview

Audio:
Nate
Hutcheson Interview

Audio:
Ron Ginapp
Interview

Audio:
Chanse
Creekmur Interview

Audio:
Michael
Appel Interview

Audio:
Cole
Danielson Interview

Audio:
Grant Gibbs
Interview

Audio:
Chris
Robertson Interview

Recap: In what was one of the best games of the State tournament,
Marshalltown and Linn-Mar battled throughout the evening before the Lions were
able to pull away late. What was impressive about their victory was how
Grant Gibbs was forced to step up. After playing limiting minutes
following an injury, he made all seven of the shots he took and ended with 17
points. That performance is what the State tournament is all about as he
played great in a big game.


Update - Wednesday @ 3:35 PM

A few thoughts that just need to be posted regarding the Iowa City High win in
the first round. The question in the preseason that many wondered is if
their were enough basketballs on the court for these players. As they have
shown obviously all winter, and did so again today, that is not even a question.
Led by senior Matt Gatens, this squad is very unselfish and rarely forces shot.
They do a fantastic job picking apart the opponent offensively that teams will
struggle to slow them down over the next two games.

As with Eric May, I wouldn't be shocked if Malcolm Moore just played himself
into a scholarship. This junior had two impressive dunks along with 24
points in the win over North. While the season does not mean all that much
for recruiting, his performance has been really impressive. If you listen
to the audio interview, Moore mentions again that he does not have any offers at
this point.

Can someone find a better 6th man at any high school level than A.J. Derby?
That is a great weapon to bring in off the bench because he makes those around
him that much better.


Iowa City High 68, Sioux City North 46[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
AJ Derby
Interview

Audio:
Andy
Woodley Interview

Audio:
Malcolm
Moore Interview

Audio:
Matt Gatens
Interview

Audio:
John
Vanderloo Interview

Recap: If anyone is going to be able to take down Iowa City High at the State
tournament, it is going to take quite the effort. The Little Hawks
continued their domination during the winter and it showed as they sent North
home for the year following their 68-46 victory. Malcolm Moore showed why
he is among the elite bigmen in all of Iowa as he scored 24 points and pulled
down seven rebounds. Matt Gatens also added 14 points for the Little
Hawks. This really is a complete team and it is going to be a hard job to
knock them off.


Update - Wednesday @ 2:00 PM

As for the question about crowd, there appears to be a lot of people here but
the atmosphere is not that of some of the games yesterday. As always,
there are a ton of coaches in the crowd and a lot of people but they don't seem
all that into it. Don't ask me why but they just don't.

Regarding the last game, I had a ton of notes written down but just don't
have the time I want to write them up and then watch this great game going on
right in front of me. Union is definitely not the not impressive looking
team but they work hard and never die. That is what is impressive about
the success that they have had.

Dan Hoch had a monster game but Mark Jesse of Union deserves some credit for
having a good game against a player bigger than he is. Jesse used his
quickness to get around Hoch and ended up with 16 points despite being plagued
by foul problems.


Harlan 67, Union 55[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Mitch
Osborn Interview

Audio:
Aaron
Thomas Interview

Audio:
Doug Bissen
Interview

Audio:
Michael
Kaufman Interview

Audio:
Kyle Haake
Interview

Recap: It may have been a game that everyone assumed Harlan would win but
this was another contest that showed how talented Union really is. They
battled foul trouble and a tough Cyclone team but they never died throughout the
course of the contest. For Harlan, bigman Dan Hoch had a monster game with
22 points and 13 rebounds. Kyle Haake followed him up with 18 points as
well. These two were key in the run for the Cyclones. The win
propels them into a huge semifinal match up with a talented ADM team up next.


Update - Wednesday @ 11:00 AM

Good morning from the State basketball tournament. As shown with the posts
on this thread, many were shocked about how Heelan did. No matter what you
say, I don't think anyone expected Wahlert to completely blow the roof off of
the Crusaders in that game. It showed as the Heelan players were
devastated afterwards and it was not easy to interview them. Considering
how their last two games at State went, I really don't blame them one bit.

One thing I hope to do is when I venture off into the crowd, I plan to
actually take some notes and hopefully post it here. If I don't do that,
then there will be the same few hour breaks as their has been over the last two
days.

Harlan and Union are playing and this is yet another contest where people
feel that Union has no chance to win. But when the Knights had their back
against the wall in the substate finale vs. Xavier, they made the most of it and
ended up punching their ticket to State.


Update - Tuesday @ 10:08 PM

I thought it would be good to get a few parting shots before I leave the stadium
for the evening. I am actually one of the only ones left in here but they
have yet to kick me out yet. I thought it would be a good time to post
about the day.

For those who have sat and watched basketball all day, especially with good
friends around you, everything really does go super fast. It was about
twelve hours ago that I started the day and it really went so quickly. And
no, I am not complaining about watching hoops all day.

There was little doubt that Wahlert was the most impressive team I have seen
all day. They really did a nice job against Heelan. Absolutely
everything went their way. I don't know if they will get that many breaks
during the next two games but they put on a show.

It was good ending the night with a classic overtime battle. ADM did a
nice job along the way to secure the victory.

From what I gather amongst the media, they feel that Forest City has no shot
against Wahlert. The scary thing is that the Putz brothers and company
really have nothing to lose. There is no doubt in my mind that they will
come out firing in that contest.

It really is going to take a huge effort to knock off the Golden Eagles.

Have a good evening everyone!


ADM-Adel 68, West Delaware 60[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Tony Tjaden
Interview

Audio:
Aaron Mager
Interview

Audio:
Ben
Lechtenberg Interview

Audio:
Troy
Ticknor Interview

Audio:
Wes
Nordquist Interview

Audio:
Tim
DeSplintor Interview

Recap: In a battle that some expected to be a blowout, West Delaware proved
why they belonged at the State basketball tournament. But in the end, the
big players from ADM stepped up more and that pushed them into the Class 3A
semifinals. This group stayed together throughout the course of the night
and it showed as they fought through foul trouble and struggles shooting the
ball early. West Delaware struggled mightily as they only made 14% of
their shots and that ended up hampering them throughout the evening. Like
many other teams, the Hawks died by the three point shot.


Update - Tuesday @ 8:27 PM

I felt it was necessary to post about the performance that Eric May of Wahlert
just put on in their victory over Heelan. This power guard (I did steal
that phrase from another media member) was dominant and definitely has been the
break out star of the State tournament. He has been close to scholarship
offers in the past as a number of schools have continued to evaluate him.
After what he did in the first round, I would be surprised if May does not
receive at least one scholarship offer in the next two weeks. Yes, he does
have football interest but what he showed today as a basketball player and an
athlete should help him add his first offer(s).


Dubuque Wahlert vs. Sioux City Heelan[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Tom English
Interview

Audio:
Dan
Leibfried Interview

Audio:
Drew Davis
Interview

Audio:
Eric May
Interview

Audio:
Tom Betz
Interview

Audio:
Zach McCabe
Interview

Recap: The general consensus by most media members was not the fact that
Wahlert won. You couldn't go wrong picking it one way or another.
The surprise was that Wahlert won by a lopsided margin and played some
outstanding basketball. The Golden Eagles have now thrown themselves as
the favorite to take the Class 3A title after this impressive showing. I
will talk more about Eric May but there is little doubt that he really has
pushed himself up the list of the top players in the Class of 2009. This
junior was impressive to say the least.


Update [/URL]- Tuesday @ 5:56 PM

Class 2A Rankings after round one:

1.) Hull Western Christian

2.) Pella Christian

3.) Solon

4.) St. Edmond

5.) Davenport Assumption

6.) Tri-Center

7.) Battle Creek-Ida Grove

8.) West Marshall


Update - Tuesday @ 5:55

I decided to make the smart move and make the trip down a few seats away from
the student section. I am not sure how much I will be sitting here but at
least I won't get screaming in both ears, just my right ear.

For those planning a trip out to the State tournament, make the decision to
eat BEFORE. I have been told that one piece of pizza costs somewhere in
the range of $4 and a brat costs around $4.50. If you are trying to feed a
family, you better bring the big bucks to leave full.


Forest City 71, Fairfield 45[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Dan
Rosacker Interview

Audio:
Brett Putz
Interview

Audio:
Mick
Flattery Interview

Audio:
Matt
Thornton Interview

Audio:
Tyler Putz
Interview

Recap: When the #1 and #8 seed play in the postseason, it can sometimes get
ugly. Things got out of hand in the second half when Forest City was able
to pull away from Fairfield in a big way. The Indians used stellar
performances out of Brett and Tyler Putz as well as more than expected
contribution from Andrew Rosacker. In the second half, Fairfield was
assessed a technical and one of ref appeared to be done calling fouls for the
Trojans and did it against them the rest of the game.


Solon 68, Battle Creek Ida Grove 51[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Brad
Randall Interview

Audio:
Jon Nelson
Interview

Audio:
Cole Boger
Interview

Audio:
Tucker
Wentzien Interview

Audio:
Ben Weeks
Interview

Audio:
Matt
Morrison Interview

Recap: Battle Creek-Ida Grove guard Eric Hanson may have been able to put 20
points on board but the Solon defense did a nice job limiting the rest of their
team. The three headed junior attack from the sophomores once again was
led by Matt Morrison, Ben Weeks, and Tucker Wentzein. Wentzein has a huge
test ahead of him in the semifinals as he has the job of shutting down Division
I player Andy Nagel. Going back to the game, a big reason why BC-IG
struggled was because of their poor shooting from behind the arc. They
ended the game shooting 15% from long range.


Update - Tuesday @ 1:57 PM

I really think that if I continue to sit here right in front of the student
section, my brain is going to melt.

Solin is up 7-6 over BCIG with three minutes left in the first quarter.
It has been going back and fourth but Solon definitely has some elite athletes.


Fort Dodge St. Edmond vs. Tri-Center[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Adolph
Kochendorfer Interview

Audio:
John Engler
Interview

Audio:
Carl
Cochran Interview

Audio:
Joey
Flattery Interview

Audio:
Andy Nagel
Interview

Recap: There was little doubt that the difference in this contest was three
point shooting. Tri-Center was built around hitting the outside shot and
they struggled on their way to only shooting 14% from behind the arc. St.
Edmond only hit 25% but they nailed a number of timely shots that helped propel
them to the victory. Andy Nagel was plagued by foul trouble throughout the
course of the evening but was still able to score eleven points. He will
need to avoid any foul problems if the Gaels can make another return to the
Class 2A State title game.


Update - Tuesday @ 11:35 AM

This may not be State related but I felt I needed to post it. I was
talking to a CIML coach and we were discussing Ames and Harrison Barnes.
This coach told me that there are a group of coaches in the CIML that think
Barnes is just a freak and has a chance to play high major basketball. By
that, I am not talking about Iowa and Iowa State. There are some CIML
coaches who think Barnes has the skills and athleticism to play at Duke or North
Carolina. He is THAT good.

For those that are reading this, what would your guess be on the number of
views that this will get during the course of the State week?


Update - Tuesday @ 11:00 AM

It is always interesting to see fans from teams that travel well (Pella
Christian and St. Edmond are two that come to mind) when they sprint in after
the break to find their seats. There has to be some injuries that occur
along the way.

On a note talking about Hull Western Christian, one of the best parts about
the interview room (Especially late when most people are gone) is getting to
know the players a little bit. Let me emphasize that the top trio of
players for the Wolfpack are very nice kids. Great to talk to and they
definitely were excited to be spending the week in Des Moines.

The rumor I keep hearing about Trevor Wolterstorff for Hull Western is that
he is not going to leave the Northwestern/Dordt area for college. As I
have said before, and continue to say, I really think he can play Division I
basketball at some level. The fact that he has not played much summer
basketball will hurt him but he has the skills and athleticism needed to play at
that level. Plus the fact that he continues to grow is impressive.


Hull Western Christian vs. West Marshall[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Jim Eekhoff
Interview

Audio:
Shawn
Keizer Interview

Audio:
David
Shipley Interview

Audio:
Jeremy
Zeutenhorst Interview

Audio:
Trevor
Wolterstorff Interview

Recap: In a game very similar to their first round match up last year, the
pressure of Hull Western Christian helped them blow West Marshall out of the
water in this first round match up. Really, there is not a whole lot you
can say about the Wolfpack other than that they are one of the best teams in the
State, regardless of class. While they did lose three games this year, I
did not realize that Trevor Wolterstorff was out for their Storm Lake loss with
a leg injury. With him healthy and this team playing as one, it is going
to take a monster effort from any team to take down Hull Western Christian in
the postseason. I will talk about them more shortly as well.


Update - Monday @ 9:20 PM

There is little doubt that the Hull Western team has been the best I have seen
all day. The score is 73-37 with 3:00 minutes left. They are even
more impressive than they were during the title run last winter.


Update - Monday @ 9:08 PM

Always great to hear high school girls screaming cuss words at the players and
the refs. Not exactly what you are looking for in the sportsman's vote.

There is nothing that you can do in practice to replicate the pressure that
Hull Western Christian puts on the opposition. They fly from absolutely
everywhere and are so deep and athletic that it makes it very tough on the
opponent.

If there is one thing that I am looking forward to on Thursday, it is Cliff
Warner from Pella Christian going against this pressure. His handle may be
good enough but we shall see.

The current score of the game is 55-29. Hull Western is a complete
team, there is no doubt about that.


Update - Monday @ 8:53 PM

Well, I didn't end up doing play by play. There was a second headset but
it decided not to work. I appreciate the offer but my color debut will
have to happen at another time in my life.

Hull Western is up at halftime 43-19 over West Marshall. Let me stress
that Trevor Wolterstorff may likely end up at a smaller college near his area
but there is little doubt that he is one of the best players in the Class of
2009. Honestly, I don't doubt that he has the skills to play Division I
basketball. He is athletic, smart, and can shoot the ball.

At the end of the half, West Marshall forced up a shot with five seconds
(Partially because the Hull Western crowd had a fake count going) and
Wolterstorff got the rebound with about four seconds. He took a few
dribbles and knowing exactly how much time was left on the clock he swished a
25-footer (If not longer). In my mind, there was no doubt that he would
get it off and little that he would make it. Maybe I overrate him but
Wolterstorff is a great basketball player.


Pella Christian vs. Davenport Assumption[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Larry
Hessing Interview

Audio:
Pat Finn
Interview

Audio:
Sean Finn
Interview

Audio:
Cliff
Warner Interview

Audio:
Eli
Groenendyk Interview

Recap: In a battle of private schools, poor foul shooting from Assumption and
a monster game by Eli Groenendyk helped Pella Christian move on in this Class 2A
first round game. Groenendyk had one of the most impressive lines of the
day with 17 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers. He also
was a big reason the post players for the Knights were plagued with foul trouble
throughout the evening. Cliff Warner, despite nursing a sprained ankle,
ended up with 17 points, five assists, and three steals. Mark Van Maanen
and Jay Boot also stepped up scoring for Pella Christian.


Update [/URL]- Monday @ 5:56 PM

Class 1A Rankings after round one:

1.) George-Little Rock

2.) NU High

3.) Boyden Hull

4.) Guthrie Center

5.) SCMT

6.) Bedford

7.) Burlington Notre Dame

8.) Guthrie Center


Update - Monday @ 5:56 PM

For those in the Quad Cities area, it sounds like Pete Ivanic will be having me
on during the Assumption vs. Pella Christian game starting at 6:30 on 1230 AM in
the Quad Cities area. Considering that I have never done color or play by
play, this could be interesting. Definitely keep an ear out for it.


HLV vs. Guthrie Center[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Zach
Tremmel Interview

Audio:
Scott
Blomme Interview

Audio:
Joe Bolton
Interview

Audio:
Randy
Mohning Interview

Recap: This really ended up being a game of experience vs. inexperience.
The youth that Guthrie Center had on their roster really showed tonight and it
cost them a chance to move on in the State tournament. HLV really did a
nice job with their pressure early and extended it into a huge lead.
Guthrie Center did do a nice job by not laying down and battling back. But
in the end, their early struggled cost them late. It did get somewhat
interesting before everything was said and done but HLV had enough to really put
themselves into a position to move on.


Update - Monday @ 4:16 PM

The halftime score is HLV 34, Guthrie Center 11. As mentioned in the other
updates, really, the reason for the blowout is because of the pressure. It
has been huge for the Warriors and definitely is a major reason why the
pressure.


Update - Monday @ 4:06 PM

One thing that I felt I had to post is regarding Bedford. I talked to
their coach after the game (And thanked him for helping me with articles on his
players in the past) and was talking to their players. They were all great
and deserve some credit for a hell of a year. Anyways, as I was leaving,
Andy Schweitzer apologized for them messing up my picks. He may have been
serious or joking but it definitely was the funniest thing I heard all day.
Here is a kid who put his all into a game and then tells me something that.
I respect him a lot for being able to joke and knowing that his life does not
live and die around a game. And it was good too because it proved that my
wife and family were not the only ones reading my predictions. Currently,
I am 1-2 in the three Class 1A games.


Because there is such a gap in the media seating, apparently the cheerleaders
think that they can come in between it. My poor ears are still ringing
after hearing the cheers/yelling. And you really wonder if I will be
walking around during the second half.


It is 29-9 this early. Hopefully Guthrie Center stages a comeback.



Update - Monday @ 4:06 PM

The defensive pressure from HLV is absolutely killing Guthrie Center. They
have scored only six points in nearly twelve minutes of play. And HLV just
had a 3-0 break that allowed them to score two more points. The score is
currently 25-6.



Update - Monday @ 4:00 PM

At the end of the first quarter, the defense of HLV has propelled them to a 16-4
lead. They really have shown a knack for making the big play and have
really shown an intensity defensively that has helped them to this lead.
Guthrie Center needs to prove that they can put the ball in the basketball is
they are going to keep this close. Part of their problem appears to be
youth but they just need to play much effectively.



NU High vs. Bedford[/URL]

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Paul Elser
Interview

Audio:
Travis
Ellerbroek Interview

Audio:
Kevin Blunt
Interview

Audio:
Nick
Ellerbroek Interview

Audio:
Andy
Schweitzer Interview

Audio:
Tim
Schweitzer Interview

Recap: Even though it was an even matched game throughout the first quarter,
the heart and hustle of NU High ended up being the difference. Also the
Ellerbroek twins didn't hurt matters either. These two standouts are
outstanding players with high basketball IQs. They have worked hard to be
successful and it shows with the Panthers. As their coach mentioned, there
are others on the team with more talent but none work harder than them.
Their ability on both ends of the floor was impressive and they could make very
good small college players. They may have eight losses on the year but
they were to teams like Waterloo East, Union, Cresco, and other bigger schools.
Once you get to the State tournament, you can throw the record out the window
and it showed in this game.


Update - Monday @ 2:26 PM

The halftime score of NU High 21, Bedford 12 has not changed very much to be
honest with you. Both teams scored very little late in the half so the
scoreboard remains very similar. NU High has a definite advantage as
Bedford really will need to step up if they want to come back and move on.



Update - Monday @ 2:22 PM

College coaches that I have either seen or know are in attendance:

Wayne State

Wartburg

Luther

Nebraska Wesleyan

Grandview

Iowa Central

Iowa Wesleyan

Upper Iowa


Update - Monday @ 2:22 PM

I am not sure if it is because the State tournament is a week earlier this year
but on day one, a lot of college coaches are in attendance. Normally, most
college coaches would spend most of their time in Des Moines on Tuesday and
Wednesday. Could that mean it is a good year for the smaller classes?
That I am not sure about. Many of the schools that are here are still
playing their season but have an assistant coach make the trip to see players in
action.


Update - Monday @ 2:20 PM

When you have what appears to be identical twins (Nick and Travis Ellerbroek)
for NU High, it really seems like it would be tough to match up against them.
They are similar players both being 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds.

With a 19-11 lead, I do not understand how NU High has lost eight games this
year. Yes, their schedule is tough but it does not make sense. They
play hard, smart, and are skilled.


Update - Monday @ 2:14 PM

During the first quarter of basketball, Bedford has an 11 to 10 lead over NU
High. Considering I picked Bedford to win it all, it is a very close game.


There was a good move made by the association that deserves some credit.
They moved the radio guys to the first row of the media seating so that they
didn't have to worry about people walking in front of them. Considering I
always seem to walk in front of them last year, it is a good move.

On another interesting note, there is a photographer for the Des Moines
Register that takes pictures of the game and the crowd. While it may seem
simple to put the names of the people they shoot under them, it is much harder
than one would think as he continues to have to go to the first row of people
and ask for names. I guess I learned something else new today.

After a late start to the day because of the weather, I still really do feel
behind and rushed. I am going to come about three hours early tomorrow so
I don't have that feeling. And yes, I will be running around somewhere or
another during the second half and halftime.


Update - Monday @ 2:09 PM

What I like most about the success of Bedford and NU High is the fact that their
success is due in large part to the basketball abilities of their players.
They may not be the biggest or most athletic but each team has won a lot of
games over the last few years by playing smart, intelligent basketball. I
for one enjoy a game like this because they do things the right way and play
extremely hard on both ends of the court.


George[/URL]-Little Rock 46, Burlington Notre Dame 34

Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Ben
Gerleman Interview

Audio:
Mack Vande
Kamp Interview

Audio:
Ryan Rump
Interview

Audio:
Nathan
Giannettino Interview

Audio:
Tyler Starr
Interview

Recap: In a defensive struggle, George Little Rock was able to distance
themselves with a big second and third quarter in this first round State
tournament matchup. The play of Tyler Starr was impressive as he recorded
a triple double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. While he did have seven
turnovers, his motor on the court is unmatched as he flat out gets after it.
In his interview, he mentioned that he fouled out the first five or six games
this year. A telling stat in the game was that Burlington Notre Dame made
only 1 of 16 three point field goals they attempted and finished shooting 31%
from the floor.


Update - Monday @ 12:40 PM

It is halftime and the score of the game is GLR 21, BND 16.

Tyler Starr from George Little Rock is an impressive athletes on both ends of
the court. This George Little Rock team will be good for a while.



Update - Monday @ 12:29

There is a good #4 vs. #5 battle going on today. George Little Rock and
Burlington Notre Dame seem pretty even through a quarter and a half. Will
the Siouxland Conference come out on top once again? Boyden Hull sounded
like they would want another shot if given the chance. And could there be
a bigger stage than the State semifinals?

If anyone cares, which is probably not, I did find my phone.


Boyden [/URL]Hull vs. SCMT Postgame Interviews

Audio:
Jordan Mouw
Interview

Audio:
Bill
Francis Interview

Audio:
Jordan
Nelson Interview

Audio:
Josh Vander
Maten Interview

Recap: Boyden-Hull proved that their difficult conference schedule during the
winter prepared them well for the State tournament. They played great team
basketball and overcame a big run by SCMT late in the game to move on. If
you remember, this is the same team that gave the eventual champions from
Northwood-Kensett a run last year in the first round. It is also more
evidence as to why they need to change the seeding system. An undefeated
team like SCMT should not be rewarded playing a very tough and playoff ready
Boyden Hull ball club.


Update - Monday @ 11:58

There goes my Class 1A predictions. Boyden-Hull may have started the
season 4-12 (Or something similar to that number) but they will be spending the
week at the State tournament. They took down a previously undefeated SCMT
team. Rock Valley may get a lot of attention for a strong sophomore class
but this group of sophomores on Boyden-Hull is VERY talented.


Update - Monday @ 10:56 AM

The halftime score between the two teams is SCMT 25, Boyden Hull 22. Now
it is time for me to find my phone. I'll probably check in next after the
game.


Update - Monday @ 10:55 AM

SCMT is up 25-20 and has shown why they are the #1 team in the State with their
ability to put points on the board.


Update - Monday @ 10:53 AM

There are definitely some parents that wish they were out there playing.
Also, I don't care if you are 16, 17, or 18, there is no reason to cuss at
anyone on the court. It just isn't called for.




Update - Monday @ 10:43 AM

SCMT hit a three pointer at the end of the first quarter to make the game 14-11.
It was from deep.

On a side note for those driving on I-80 to games later in the day, the
interstate is terrible. I-235 through Des Moines is in much better shaped
and they have done a much better job plowing the roads. Leave plenty of
time to get to Des Moines.





Update - Monday @ 10:40 AM

Close game between Boyden-Hull and SCMT. Each team has made a run this
game and Boyden Hull is currently up 10 to 8. Ryan Stock just finished an
and one to make it 10-10 with the free throw.


Update - Monday @ 10:37 AM

I decided to make the smart decision and stay with friends about an hour away
from Des Moines last night so that I could get to State early and get everything
ready. It did cut down on my drive, which would have been from Davenport,
but the drive still ended up being about two hours. I also had to stop for
a new wireless card because mine had gone out over the weekend. The
Grinnell Walmart worked well but it still cost me over $35.00. Now my
phone is missing and the game is going. What a good time.




2007-2008 Substate & District
Basketball Previews[/URL]

These substate and district previews were finished before the postseason
began.

Class 4A[/URL]


Substate 1

Substate
2

Substate
3

Substate
4

Substate
5

Substate
6

Substate
7

Substate
8

Substate
Predictions


State Predictions

First Round State Predictions

Class 3A[/URL]


Substate 1

Substate
2

Substate
3

Substate
4

Substate
5

Substate
6

Substate
7

Substate
8

Substate
Predictions

State
Predictions

First Round State Predictions

Class 2A[/URL]



District 1


District 2


District 3


District 4


District 5


District 6


District 7


District 8


District 9


District 10


District 11


District 12


District 13


District 14


District 15


District 16

Substate
Predictions

State
Predictions


First Round State Predictions

Class 1A[/URL]


District 1


District 2


District 3


District 4


District 5


District 6


District 7


District 8


District 9


District 10


District 11


District 12


District 13


District 14


District 15


District 16

Substate
Predictions

State
Predictions


First Round State Predictions




2007-2008
Conference Basketball Previews[/URL]

These conference previews were finished before the 2007-2008 season got
underway.



Big East


Bluegrass


Boyer Valley


CIML Central


CIML Iowa


CIML Metro


Cornbelt East


Cornbelt West


Corn Bowl



Corner



Eastern Iowa Hawkeye



Hawkeye Ten



Heart of Iowa - Large


Heart of Iowa - Small



Iowa Star


Lakes


Little Hawkeye



MAC


Maple Valley


MRC


MVC Mississippi


MVC Valley


North Central


North Iowa Cedar - East


North Iowa Cedar - West


North Iowa


Northeast Iowa


Northwest


Pride of Iowa



Raccoon River



Rolling Hills



SEISC North



SEISC South



Siouxland



South Central



Southeast



South Iowa Cedar



Tri Rivers



Twin Lakes



Upper Iowa



WAMAC East



WAMAC West



War Eagle



West Central



Western Iowa




2007-2008 Preseason All State
Basketball[/URL]

These preseason All State teams were finished before the 2007-2008 season got
underway.


Class 4A

Class 3A

Class 2A

Class 1A



Elite All State -
First Team


Elite All State - Second Team



Elite All State - Third Team

Elite
All State - Fourth Team



Class of 2009 All State -
First Team


Class of 2009 All State -
Second Team


Class of 2009 All State -
Third Team



Class of 2009 All State - Fourth Team

Class of
2009 All State - Fifth Team



Class of 2010 All State -
First Team


Class of 2010 All State -
Second Team


Class of 2010 All State -
Third Team



Class of 2010 All State - Fourth Team



Class of 2011 All...