Iowa HS Boys State Tournament

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Girls tournament is currently underway, but the field is finally set for the 2025 HS Boys State Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena next week:

Class 4A-
4) Waukee Northwest (21-3) vs 5) Cedar Rapids Kennedy (20-4); 3/10, 10:30 am

1) Cedar Falls (21-2) vs 8) Dubuque Senior (17-6); 3/10, 12:15 pm

2) Linn-Mar (21-2) vs 7) Waukee (18-6); 3/10, 2 pm

3) WDM Valley (20-3) vs 6) Ames (21-2); 3/10, 3:45 pm

Class 3A-
1) Clear Lake (24-0) vs 8) Central DeWitt (13-11); 3/10, 5:30 pm

4) Storm Lake (22-1) vs 5) A-D-M (20-4); 3/10, 7:15 pm

2) Knoxville (24-0) vs 7) Cedar Rapids Xavier (15-9); 3/11, 10:30 am

3) Ballard (21-2) vs 6) MOC-Floyd Valley (20-4); 3/11, 12:15 pm

Class 2A-
1) Western Christian, Hull (22-3) vs 8) Jesup (16-9); 3/11, 2 pm

4) Grand View Christian (23-1) vs 5) Treynor (22-3); 3/11, 3:45 pm

2) West Lyon (21-3) vs 7) Union, La Porte City (17-9); 3/11, 5:30 pm

3) Unity Christian (20-4) vs 6) Grundy Center (22-2); 3/11, 7:15 pm

Class 1A-
4) Gladbrook-Reinbeck (22-3) vs 5) North Linn (23-2); 3/12, 10:30 am

1) Marquette, Bellevue (25-1) vs 8) Remsen, St. Mary's (21-4); 3/12, 12:15 pm

2) Madrid (25-0) vs 7) Boyden-Hull (18-8); 3/12, 2 pm

3) St. Edmond, Fort Dodge (22-3) vs 6) Woodbine (23-2); 3/12, 3:45 pm

 

[Bank of Hawk]

Go Wolves!!

 

[ozzie8]

Western Christian against Jesus should be interesting

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Western Christian against Jesus should be interesting

Western Christian always wins. Jesus has come here to investigate why........

 

[Fan In Black]

Western Christian against Jesus should be interesting

I saw Jesus inbound the ball, alley oop it full court to himself and 360 dunk it once. Incredible.

 

[nosok23]

Is it me or is the overall talent for boys down in the state! Not many D1 prospects. On the other hand the girls do have some D1 talent and big time prospects!

 

[jellyfish10]

I’ve got some rooting interest and hoping that Clear Lake, CF, and G-R all have a good showing. It would be awesome to see a non DM metro win 4A, but if CF plays like they did in substate it will be a short trip.

 

[LarryMullenJr.]

I saw Jesus inbound the ball, alley oop it full court to himself and 360 dunk it once. Incredible.

Can he guard anyone? If so, we don't want him.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Is it me or is the overall talent for boys down in the state! Not many D1 prospects. On the other hand the girls do have some D1 talent and big time prospects!

Pickings are slim for D1 prospects in Iowa high schools ready to play at the power conference level.
I'm not saying that whoever the new Iowa coach is should ignore relationships with local coaches. But it is less worthy of attention and cultivating those relationships than it used to be.
Unless there is a top 100 player, bringing in transfers is a better use of time and resources.
I've also advocated for years trying to make some inroads in getting players from overseas.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Is it me or is the overall talent for boys down in the state! Not many D1 prospects. On the other hand the girls do have some D1 talent and big time prospects!

you are not wrong.

 

[Fan In Black]

Can he guard anyone? If so, we don't want him.

dude...I saw him execute a full court press...by himself. He blocked a free throw. Dude can guard.

 

[QChawks]

 

[Ladell-hawk]

Pickings are slim for D1 prospects in Iowa high schools ready to play at the power conference level.
I'm not saying that whoever the new Iowa coach is should ignore relationships with local coaches. But it is less worthy of attention and cultivating those relationships than it used to be.
Unless there is a top 100 player, bringing in transfers is a better use of time and resources.
I've also advocated for years trying to make some inroads in getting players from overseas.

Jaidyn Coon from Storm Lake is a big time prospect.

 

[old brother]

Davis Kearn,, Jack, Mason Watkins. Josiah from North Scott, Navon. Pretty good group of d1 players. Iowa is not a big state you have to remember that. Some good juniors and a really strong group of 2027 kids coming.

 

[LukaDuka]

Davis Kearn,, Jack, Mason Watkins. Josiah from North Scott, Navon. Pretty good group of d1 players. Iowa is not a big state you have to remember that. Some good juniors and a really strong group of 2027 kids coming.

I thought there's a 6ft4in guard from Quad Cities we have signed???

 

[nosok23]

Pickings are slim for D1 prospects in Iowa high schools ready to play at the power conference level.
I'm not saying that whoever the new Iowa coach is should ignore relationships with local coaches. But it is less worthy of attention and cultivating those relationships than it used to be.
Unless there is a top 100 player, bringing in transfers is a better use of time and resources.
I've also advocated for years trying to make some inroads in getting players from overseas.

What happened to the talent this state used to produce...

 

[nosok23]

Davis Kearn,, Jack, Mason Watkins. Josiah from North Scott, Navon. Pretty good group of d1 players. Iowa is not a big state you have to remember that. Some good juniors and a really strong group of 2027 kids coming.

Nebraska is smaller than Iowa and they have been producing more high caliber D1 kids than Iowa as of late.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Is it me or is the overall talent for boys down in the state! Not many D1 prospects. On the other hand the girls do have some D1 talent and big time prospects!

It's not just you.

However, part of the problem is a systemic problem around the country.

Too many kids are trying to be the same type of player. And it's created a "everyone is special, and therefore nobody is special" situation in the sport of basketball.

The sport as a whole is becoming watered down and oversaturated by kids who are good at a lot of things, with fewer and fewer exceptions of being elite at certain other things, and then you factor in the varying degrees of those same types of players based on height, sheer genetic athleticism, understanding of the game etc, and you get the situation we're in. Lots of good players, kids capable of playing college basketball at some level.........but nobody stands out.

 

[TDJ7]

I saw Jesus inbound the ball, alley oop it full court to himself and 360 dunk it once. Incredible.

That was Bugs Bunny

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

That was Bill Murray

Fify.

 

[Andrew Houk]

Pickings are slim for D1 prospects in Iowa high schools ready to play at the power conference level.
I'm not saying that whoever the new Iowa coach is should ignore relationships with local coaches. But it is less worthy of attention and cultivating those relationships than it used to be.
Unless there is a top 100 player, bringing in transfers is a better use of time and resources.
I've also advocated for years trying to make some inroads in getting players from overseas.

I completely agree regarding overseas players. Seems like an obvious way to bring in more talent that Fran has completely ignored. Mark Few has brought in lots of good international players to Gonzaga.

 

[BrunoMars420]

Let’s go Union of La Porte City and ADM!

 

[jberesford]

Why are the 4a games during the day? Seems your biggest schools with the biggest student/fan bases would get the more desirable times. Is it always like that? It does seem to me that whenever a local team makes it, the game is always during the workday...

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Why are the 4a games during the day? Seems your biggest schools with the biggest student/fan bases would get the more desirable times. Is it always like that? It does seem to me that whenever a local team makes it, the game is always during the workday...

Typically, at least in recent years, it's because the upper classes are chalk full of DSM suburb schools, so there's no travel factor. That and the attendance is usually wishy-washy at best outside of the real top contenders.

Smaller classes tend to draw better, especially when they play later in the day.

 

[DropitlikeitsHawk]

Jaidyn Coon from Storm Lake is a big time prospect.

He’s little

 

[nosok23]

I completely agree regarding overseas players. Seems like an obvious way to bring in more talent that Fran has completely ignored. Mark Few has brought in lots of good international players to Gonzaga.

St Marys coach gets the Aussies!

 

[nosok23]

He’s little

I’ve seen the kid but big time! I don’t know if I go that far.

 

[DropitlikeitsHawk]

I’ve seen the kid but big time! I don’t know if I go that far.

He just looks slight is all. I want him at Iowa. And being from Storm Lake myself it would be cool.

 

[ozzie8]

I know Decorah got bounced in substate, but how big a prospect is the Lafrentz kid? Saw him play at Hempstead earlier this year and he was smooth and skilled. 6’11 doesn’t hurt either

 

[MikeyHawk]

Pickings are slim for D1 prospects in Iowa high schools ready to play at the power conference level.
I'm not saying that whoever the new Iowa coach is should ignore relationships with local coaches. But it is less worthy of attention and cultivating those relationships than it used to be.
Unless there is a top 100 player, bringing in transfers is a better use of time and resources.
I've also advocated for years trying to make some inroads in getting players from overseas.

Having a couple of players from the state deep on the bench is not a bad thing. If they are top 150 or so, seems like a good idea. Iowa needs a coach that doesn't rely on local players.
With revenue sharing, Iowa should be strong in the transfer portal

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Having a couple of players from the state deep on the bench is not a bad thing. If they are top 150 or so, seems like a good idea. Iowa needs a coach that doesn't rely on local players.
With revenue sharing, Iowa should be strong in the transfer portal

Sure.
I've got zero problems with having home state players on the roster. My point is that most of the energy finding and constructing the roster is better spent in other areas than Iowa HS products.
Most of the potential D1 Iowa prospects are likely lower level conference caliber players. If they go to a north dakota or south dakota state, get bigger/stronger and develop then poach them just like any other transfer.

 

[hawkirugged17]

Davis Kearn,, Jack, Mason Watkins. Josiah from North Scott, Navon. Pretty good group of d1 players. Iowa is not a big state you have to remember that. Some good juniors and a really strong group of 2027 kids coming.

Davis Kern broke Marcus Paige's scoring record and got a nice video from him. Linn-Mar's 1st State Tourney since 2012.

 

[ISUBryce]

Pickings are slim for D1 prospects in Iowa high schools ready to play at the power conference level.
I'm not saying that whoever the new Iowa coach is should ignore relationships with local coaches. But it is less worthy of attention and cultivating those relationships than it used to be.
Unless there is a top 100 player, bringing in transfers is a better use of time and resources.
I've also advocated for years trying to make some inroads in getting players from overseas.

Outside of a few crazy years when are there ever heaps of HM players?

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Outside of a few crazy years when are there ever heaps of HM players?

There aren't.

That's why in the new professional era of men's bball more attention should go to scouting other players at lower levels of D1 who have matured and improved. The Horizon, Summit etc. are the minor leagues for the B10 and SEC.
Long term development of a player over a 4-5 year career at a single school will be the exception and not the rule.

 

[HawkLogic]

Jaidyn Coon from Storm Lake is a big time prospect.

Yes I've heard that name. Any good High School prospect would probably want to play at ISU. I would say if he's a stud, he's probably not going to settle for Fran ball.


Iowa should be able to produce 1 and occasionally 2 Div1 prospects each year---that suggests the Iowa roster should have more like 4-6 Iowans. Fran has had rosters with 2 guys just from his own dinner table for 11 scholarship years--that's not recruiting for best players.

The rest of the roster should concentrate on getting better athletes from out of state. Fran has not recruited out of state African American players well. The ones he has gotten have typically been low ranked prospects, and most of them transferred out before doing anything..


I am hoping we Beth has a pair and sends Fran packing. This McCollom guy from Drake sounds like an upgrade.

 

[ISUBryce]

There aren't.

That's why in the new professional era of men's bball more attention should go to scouting other players at lower levels of D1 who have matured and improved. The Horizon, Summit etc. are the minor leagues for the B10 and SEC.
Long term development of a player over a 4-5 year career at a single school will be the exception and not the rule.

There has been the recent ruling that time spent at a JUCO doesn’t impact eligibility.

Anybody who is a tweener should absolutely go JUCO for two years, bulk up, and come back for the bigger payday if possible.

 

[LukaDuka]

There has been the recent ruling that time spent at a JUCO doesn’t impact eligibility.

Anybody who is a tweener should absolutely go JUCO for two years, bulk up, and come back for the bigger payday if possible.

JUCO is basically the same as a Prep School now eligibility wise.

 

[EastIowaHawk]

Actually, in 4A boys there are multiple very good teams among the big schools. About half are MVC teams and most of the rest from Central Iowa. But most posters are right-- not so many top D1 prospects. 3A was pretty balanced, but the state put three teams from the top 10 in the B.C. Moore power rankings in the same substate- Xavier, Wahlert and Decorah. Geography seems to have been a bigger selection factor rather than strength of schedule. Knoxville and Clear Lake are both undefeated, but comfy schedules may hurt them. This year, though, Clear Lake looks pretty strong. I had Decorah as my 3A favorite but junior Cael LaFrentz either fouled out or was injured at the end. Is Cedar Rapids Xavier's Zander Murray related to Keegan or Chris? He's awfully good. In 4A- I pick Linn Mar, Cedar Falls or WDM Valley. Give credit to little 1A Bellevue Marquette which scheduled a top ten 4A school a couple of weeks ago, rather than roll through undefeated. 2A, I hear, has some pretty good players, but I haven't seen any of them play. Interesting that 4A Iowa City West, with Jack McCaffery, was knocked out early in district play. McCaffery was the lone Iowa top 100 Rivals prospect that I saw on the list.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Actually, in 4A boys there are multiple very good teams among the big schools. About half are MVC teams and most of the rest from Central Iowa. But most posters are right-- not so many top D1 prospects. 3A was pretty balanced, but the state put three teams from the top 10 in the B.C. Moore power rankings in the same substate- Xavier, Wahlert and Decorah. Geography seems to have been a bigger selection factor rather than strength of schedule. Knoxville and Clear Lake are both undefeated, but comfy schedules may hurt them. This year, though, Clear Lake looks pretty strong. I had Decorah as my 3A favorite but junior Cael LaFrentz either fouled out or was injured at the end. Is Cedar Rapids Xavier's Zander Murray related to Keegan or Chris? He's awfully good. In 4A- I pick Linn Mar, Cedar Falls or WDM Valley. Give credit to little 1A Bellevue Marquette which scheduled a top ten 4A school a couple of weeks ago, rather than roll through undefeated. 2A, I hear, has some pretty good players, but I haven't seen any of them play. Interesting that 4A Iowa City West, with Jack McCaffery, was knocked out early in district play. McCaffery was the lone Iowa top 100 Rivals prospect that I saw on the list.

We'll see if the east side of the state fares better in the boys tournament than the girls did.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Bump?