Boys State Tourney: Bishop Garrigan Returns, CIML Lands 4, Iowa’s Leading Scorer On Display

The 2020 Iowa Boys State Basketball Tournament opens Monday March 9th in Des Moines. In Class 1A, Bishop Garrigan is making a return trip after cruising in the postseason to get to this point. The Golden Bears are 22-2 on the season, they have won 11 in a row and haven’t lost since January 21st. Ironically last loss was to #1 seed Lake Mills , the two teams split the regular season meetings. If both teams take care of business the rubber match between the two could be for the state title. Bishop Garrigan is the #2 Seed in 1A at 22-2  and will take on a 7th seeded Springville team that is 20-5 on the season. Springville’s success is based on offensive balance as they have 4 players averaging double figures. They also like to shoot the deep ball they have three guys with over 100 attempts from deep and all 3 are shooting 37% or better. Bishop Garrigan is a more oriented team with just 1 player with over 100 attempts from 3. The Golden Bears have the type of size that is uncharacteristic at the 1A level with 4 players standing at 6 ft 4 or taller. Junior Angelo Winkel is the tallest of the bunch at 6 ft 9 and he leads them in scoring and rebound at 19 and 10. His brother Cade is a Senior who is 6 ft 4 and is their 2nd leading scorer at 16.3 PPG and their 3rd leading rebounder at 6.7. As great as the Winkel brothers have been all year Senior guard John Joyce maybe the “x factor” if Garrigan is going to make a deep run in the tournament. Joyce is averaging nearly 14 PPG, provides some outside shooting knocking down 35% from 3pt range. Joyce also leads the team in assists at 4 per game and his assist to turnover ratio is almost 2 to 1. The opening round game will be one of contrasted styles and whoever can make their type of game will likely win it.

The CIML is lauded for the level of play on both the girls and boys sides of the league. There are 4 boys teams representing the league and their is plenty of chance that the 4A final will be an all CIML final. Waukee maybe the 4 seed but in the minds of many they are the favorites. Waukee has Juniors Payton Sandfort and Tucker Devries who both are fielding D-1 offers currently. Sandfort has offers from Iowa, Minnesota, Drake, Loyola-Chicago and Utah and Devries has been offered by Creighton, Drake, South Dakota State, and Air Force. Devries is a 6 ft 6 point guard who’s father is the head coach at Drake and Sandfort is a 6ft 6 wing. Waukee is as big and talented on the perimeter as it gets in Iowa. Ankeny Centennial is the #1 seed in 4A they are 23-1 on the year and won at Waukee on January 28th in a competitive game. While Waukee may be the biggest team on the perimeter Ankeny Centennial is big in the post with a pair of 6 ft 8 Seniors in Micah Johnson and Cody Mccullough. They also bring a couple of 6 ft 6 post players off the bench. Both Johnson and Mccullough have offers to play at the D-2 level next season. Mccullough is averaging a double-double at 14 points per game and 11 rebounds per. While the interior game is punishing for Centennial it is Junior guard Jaron Crews that could be the difference maker. Crews not only averages double figures and is a capable outside shooter , he also averages over 5 assists per game with an assist to turnover ratio of over 2 to 1.  The cross town rival for Centenial the Ankeny Hawks have made the state tourney as well and the two teams could see each other in the finals. However, the Hawks have to get by a quality Iowa City West squad first. Ankeny doesn’t have the size other CIML teams who made state have but they have tremendous guard play. Senior Braxton Bayless is a smooth 6ft 1 Senior who has high level handles, a quick first step and is in attack mode at all times. Bayless is averaging 23 points per game despite not attempting many 3’s. He gets to the free throw line about 8 times per game so those two stats tell you he is going to attack the rim all game. Jaxon Smith is another Senior Guard who scores around 15 per and is good in transition he plays off the bell well when paired with Bayless. Jordan Kumm is the 3rd part of the guard trio he is “jack of all trades” type player who is their perimeter defensive stopper. Dowling Catholic rounds out the CIML teams in the field as the 7 seed. The Maroons are an interesting story they have the 2nd most losses of any 4 A team. They lost 5 in January and then got hot in February winning 8 of their last 9. Dowling is another team with tremendous size having 5 players that are 6 ft 6 or taller. Dowling is led by 6 ft 8 junior Ryan Riggs who is averaging 12 points per and 6.5 rebounds. The Maroons are a defensive oriented team that scores 57 points per game and allowed under 50 per game.

In 3A Iowa’s scoring leader Norwalk’s Bowen Born will be on display. Born comes into state averaging 37 per game which is almost 8 per game more than anyone else. When you see Born walk into the gym in street clothes you won’t be wowed he is Iowa basketball’s version of Clark Kent and Superman. He looks very average, he’s about 5 ft 11 and 160 pounds. However, once he’s on the floor he has superman like ability. While Born can catch and shoot he’s not just a shooter he’s a shot maker. There’s a difference, shot makers create shots for themselves, can make tough shots, and need very little space. Born also is more athletic than people realize at first, that can be seen in film of him dunking on fast breaks something that isn’t done too often by guys of his size. Born has signed to play at UNI next season , he turned down Drake, Indiana State, Bowling Green, Toledo and South Dakota for the Panthers. Born’s Norwalk team will play on Tuesday at 11:15 vs Harlan, Born may well be worth the of admission on his own. The entire schedule of the Quarterfinals are below.

CLASS 1A

Quarterfinals

Monday, March 9

9:30—#4 Montezuma (23-2) vs. #5 Martensdale-St. Marys (23-3)

11:15—#1 Lake Mills (23-2) vs. #8 Wapsie Valley, Fairbank (18-7)

1:00—#2 Bishop Garrigan, Algona (22-2) vs. #7 Springville (20-5)

2:45—#3 St. Mary’s, Remsen (22-3) vs. #6 West Fork, Sheffield (23-2)

CLASS 2A

Quarterfinals

Monday, March 9

4:30—#3 North Linn, Troy Mills (24-0) vs. #6 West Sioux, Hawarden (22-2)

6:30—#2 Treynor (24-1) vs. #7 Pella Christian (13-10)

8:15—#1 Boyden-Hull (21-3) vs. #8 Woodward-Granger (22-2)

Tuesday, March 10

9:30—#4 Camanche (21-3) vs. #5 Monticello (21-2)