Class 3A Substate 8 Basketball First Round Preview

Kevin Tucker's picture

Glenwood will host three other teams for the first round of Class 3A Substate 8 Basketball tonight. I will be broadcasting the Glenwood boys game (audio only due to state rules).

 

The first match-up will be Atlantic vs. Denison at 5:30 pm. Atlantic won both of the regular season games against the Monarchs this year. Atlantic won at home 66-44 against Denison and on the road 65-54 last Thursday.

 

Atlantic will look for seniors Scott Leonard and Austin Alexander to have good games tonight. Both Leonard and Alexander will go on next year to play college basketball at the next level. Leonard averages 17.1 ppg while Alexander averages 15.9. The Trojans average 61.4 ppg as a team.

 

Atlantic should be favored tonight but the Trojans can’t look past Denison. Denison has had some great wins this season (66-60 over Lewis Central, 77-72 win at Carroll Kuemper and 64-63 over Harlan). The Monarchs are well balanced on the offensive side of the ball. Denison ended the regular season with four Monarchs averaging between 8-11 ppg. Both Charlie Wiebers and Cameron Webb have the potential to light up the scorebook. If the Monarchs want to defeat the Trojans both Wiebers and Webb will need to have good game.

 

I think whichever team can get off to a hot start will win this game. Atlantic has more experience in the postseason and with that I will pick the Trojans to win 66-58.

 

The second game will be Glenwood vs. ADM. Glenwood is 19-2 on the season and they are the number one seed in Class 3A Substate 8. ADM is 3-18 on the season with nine straight losses.The game is set to tip-off at 7:00 PM.

 

Koby Hardcastle leads ADM in scoring with 13.4 points per game. The Tigers are averaging fifty-five points per game and shoot 38.1% from the floor. ADM has defeated Pella Christian, North Polk and Dallas Center-Grimes. Glenwood and ADM have no common opponents on the season.

 

Glenwood finished their regular season with junior Christian Stanislav as the leading scorer. Stanislav averaged 15.1 points per game while shooting 46.8% from the floor. Stanislav is second on the team in renounds with 100. Andrew Blum finished the regular season averaging 13.7 ppg and grabbed 144 rebounds. Glenwood’s senior point guard Nate Mohr finished with 13.5 ppg.

 

Mohr’s assist to turnover ratio this season has been terrific. He is currently sitting at 4.6 assists per one turnover (103 assists, 22 turnovers). That’s impressive for how many times he handles the basketball.

 

Prediction- The Rams head into postseason as one of the top teams in the state. Glenwood will still need to take one game at a time to reach their goal. Tonight's matchup could be lopsided. Glenwood averages 73.1 ppg while ADM averages just above 55 ppg. I look for the Rams to win big at home tonight. Glenwood is playing at home and should have plenty of rest to start their postseason journey.

 

Final score: Glenwood 80 ADM 55
 

Class 3A Substate 8 Basketball

2/19/2018 Games at Glenwood

Denison vs. Atlantic 5:30 PM

ADM vs. Glenwood 7:00 PM

 

2/20/2018 Games at Harlan

Creston vs. Carroll

Perry vs. Harlan

 

2/22/2018 Game at Glenwood

Denison/Atlantic winner vs. ADM/Glenwood winner 7:00 PM

 

2/22/2018 Game at Harlan

Carroll/Creston winner vs. Perry/Harlan winner 7:00 PM

 

Monday 2/26/2018 at Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 7:00 PM

Winners of the Glenwood and Harlan locations will play for a chance to go to the state tournament.

 

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