The 2022 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament has reached its best day.
It’s Championship Friday, folks.
The title games in all four classes will be played today, starting with Class 1A at 1 pm and finishing up with Class 4A at 7 pm All games are being played at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
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While there have been a handful of upsets this week, the No. 1 seeds from all four classes have advanced to their respective finals, with Grand View Christian in 1A, Central Lyon in 2A, Dallas Center-Grimes in 3A and Ames in 4A.
We’ll keep you updated right here all day throughout all four games, so be sure to hit that refresh button early and often.
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Halftime: Rock Valley 38, Central Lyon 18
Woof.
WOOF.
Did anyone expect this halftime score? Remember, these two teams play in the same conference, so they’ve already played twice this year. Central Lyon won one game, 65-63. Rock Valley won one game, 65-63.
They were about as evenly matched as you could be.
Not today.
Rock Valley doesn’t have much of a bench, but the Rockets haven’t needed one so far. All five starters have scored, with Landyn Van Kekerix (an Iowa football signee) and Brys Van Grootheest leading the way with 11 points apiece.
Cam Montag leads with six points for Central Lyon, which has committed seven turnovers compared to Rock Valley’s three. Rock Valley has converted those seven turnovers to 14 points, and it’s outscoring Central Lyon 22-6 in the paint.
End of 1: Rock Valley 17, Central Lyon 6
Holy smokes. After that first media timeout, the Rockets ignited and went on a 13-2 scoring run over the final 4:20 of the first quarter. They’re shooting 7-for-11 and 3-for-4 on 3-pointers. Meanwhile, Central Lyon has four turnovers compared to Rock Valley’s zero. Brys Van Grootheest leads all scorers with six points.
4:20 Q1: Rock Valley 4, Central Lyon 4
A whole lot of defense so far in the Class 4A championship game.
Both teams are 2-for-5 from the floor. Not much differentiating the teams early.
2:55 pm Class 2A championship game is up next
At around 3 pm, it’s tip-off between No. 1 Central Lyon (24-2) and No. 2 Rock Valley (21-5) for the boys basketball Class 2A title. The online metrics database BCMoore favors Rock Valley by 4.33 points. (It also favored North Linn by 2.57 points over Grand View Christian, and that was pretty dang close.)
Central Lyon and Rock Valley have played twice already this year. They each won a game, both by a 65-63 score. This should be a good one.
FINAL: North Linn 52, GVC 48
Manny Hammonds’ 3 was off the mark and the Thunder couldn’t get any other shots off, leaving North Linn with the 52-48 victory in the Class 1A boys basketball title game.
The Lynx now have revenge over the Thunder, who beat them 46-43 in an instant-classic 1A championship game in 2018.
Dylan Kurt led all scorers with 16 points for North Linn (27-1). Tate Haughenbury added 15 and Austin Hilmer chipped in 10 points. Daniel Tobiloba led GVC (26-1) with a 15-point, 18-rebound double-double. Hammonds scored 12 and Josh Sanderson added 11.
A surprising stat? The team with the 7-footer was outscored 26-18 in the paint, as North Linn was able to saddle Tobiloba with foul trouble in the first half.
0:13.3 Q4: North Linn 52, GVC 48
Two free throws from Austin Hilmer. Ice in his veins.
0:16.2 Q4: North Linn 50, GVC 48
GVC is playing the foul game now. North Linn will try to inbound after the timeout. GVC only has four team fouls so far, though, so it’ll need to get three quick fouls in before the Lynx will shoot fre
Remember: GVC’s Daniel Tobiloba and Josh Baucum have four fouls, so they are going to do everything they can to not be the fouler.
3:47 Q4: North Linn 46, GVC 42
A2 from Austin Hilmer.
A contested 3 from Manny Hammonds.
That’s all so far in quarter four, with North Linn more than comfortable taking its time with the ball. Don’t be surprised if this game comes down to Hilmer vs. hammonds.
End of 3: North Linn 44, GVC 39
Get this: North Linn is outscoring GVC 22-16 in the paint. That’s what happens when you get Thunder 7-footer Daniel Tobiloba in the paint. The Lynx are getting whatever they want inside right now because Tobiloba can’t risk getting his fifth foul.
Manny Hammonds just made his first 3 near the end of the third. GVC will need a whole lot of the William Penn signee in the fourth.
Dylan Kurt leads North Linn right now with 14 points.
4:23 Q3: North Linn 36, GVC 32
GVC 7-footer Daniel Tobiloba picked up his fourth foul at the 6:36 mark of the third. So now he and Josh Baucum, two of the Thunder’s most important players, have four fouls.
Soon after that, Dylan Kurt drained a 3 to give the Lynx a nine-point lead at 36-27, but GVC responded with two back-to-back buckets from Tobiloba and Baucum to pull it back to 36-32 with 4:23 left in the frame.
Halftime: North Linn 27, GVC 24
The Lynx closed the second quarter on a 12-8 run to enter halftime with a four-point lead. Another significant update: GVC 7-footer Daniel Tobiloba picked up his seventh foul, so he’ll be playing on edge in the second half.
How soon might we see GVC senior Josh Baucum, who entered today scoring about 19 points per game? He picked up his fourth foul early in the second quarter and was parked on the bench after that.
Josh Sanderson leads GVC with 11 points and Tate Haughenbury leads the Lynx with nine points. Despite the size disadvantage, North Linn is holding its own on the glass, with 12 rebounds compared to GVC’s 14.
4:34 Q2: GVC 16, North Linn 15
Cub. You figured it was coming.
Josh Baucum picked up his fourth foul on an offensive foul at the 5:45 mark of the second quarter, so we likely won’t see him for the rest of the half. Heck, maybe not even until the fourth quarter.
The Thunder and Lynx continue to trade leads, just like we figured they would. GVC is dominating the glass with 7-footer Daniel Tobiloba, but the Lynx are getting him a bit off-balance on defense and are able to score inside so far.
End of 1: GVC 12, North Linn 11
GVC coach Dave Stubbs is taking a big risk by keeping Josh Baucum in with three fouls, but his bench isn’t very deep and Baucum is one of his stars. Baucum rewarded his coach’s decision with a 3 and clean defense the rest of the first.
Daniel Tobiloba made his presence felt all quarter, with the 7-footer grabbing five rebounds for GVC and demolishing the rim with a two-handed slam as the seconds wound down in the first.
Tate Haughenbury leads the Lynx with five points and, as a team, North Linn has already forced five Thunder turnovers.
4:54 Q1: GVC 3, North Linn 2
Lots of defense so far, which is to be expected from full-court-pressing North Linn and GVC, which boasts 7-footer Daniel Tobiloba in the paint. He already has four rebounds.
But here’s an issue for GVC: Starter Josh Baucum already has three fouls. Three!
12:55 pm Class 1A title game features two familiar foes
Grand View Christian and North Linn are familiar with each other.
Very familiar.
The Thunder beat North Linn in the 2018 1A title game, back when it was GVC big man Issa Samake (now at Drake) vs. Lynx floor general Jake Hilmer (now at Upper Iowa). GVC won that game 49-46, and it was an instant classic.
Fast-forward four years, including a brief jump to Class 2A for North Linn, and here we are again, with a talented GVC post in Daniel Tobiloba and a Hilmer leading the Lynx in Austin Hilmer.
12:30 pm Reminder: No more shot clocks after this week
In case you forgot: Starting in 2022-23, there will be 35-second shot clocks in boys and girls Iowa high school basketball. So, in other words, tonight’s Class 4A title game will be the final Iowa high school basketball game played without a shot clock.
Truly, it’s the end of an era.
Alyssa Hertel asked around to see how activities directors around the state are reacting to the change, and she looked at just how significant an impact not having a shot clock has had on high school basketball in this state.
Let’s just put it this way: The only way a team will score 22 points in a game again is really, really good defense … not stalling or sluggish pace of play.
12 pm Checking in on our championship predictions
Before the state tournament, our Alyssa Hertel tried her hand at predicting the four state champions. How are those predictions holding up?
You can check that out for yourself here.
But, without giving too much away: She got the exact title game matchup correct in two classes, and one of the two teams correct in the other two.
Friday’s championship game schedule at the 2022 Iowa boys basketball state tournament
Class 1A championship game
no. 1 Grand View Christian (26-0) vs. no. 2 North Linn (26-1), 1 pm
Class 2A championship game
no. 1 Central Lyon (24-2) vs. no. 2 Rock Valley (21-5), 3pm
Class 3A championship game
no. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes (21-5) vs. no. 7 Central DeWitt (20-6), 5pm
Class 4A championship game
no. 1 Ames (22-3) vs. no. 3 Johnston (21-3), 7pm
All other final scores from this week
Thursday’s scores
Class 2A
no. 1 Central Lyon 47, No. 4 Pella Christian 44
no. 2 Rock Valley 60, No. 6 Monticello 44
Class 3A
no. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes 63, No. 4 Winter set 46
no. 7 Central DeWitt 70, No. 3 Davenport Assumption 46
Class 4A
no. 1 Ames 62, No. 4 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 43
no. 3 Johnston 61, No, 7 Prairie 57 (OT)
Wednesday’s scores
Class 4A quarter-finals
no. 4 Cedar Rapids Kennedy 61, No. 5 Waukee Northwest, 55
no. 1 Ames 60, No. 8 Burlington 40
no. 7 Prairie 62, No. 2 Cedar Falls 52
no. 3 Johnston 55, No. 6 Ankeny 53
Class 1A semifinals
no. 1 Grand View Christian 71, No. 4 Lake Mills 66 (2OT)
no. 2 North Linn 56 vs. no. 3 Remsen St Mary’s 46
Tuesday’s scores
Class 2A
no. 6 Monticello 46, No. 3 Mid Prairie 43
no. 2 Rock Valley 73, No. 7 Jesup 61
Class 3A
no. 1 Dallas Center-Grimes 65, No. 8 Carroll 45
no. 4 Winter set 79, no. 5 Marion 74 (OT)
no. 7 Central DeWitt 67, No. 2 Decorah 59
no. 3 Assumption 69, No. 6 Humboldt 65 (OT)
Monday’s Scores
Class 1A
no. 4 Lake Mills 39, No. 5 Danville 22
no. 1 Grand View Christian 64, No. 8 Bellevue 63 (OT)
no. 2 North Linn 89, No. 7North Mahaska 43
no. 3 Remsen St Mary’s 70, No. 6 West Harrison 52
Class 2A
no. 1 Central Lyon 68, No. 8 Red Oak 34
no. 4 Pella Christian 69, No. 5 Roland Story 62