There couldn’t be a better substate final.
In order to reach the Class 2A state tournament in Des Moines nine days from now, Mid-Prairie’s unbeaten boys basketball team must defeat the …
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There couldn’t be a better substate final.
In order to reach the Class 2A state tournament in Des Moines nine days from now, Mid-Prairie’s unbeaten boys basketball team must defeat the only team to take the Golden Hawks to overtime this season.
The Golden Hawks (23-0) play Northeast (16-8) in a substate final at 7 Saturday night at Muscatine High School.
A victory would send Mid-Prairie to the state tournament for the first time since 2010, when the Golden Hawks lost in the quarterfinals to Solon. The 2A tournament begins March 7 and 8 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
The Golden Hawks already know how competitive this game will be. They neededed a 28-point performance by senior forward Carter Harmsen and an extra period to defeat the Rebels 60-55 four days before Christmas.
“Northeast is a team that presents a lot of athleticism and length on the court,” Mid-Prairie head coach Daren Lambert said. “They are a team that is playing very well at this point of the season.”
Since losing their final two games of the regular season to Anamosa and Cascade, the Rebels have beaten Louisa-Muscatine, Wilton and Camanche to reach Saturday’s final. Cade Hughes, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, averaged 17 points in the Rebels’ three tournament wins and Carter Pataska, a 6-6 senior guard, scored 20 points against Louisa-Muscatine.
“Northeast is led by two seniors [Hughes and Pataska] who are talented players that can score from all spots on the floor,” Lambert said. “Saturday, we will need to continue to do the things that have brought us success all season: play great defense, rebound and take care of the ball on the offensive end.”
Defense could indeed decide this one. The Golden Hawks and Rebels are two of the best defensive teams in the state with Mid-Prairie at No. 3 and Northeast at No. 8 in scoring defense. The Golden Hawks have given up an average of just 42.6 points per game; Northeast, 44.7 ppg.
Harmsen looms as a game breaker for the Golden Hawks, as he was back in December in Goose Lake against the Rebels. He is averaging 20 points per game, ranking No. 2 in the River Valley South, and 8.2 rebounds, ranking No. 3 in the River Valley South.
