Top stars, best performances in Iowa high school boys basketball (Feb. 20-25)

Some of the top performances last week in Iowa prep boys basketball

By Barry Poe 

Here are some stars from the past week's high school boys basketball games across Iowa. 

If you know of a top performance we should include, please let us know. 

Cooper Randall, Waukee

The senior nailed five 3-pointers and scored 22 points for the Warriors in a 77-62 win over Des Moines Lincoln in a regular-season finale. Randall also had five rebounds.

Pryce Sandfort, Waukee Northwest

The Iowa recruit had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the Wolves closed the regular season with their sixth straight win, 88-30 over Des Moines East. Sandfort made 8 of 11 shots and 7 of 8 free throws, while also blocking three shots.

Trevin Jirak, West Des Moines Valley

The sophomore recorded a double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds as the Tigers edged Des Moines Roosevelt 60-59 in a regular-season finale.

Brayden Drea, Indianola

The senior had 24 points and nine rebounds for the Indians, who ended the regular season with a 94-64 victory over Des Moines East. Drea hit five 3-point shots.

Jaxson Fried, Bondurant-Farrar

Fried contributed 22 points and 11 rebounds for the unbeaten Bluejays in a 90-44 rout of Carlisle in first-round Class 3A district play. Reed Pflatzgraff led B-F with 27 points.

Braeden Carlson, Norwalk

The senior had 20 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in a 46-34 win over West Des Moines Valley. Norwalk takes a 14-game win streak into tournament play.

Josh Sanderson, Grand View Christian

Sanderson poured in 43 points – splashing eight of his team’s 12 3-pointers – and the Class 1A top-ranked Thunder rolled past Lenox 94-47 in a district final. Grand View Christian is unbeaten in 23 games heading into a substate final.

Preston Dobbs, Sioux City East.

The Black Raiders drubbed Storm Lake 89-37 in a regular season finale. Dobbs finished with 20 points (10 of 14 shooting), eight rebounds and four assists.

Ty Pflughaupt, North Linn

The junior hit for 33 points and 16 rebounds for the undefeated Lynx in a 97-64 Class 1A district win over South Winneshiek. He followed that up with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists against Maquoketa Valley, sending the Lynx to a substate final.

Dallas Bear, Cedar Falls

Bear, who will play at Augustana (S.D.), scored 22 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, leading the Tigers to a 69-64 win over Cedar Rapids Washington to close the regular season.

Max Muszalski, Pleasant Valley

The junior had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Spartans in a 79-52 Class 4A substate win over Dubuque Hempstead. It was the seventh straight win for PV.

Andrew Austin, Central Lyon

Austin charted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds as the Class 2A top-ranked Lions beat West Sioux 65-50 in a district final. All-stater Zach Lutmer led Central Lyon with 24 points, making 11 of 14 free throws.

Jonovan Wilkinson, Roland-Story

The junior had 22 points and eight rebounds, leading the Norsemen to a 61-55 Class 1A district final win over South Hardin. Roland-Story takes a 13-game win streak into a substate final.

Josef Lemker, Cedar Rapids Xavier

The senior finished with 20 points and eight rebounds for the defending Class 3A state champions in a 70-52 win over Clear Creek Amana to open tournament play. Xavier is now one win away from making it back to the state tournament.

Kavon Phillips, North Scott

Phillips came through with 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Lancers ended the regular season with a 69-61 victory over Davenport North.

Cole Plowman, Newton

The senior had 20 points and eight rebounds, helping the Cardinals down Oskaloosa 70-56 in a Class 3A district opener. Plowman also had five blocked shots.

Mathok Mathok, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln

The Lynx won 9 of their last 11 regular season games, ending with a 69-67 overtime triumph over Grand Island (Neb.) Mathok finished with 29 points and eight rebounds.

Cooper Hoff, Aplington-Parkersburg

Hoff made all five shots he took, including four 3-pointers, leading the Falcons to a 74-58 Class 2A substate semifinal win over Jesup, despite 33 points from Jesup’s Jack Miller.

Carter Boettcher, Sioux Central

The senior had 32 points, nine assists and five rebounds as the unbeaten Rebels cruised to an 80-59 victory over South Central Calhoun in a Class 2A semifinal. Sioux Central plays Carroll Kuemper for a state tournament berth.

Keaton Bonderson, Le Mars Gehlen Catholic

Bonderson, who will play football at Wayne State College, exploded for 40 points in a 79-77 Class 1A district final win over Newell-Fonda. Bonderson, already the school’s all-time leading scorer, set the single-season scoring record that had stood since 1961-62.

William Kiburis, Gladbrook-Reinbeck

The senior had 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Rebels in a 77-57 Class 1A district final win over Keota. Gladbrook-Reinbeck plays Lynnville-Sully for a trip to the state tournament.

Preston Gillespie, Dunkerton

Gillespie posted a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Raiders handled South Hamilton 52-34 in a Class 1A district final. Dunkerton and Mason City Newman square off for a state tournament berth.

Doug Taylor, Mason City Newman

The future Iowa Hawkeye baseball player scored 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Knights in a 65-57 Class 1A district final win over North Union. Teammate Noah Hamilton finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds.

Merquiche Lewis Jr., Burlington

The senior came up with a triple-double as the Grayhounds opened Class 4A substate play with an 81-54 win over Clinton. Lewis had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while also blocking five shots.

Tate Petersen, Monticello

Petersen scored 28 points and set Monticello’s career scoring record in a 57-51 win over Alburnett in a 2A district final. The Panthers are now within a victory of a state tournament berth. 


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