Class 1 Boys District Tournament Updates

Here is your update from around the state...

C1D1 Boys, it's Risco vs. SCC again in the district finals. Risco beat Gideon by 9, but might have lost a key starter for the season (torn calf muscle). SCC won by 48 points over Delta C7. I'm telling you, because I was there for Round 1, that score is a shocker. Delta C7 is a solid team that can score a lot of points. SCC, by SCC Standards, is having a down year (they're 11-17 right now). Having said all of that, those Braves are channeling their inner Matt Cline right now and playing hard. They know what time of year it is, and they're hot right now.

C1D2 Boys, it's Advance and Oak Ridge. Advance winning by 26 is no surprise, but Oak Ridge beating Delta is a mild upset. Delta has a nice young team, but Oak Ridge won a thriller 63-61. Advance will be the heavy favorite in the district finals.

C1D3 Boys, It's Eminence vs. South Iron Part 12. These two end up in the finals every year. South Iron (22-5) handled Bunker easily, while Eminence (27-1) also won by a lot. These are two of the best coaches in the state. There are no secrets in this rivalry, no trick plays, no gimmicks, everybody knows everything about who they're guarding etc... it should be an awesome game.

C1D4 Boys, The Dora JV Team (23-5) takes on Bradleyville (10-15) in the finals. I'm just kidding. Only a little bit. Dora starts 4 freshman. They have to be one of, if not the youngest team, in the entire state. They're also really, really good.

C1D5, Walnut Grove is the favorite here. That bracket is still in the semifinal round, so they have a ways to go. Hurley and Greenfield also have solid teams. Walnut Grove has had a "down year" by their standards, but that's mostly because they've dealt with some injuries and play a really tough schedule. Make no mistake about it, this is still a team with a shot at making it to the Final Four and winning a state title.

C1D6, Drexel is the favorite here, with no real powerhouse looming anywhere in that district.

C1D7, Lakeland (23-3), Weaubleaue (18-8), and Halfway (21-5) are all still in the mix in that district. Can any of these teams knock off Walnut Grove on the way to the Final Four. We'll see soon enough.

C1D8, There are no updates in that bracket, and it doesn't look like there is a team in this bracket capable of making a run at the Final Four.

C1D9, You heard it here first - THE MOST TALENTED TEAM IN THE ENTIRE STATE TOURNAMENTBRACKET IS JAMESTOWN. They're big, fast, they press, they run, they offensive rebound, they don't have one kid on the team that talks back to the refs or has bad body language, and they can shoot. At any point in the game, they have 4 good shooters around 6'6 Trenton Barbour (who is a beast). Jamestown is beatable, but it's going to take them playing a bad game or somebody else playing a really good game or foul trouble or some horrible officiating (or some combination of that) to beat them. Glasgow is well coached and can slow the game down to make it interesting. Prairie Home has enough fire power to possibly pull off an upset. But Jamestown, man for man, pound for pound, is the most talented Class 1 team I've seen play this year.

C1D10, Chamois is the favorite here in a district that looks to be a one horse race.

C1D11, Green City (20-6) could play a spoiler to Jamestown or any other team trying to make a run at state. They're an interesting team. Also, keep an eye on Linn County (16-10).

C1D12, Meadville (21-5) is the favorite here, and they have some state tournament pedigree in that program. They're a team to watch as the tournament moves forward.

C1D13, Winston (23-2) faces the same criticism most teams from that part of the state face: WHO HAVE YOU PLAYED? Regardless, they've won a lot of games. If they can get by Southwest (20-4) they have a chance to get into the state tournament and prove themselves in the next round.

C1D14, Worth County (20-5), Pattonsburg (17-8), and Mercer (17-7) are all solid teams. Again, in that part of the state, it's "WHO HAVE YOU PLAYED?" If you're good enough, your schedule doesn't matter.

C1D15, North Andrew (24-0) is the best team in one of the best districts in the state, where you also have St. Joseph (21-5) and South Holt (20-6). The winner of that district will have earned it, and having not seen a lot of these teams play, I can tell you from having seen North Andrew play, they are really good. They have to be one of the favorites to win it all. That record is no fluke.

C1D16, on a strictly personal note, I always root for The Fighting Tim Jermain's. Jefferson, led by Hall of Fame coach, Tim Jermain, are one of the sneaky good teams in the entire bracket. They're 18-7, led by one of the all time great coaches in our state, and it would be awesome to see Coach Jermain make another run at the Final Four. Mound City (18-7) and Rock Port (14-7) might have other ideas!

My way, way, wayyyyyyy too early Final Four predictions:

Eminence, Walnut Grove, Jamestown, North Andrew.

Thanks for reading. #JWT