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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Class 1A, 2A substate finals on tap Saturday for boys basketball
Iowa City Regina, Dyersville Beckman, Cascade, Union Community, South Winneshiek and Montezuma play for a trip to the state tournament
Feb. 27, 2026 3:22 pm, Updated: Feb. 27, 2026 3:42 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — Time to find out some qualifiers for the boys state basketball tournament.
There are 16 substate final games on tap Saturday and Saturday night across the state. That would be eight each in Class 1A and 2A.
Six schools from the Gazette area play for a trip to Des Moines: four in Class 2A and two in 1A. This is the final year the state tournament will be at what is now called Casey’s Center, with things shifting north to Ames and Iowa State University’s Hilton Coliseum.
Here is Saturday’s entire schedule of games and an in-depth look at the six games involving area schools.
Dyersville Beckman (14-10) vs. Grundy Center (22-1)
- What: Class 2A substate final
- Where: Cedar Falls (McLeod Center)
- When: 6:30 p.m.
- Synopsis: Grundy Center is ranked fifth by the Iowa High School Athletic Association, Beckman is unranked. Grundy is a 10-time state qualifier, including the previous two seasons. Beckman has been a state qualifier six times, the last in 2021 ... Grundy Center’s lone loss was late in the regular season to Union Community, which also is a 2A substate finalist. It has four players who average double figures in scoring, led by Judd Jirovsky (one of the best overall athletes in the state) at 15.3 points per game ... Beckman also has four double-figures scorers, with Jake Wegmann the leader at 13.3.
Iowa City Regina (21-1) vs. Northeast Goose Lake (17-7)
- What: Class 2A substate final
- Where: Muscatine
- When: 7 p.m.
- Synopsis: Regina is ranked third, Northeast is unranked. Regina has been to state 17 times, the last in 2024. Northeast is a seven-time qualifier, the last in 2007 ... These teams played way back on Dec. 9, with Regina picking up a 63-55 home win. Regina’s lone loss was to Solon (which is in a Class 3A substate final). Northeast has won five games in a row ... Regina is a physically large team led in scoring by forward Tate Wallace at 16.8 ppg. He’s a highly sought-after college football recruit ... Sophomore guard Jaxen Christiansen leads Northeast in scoring at 21.9 ppg.
Union Community (21-3) vs. Pella Christian (14-10)
- What: Class 2A substate final
- Where: Marshalltown
- When: 7 p.m.
- Synopsis: Union Community is ranked eighth, Pella Christian is unranked. Union seeks a repeat trip to the state tournament. Pella Christian was last at state in 2023 and has been a qualifier 17 times ... Union’s three losses were to Wapsie Valley, Aplington-Parkersburg (also a 2A substate finalist) and South Hardin. Guard Caden Sorensen leads the Knights in scoring at 16.1 ppg. He also averages 3.8 assists per game ... Pella Christian always runs the gauntlet schedule wise as a member of the 3A-4A Little Hawkeye Conference. In fact, all of its losses have been to teams in those classes. Gilbert Flagel, a 6-foot-7 seniors, leads the Eagles in scoring (21.5 per game) and rebounds (6.6 per game).
Cascade (16-7) vs. Aplington-Parkersburg (21-3)
- What: Class 2A substate final
- Where: Cedar Falls (McLeod Center)
- When: 8 p.m.
- Synopsis: Cascade goes in unranked, Aplington-Parkersburg sixth. The last time Cascade made the state tournament was in 2018 when it won a 2A championship. The Cougars are a 10-time qualifier. A-P has been to state seven times, the last in 2021 ... Cascade turned around a pair of regular-season losses to Monticello in the district finals. Senior guard Mick Hoffman was co-player of the year in the River Valley Conference’s East Divison and averages 24.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game ... Aplington-Parkersburg has won 10 consecutive games. Senior guard Benny Waller leads the Falcons in scoring (21.4 ppg), rebounds (8.4 rpg) and assists (3.7 apg).
Montezuma (21-4) vs. Bellevue Marquette (22-2)
- What: Class 1A substate final
- Where: Iowa City High
- When: 6 p.m.
- Synopsis: Marquette is ranked ninth, Montezuma is unranked. The Braves already slayed one giant by beating undefeated Lynnville-Sully in a district final. Montezuma is an eight-time qualifier, the last qualification coming in 2021 when it won the 1A championship. Marquette also has qualified for state 10 times and was runner-up the past two seasons ... Guard Brady Boulton is Montezuma’s top player, averaging 22.4 points per game. He’s a 2,000-point scorer in his career ... Marquette’s losses were to Bellevue and Burlington Notre Dame, both top-10 ranked and fellow substate finalists. The Mohawks have six players who average between 9.8 and 12.1 points per game, which is incredible balance for a team.
South Winneshiek (21-3) vs. Algona Garrigan (22-2)
- What: Class 1A substate final
- Where: Mason City
- When: 7 p.m.
- Synopsis: South Winneshiek is unranked, Garrigan is No. 3. Garrigan has been a state qualifier four times, the last time in 2020. South Winneshiek last made state in 2021, which was its third appearance ... Garrigan’s losses have been to 2A Western Christian and 3A Forest City. Four Golden Bears player average double figures in scoring, led by junior guard Michael Joyce (18.3 ppg) ... South Winneshiek’s losses have been to 2A Crestwood and Waukon, as well as Wapsie Valley, a defeat that was avenged in the district finals. Matson Winings leads the Warriors in scoring (17.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg).
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CLASS 1A SUBSTATE FINALS
Bellevue (21-3) vs. East Marshall (18-6) at Solon, 7 p.m.
Burlington Notre Dame (23-2) vs. Calamus-Wheatland (23-2) at Solon, 4 p.m.
Coon Rapids-Bayard (23-1) vs. Boyden-Hull (17-7) at Sioux City East, 6 p.m.
Madrid (20-4) vs. Woodbine (16-8) at Des Moines (Knapp Center), 5:30 p.m.
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn-Remsen-Union (24-1) vs. North Union (15-9) at Storm Lake, 6 p.m.
Oakland Riverside (14-8) vs. Fort Dodge St. Edmond (22-2) at Des Moines (Knapp Center), 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A SUBSTATE FINALS
Orange City Unity Christian (21-2) vs. Southeast Valley (21-1) at Storm Lake, 8 p.m.
Roland-Story (18-5) vs. Carroll Kuemper (21-2) at Jefferson, 7 p.m.
Tri-Center (21-2) vs. Western Christian (17-6) at Sioux City East, 8 p.m.
Underwood (19-4) vs. Treynor (21-3) at Council Bluffs Jefferson, 5 p.m.
CLASS 3A SUBSTATE FINALS
(All games at 7 p.m.)
Metro-Area
Cedar Rapids Xavier (14-8) at Dubuque Wahlert (15-8)
DeWitt Central (15-8) at Solon (22-2)
State
Keokuk (19-4) at Pella (20-4)
Nevada (21-3) at Adel-DeSoto-Minburn (21-2)
North Polk (14-10) at Gilbert (15-8)
Oskaloosa (14-9) at Huxley Ballard (22-1)
Sergeant Bluff-Luton (18-6) at Storm Lake (22-2)
Sioux Center (16-8) at Carroll (19-5)
Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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