The boys’ Class 4A substate basketball pairings have been announced by the Iowa High School Athletic Association.
Eighth-ranked Ankeny Centennial (10-4) has earned a No. 1 seed in Substate 2. The Jaguars will host a semifinal game against Des Moines Lincoln (4-9) or Indianola (13-6) on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
No. 6 Ames (12-3) will host Des Moines Hoover (8-4) or Fort Dodge (2-12) in the other semifinal game. The substate final will be played on March 2 at 7 p.m. at a site to be determined.
Centennial and Ames could meet for the third time this season. The Jaguars posted a 55-53 victory at Ames on Dec. 22, but the Little Cyclones won the rematch at Centennial, 56-46, on Friday.
Ankeny (8-7), meanwhile, has earned a No. 2 seed in Substate 8. The Hawks will host a semifinal game against Mason City (5-14) or Norwalk (12-6) on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
Norwalk won the Class 3A state title a year ago behind all-state guard Bowen Born, who is now playing at Northern Iowa. The Warriors moved up to Class 4A this season.
Ankeny already owns two victories over the Mohawks. The Hawks posted a 66-62 win on Dec. 11 and a 71-61 triumph on Jan. 12.
No. 2 Waukee (10-2) is the top seed in Substate 8. The Warriors will host Des Moines Roosevelt (5-8) or Marshalltown (3-11) in the other semifinal game.
The substate final will be played on March 2 at 7 p.m. at a site to be determined. Ankeny and Waukee could meet for the third time this season in what would also be a rematch of last year’s Class 4A championship game, which was won by the Hawks.
The Warriors posted a 65-28 victory on Dec. 21 and then won the rematch at Ankeny, 65-37, on Jan. 19.