The Class 4A substate boys’ basketball pairings have been announced by the Iowa High School Athletic Association. Eighth-ranked Ankeny Centennial (14-6) received a No. 1 seed in Substate 2, while Ankeny (7-14) earned a No. 3 seed in Substate 6.
The Jaguars will host a substate semifinal on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. They will play the winner of a quarterfinal matchup between Iowa City West (10-9) and Cedar Rapids Prairie (5-14).
Prairie hosts Iowa City West on Tuesday and will then go to West for the substate game on Feb. 20. If the Hawks can pull off the upset, they would earn a rematch against Centennial–which posted a 71-55 victory at Prairie on Jan. 30.
No. 9 Cedar Falls (13-5) will host Dowling Catholic (8-11) or Fort Dodge (1-17) in the other semifinal game. The substate final will be played on Feb. 28.
Dowling could be a dangerous postseason opponent. The Maroons dropped a 78-41 decision at Centennial on Dec. 2, but then avenged the loss with a 52-47 win on Jan. 10.
Ankeny, meanwhile, will host a substate quarterfinal against Ottumwa (4-15) on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. Two of the Bulldogs’ wins came against Des Moines North and the other two came against Class 3A schools.
The winner of that game will play at second-seeded Ames (15-6), the defending state champion, in a substate semifinal on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. The Hawks already own a 64-50 win at Ames on Dec. 9.
No. 5 Indianola (18-2) is the top seed. The Indians will host a semifinal game against Linn-Mar (Marion) (7-12) or Iowa City Liberty (8-11) on Feb. 24.
The Hawks could potentially meet Indianola in the substate final on Feb. 28. It would be a rematch of a game at Ankeny on Dec. 12, which was won by the Indians, 62-55.
